There may be only six wearing NFL jerseys, Teal, but how many academy football players who failed to do so are now wearing uniforms? Or were they simply released from their commitment? That's the real problem here: all those very limited officer slots wasted because the academies recruited for athletics rather than military duty.
I've never heard of more than 2 or 3 in any given year ask. Some given a deferment, some not. I've never heard of any being let out completely - as in they never serve in some capacity if it doesn't come true. If it does come true and they have a long career or whatever - I believe they chalk it up to "marketing/recruiting" for the services.
