One undrafted Buccaneers rookie is getting a boost from Sen. Marco Rubio in his effort to push back his military service in order to play for the Tampa Bay team.
The Republican senator representing Florida wrote a letter to President Biden urging him to grant NFL hopeful Cameron Kinley a waiver to delay his commission with the US Navy so that he can "pursue his dream of playing in the National Football League."
Kinley had his dream cut short when his request to delay his service was denied by the Navy due to "unexplained reasons," according to his agency.
"I write to you, as our Commander in Chief, on an issue of great unfairness," Rubio wrote. "In years past, the U.S. Department of Defense has issued many waivers to allow athletes to temporarily delay their service to our nation to pursue their professional sports dreams. Unfortunately, Mr. Kinley seems to be the exception, and without reason."
Kinley served as class president while playing division one football for the United States Naval Academy.
“Mr. Kinley is not seeking to terminate his commitment to the Navy,” Rubio continued. “He wishes to promote service to our great nation from one of the country’s largest stages. I implore you to right this wrong.”
Read the full letter below:
Kinley released a statement regarding his denial stating that "it is very difficult to have been this close to achieving a childhood dream and having it taken away."
"I am very aware of the commitment that I made to serve when I first arrived at the United States Naval Academy. I look forward to my career as a naval officer in the information warfare community. However, I am deserving of the opportunity to live out another one of my life-long dreams before fulfilling my service requirement," Kinley wrote, in part.
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