Trump Orders Rule Allowing Military Academy Grads To Defer Service To Play Pro Sports

[Eugene]

Source: NPR

Trump Orders Rule Allowing Military Academy Grads To Defer Service To Play Pro Sports

June 26, 20198:57 PM ET
BOBBY ALLYN

President Trump is ordering the Pentagon to rewrite a rule allowing athletes to delay mandatory active service in order to play professional sports directly upon graduation.

"These student-athletes should be able to defer their military service obligations until they have completed their professional sports careers," Trump wrote in a presidential memorandum issued on Wednesday.

Under existing Department of Defense policy, those enrolled in military academies cannot play sports before serving at least two years in the armed forces.

That requirement, Trump wrote in his memo, deprives some student athletes of "a short window" they have to take advantage of their athletic talents.

During the Obama administration, military academy athletes were able to go right into sports after graduating if they were granted reserve status. But last year, Trump's own Defense Department revoked that policy.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2019/06/26/736437284/trump-orders-rule-allowing-military-academy-grads-to-defer-service-to-play-pro-s

[exboyfil]

1. Tail wagging the dog

Just like North Carolina was willing to jeopardize their accreditation to cover for their sports programs.

Ridiculous. The Service Academies are in place to train officers for our military.

On the other hand doctors at the Uniformed Services University and on medical scholarships can delay their commitment while they pursue their residency.

So maybe not so ridiculous.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. OK . . . . and what happens if/when the military graduate sustains injuries from playing sports

that PREVENT that student from serving in the military, e.g, broken leg, back problems, concussion syndrome, etc.?

[dameatball]

3. This got me thinking. I wonder if someone who has been accepted to a military academy and is

successful in athletics to the point of making a living in pro sports can decide to transfer to another college prior to graduating and thus not be obligated to serve in the military.
Be that as it may, I think Trump needs to stay the hell out of this. But......we know he won't.