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Army orders Lions draft pick Campbell to withdraw
Associated Press

Gregory Shamus / Getty Images
Caleb Campbell must return to full-time traditional military duties.

DETROIT – Caleb Campbell will not get a chance to play for the Detroit Lions because of a change in military policy.

Campbell was a seventh-round draft pick for the Lions in April. At the time, Army policy would have allowed the West Point graduate to serve as a recruiter if he made the team.

But a subsequent Department of Defense policy has superseded the 2005 Army policy.

In a letter to Lions president Matt Millen dated Wednesday, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jonathan P. Liba wrote that Campbell has been ordered to give up professional football for “full-time traditional military duties.”

Liba wrote that 2nd Lt. Campbell may ask to be released from his active duty obligations in May 2010.

Liba said Campbell was allowed to enter the draft "in good faith

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That’s messed up… Doesn’t get to follow his dream.

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Can’t he just leave and take a dishonorable discharge?

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he’d have to pay them back for his football scolly most likely or some equivalent bullshit.

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He was not on a football scholarship. His education was free. In return he chose to make a commitment to the Army.

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He was not on a football scholarship. His education was free. In return he chose to make a commitment to the Army.

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The big deal here is they waited till the last min to change the policy; they could have change the policy 6mon ago instead of letting the young man go through the draft process and rookie camps etc. I think he could have been a great recruiting tool for army but instead this could hurt there recruiting process in the long run.

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Agreed. I have no problem with the Army’s polic y IF they had been consistent with it from the start. Now they come out looking terrible.

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It was not the fault of the Army. The D.O.D changed the policy. I just listened to an interview with the young man. In it he said he had been pursuing 2 dreams one to play foot ball and one to be an officer in the Army. Now he will pursue one dream. He understands the situation and has no problem.

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it’s kind of insult to injury that he’s being assigned to be an asst coach at West Point. Being immersed in the game you’re capable of playing at the highest level but aren’t allowed to…sucks.