In a day in his life, Army's star linebacker takes us through a day in his life, explaining what he wants to do at Army. There is a time and a place for it.
There is a chance that talented athletes at service academies can't play professional sports straight out of school.
According to The Military Times, a bill being passed through Congress could change the policy for athletes at the academies. Athletes at military academies have been able to apply for waivers to delay their active service requirement and pursue professional sports opportunities.
The rule was pushed through by the former president. Section 553 of the National Defense Authorization Act states that an agreement by a cadet or midshipman to play professional sport is a violation of service obligation. Cadets in the Army, Navy, and Air Force can't get employment until they complete their commissioned service obligation. Five years of active duty and three years in the individual ready reserve are required.
The change is expected to happen when the bill is signed. Carter would lose the ability to immediately pursue professional sports opportunities if he got a legacy exception.
Carter's NFL draft potential was a feel-good story going into this season. The school hasn't had a first-round pick since 1947 and just two players have been drafted in the last 50 years.
Carter decided to stay at Army despite being a player who could make a lot of money on his name and image. He is capable of playing at any blue blood school. Even after he led the country in sacks in 2021, his family says he never considered transferring. He was ahead of Will Anderson Jr., who was the only OLB ranked ahead of him.
Cadets go into their junior year at the academy with an agreement to both serve after graduation and pay back tuition if they don't graduate. If Carter went back on his word, both of them would have to pay back the money they've spent.
Carter's parents were on their way to the Army-Navy game in Houston when they heard about the change on the internet. They were not aware of the contents of the report when they read it. Their son's plans to enter the draft, play professional football and eventually serve in the military were in jeopardy.
"Here's the thing that's really bad," Carter said. You guide your son to do the right thing. It is disappointing that it is not reciprocated. He has always wanted to go into the NFL. The path was on track until we read this article. The part that is disappointing is that. It's not surprising to see so many people move. Loyalty is not reciprocated.
After the Army-Navy game, Jeff Monken found out about the rule change.
Monken said it was pulling the rug out from under him. It's not right. It isn't right to him. He was a loyal member of the team. He wasn't able to leave and he didn't. He is still interested in serving. He wants to serve. He would like to play in the NFL and serve in the military.
I'm not in favor of it.
If the bill passes, Carter said her son will have to serve two years in the military. An alternative service option can be applied for by a graduate after two years of active service. The bill's passage will likely force Carter's son to choose between a career in football or the military. The family doesn't have an issue with Army or the coaches, but they do have an issue with politics.
The family is trying to find a solution. Carter would get a fifteen million dollar contract if he goes 22. Some scouts think he's more of a second-round pick than a first-round one. The family says there's a lack of fairness because the rules would change before their son played his last game. His path might have been different if the rules had been different. During their son's last two years, the Carters asked a lot about the rules.
Monken wonders if it is possible to change the policy to allow those who entered the academy after the bill was passed to get legacy exceptions. While he's in favor of keeping the rules that allow deferring military duty, he's hoping something can be done in the short term for Carter and those who entered an academy thinking they could pursue professional sports and defer their military duty.
Monken didn't care who set the policy in place. We should do what is right.
Ryan McCarthy, who was the Secretary of the Army at the time, was unsure of the mechanics of how this section got into the current bill.
McCarthy didn't know about the change until he attended the Army-Navy game.
McCarthy said he's disappointed because there's proof that the deferments work, and that NFL executives had finally become comfortable drafting players from the academy. The military has been debating whether or not to allow athletes to defer service to play for decades. It goes through famous Navy graduates like David Robinson in the NBA and Napoleon McCallum in the NFL, according to him.
McCarthy said you can argue about philosophy. Three-plus years of precedent is what it is. Five Army players have had their service deferred. One of the four who made it in the NFL was cut by the Packers. The policy is working at the moment.
The presumption was that these young men would be given the chance to compete for the NFL. The men who came to the Army after the policy was instituted should be grandfathered into the policy.
There are four Army graduates in the National Football League right now. The story they tell about West Point is very important. Monken doesn't understand why those who train for the Olympics through the World Class Athlete program are celebrated and those who choose to delay service for professional football are not.
Monken said they were proud of how they represented West Point.
Carter II didn't want to speak to the sports network for the story. His family made his feelings clear.
His father said that his son was upset. He was upset due to the uncertainty. He was angry. Everything in the military is perfect. It's kind of thrown out at the last minute when you're used to having a military unit. He's in a state of confusion.
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