Mitch Harris, a recent graduate of the United States Naval Academy, has been ordered to fullfill his obligation to the nation and serve on active duty rather than immediately pursue a career in baseball.  Military graduates that have been drafted into professional sports leagues are sometimes allowed to pursue an athletic career in return for shorter service requirements.  The military does this as a public relations move and uses these athletes to support recruiting efforts. 

I really don't have too much of a problem with that.  This type of program does help the military's recruiting and has been proven to work in the past - David Robinson of the NBA's San Antonio Spurs did an extraordinary job in this capacity. 

What I do have a problem with though is when an athlete is required to fulfill his original commitment and then whines and cries about it!  Mr. Harris, when interviewed about the Navy's decision to require him to report to his ship said:

"Of course we're at war, no one can argue we're not, but what I've said from the beginning is that I'm not trying to get out of anything.

"If I don't get that chance [to play baseball] right now, I'll never get it again. And to fulfill a goal of getting to the pros, it's sad that they would take it away from me."

Are you kidding me?  Mr. Harris knew the score when he agreed to serve his nation and now that the country expects him to actually fulfill that obligation he thinks it is "sad" that they would require him to do so? 

Navy spokesman Commander Jeff Harris said, ""Bottom line is, we're a nation at war and as a nation at war we believe it is inappropriate for Navy and Marine Corps personnel to be released from service obligation to play sports at a time other sailors and Marines are carrying out their service obligations."

I could not agree more with the Navy's position.  He may turn out to be a fine Naval officer but right now, I don't know that I would consider Mr. Harris much of a shipmate.