“With the 218^th pick of the 2008 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions pick Caleb Campbell- Army!” These words, spoken by Commissioner Roger Goodell, sounded so surreal to Caleb. He was an army boy with football talent, and he was actually getting the chance to play in the NFL… Now, those dreams have been brutally crushed by the Army. Yesterday, Campbell and Lion’s president Matt Millen, were informed of the bad news, that Campbell would have to serve two years of active duty before being able to play. This completely contradicted what the Army had said at first.

It began when Campbell was drafted, the Army was proud to have a representative playing in the NFL. They told him that he could play, and do his duty, and serve as a recruiter. Not only would they have the publicity of a soldier in the NFL, but I’m sure their recruits in that area would skyrocket. Not many kids will listen to your average recruiter, but if it’s coming from a NFL safety, they may be more inclined to lend an ear. But people had mixed feelings about this. Here was this soldier, who just because he was good at football, may not have to serve 2 years active duty, while these other soldiers are being sent off to Iraq? I’m sure this was a question many mothers of soldiers asked the Army. Granted, this concern was valid, why should he get special treatment? On the other side, Campbell was getting letters from veterans of previous wars, and even from soldiers out on the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan, urging him to keep at it and play in the NFL. Despite this overwhelming support from his comrades, the Army changed their minds and told Campbell that he couldn’t play ball for 2 years.

The disappointment hit him like a brick wall, and he even admitted to crying a little. Hell, if I had just watched my dreams go up in a poof of smoke, I’d be more than a little teary-eyed. So now, Campbell, a second lieutenant, has to serve on active duty for two years before playing. The good news? The first year, he is going to be a graduate assistant football coach for the Army Academy. So while serving, he can still stay in tip-top football shape, and still be around the game that he loves so much. The bad news? He’s on active duty, he can be called to Iraq any time, a calling that he said he would proudly take.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is a true American hero. Even after the Army misled him and basically crushed his pro football dreams, he is still willing a ready to serve at a moments notice. Is he disappointed? Yes, how could he not be? But does he hold a grudge? Not at all, he even went as far to say that he’s excited to serve his 2 years.

A hero… we need more like him.