Mattis Slams Door On Military Academy Athletes Immediately Turning Pro

The problem I have with that is that the force ends up an officer short for every officer that successfully turns pro ... and some kid that wanted to attend an academy didn't make the cut because the athlete-turned-pro beat him out for the appointment.

Totally agree.

Pretty sure it is five. May have been referring to non-augmented ROTC, but I thought that was 3.5 years.

I did not go OCS. Recruiter said wait 6 months. I refused. 1966.

Interesting. I played football at Annapolis and was held to the same expectation as everyone else. I graduated with David Robinson and we both sweated out EE together - no tutors. Still went it formation. Still marched in parade. Must be an Air Force thing, to no surprise.

And no one gets a sports scholarship. You get a nomination and an appointment like everyone else, pass your SATs with a 1500 like everyone else, etc. while Ingoy a letter saying that they would like me to consider playing, there was no football scholarship. No one is that stupid to go to an Academy and suffer that life who is planning on playing football in the pros. That's just silly.

Capt James Emmitt - Maybe I misspoke a little. You are correct...there are no scholarships but they are recruited. It happened to three guys at my High School...two at AFA and one at USMA. Some athletes never thought about or considered the academy until they were recruited for football They do have to met the all standards to get in...that is non negotiable...and I hope they never lower that standard. They are not "dumb" jocks by any standard. They go through the plebe year like anyone else but after that they got treated a little different. They still marched in parades and formations but in other areas were cut some slack because of the football program...extra food, time to eat it etc not your standard squaring of forks to the mouth and chewing x number of times. Because of practices, weights, films etc they were allowed tutoring as required...because doggone...the classes at the academies are tough especially when you figure in all the other "stuff" (aviation programs, jump program, intramurals, field exercises) etc. Now the education they received...they did not get any slack on the classes and the education was top notch...the best around just like all the academies. However, if there was a discipline issue it was usually handed off to the coach. I agree with Mattis on this one though...you were brought to the academy for a reason...do your commitment and then if you are still good enough, go to the pro's. I wish I could say this was an Air Force thing but I have had friends from all service academies and they all told me the same thing. For the most part the football players got extras when no one else did. Your experience was different and I am sure glad to hear that because I am sure it made you the officer you are today. Congrats on finishing a top notch academy and having a great career!!! thanks for all of your service

Thank you for validating that. Team tables were considered a break for many, but that was the only break. As for tutoring, that was available for any student upon request. Anyone on Academic probabtion 2.0 or below) had a required mandatory 40 hours of s study per week - logged and tutored. All midshipmen, not just atheletes. I know, because I was in that group with so many others junior year, which is the hardest.