Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds was already one of the most talented athletes ever to take the field for a U.S. service academy. Now he’s also one of the most important off the field as well.

Inspired in part by Reynolds, the Department of Defense has loosened its policy about service academy athletes serving in the military, allowing them to pursue careers in professional sports before enlisting, according to The Gazette, in Colorado Springs.

Under the old DoD policy, athletes had to serve two years before being allowed to chase athletic careers, though exceptions were sometimes made. Now, players with pro potential can be placed on reserve as long as they have a contract or binding commitment with a professional team.

Obviously anyone who attends a service academy knows he’s pledging himself to military service, but given that sports careers can’t usually be shelved and picked up again two years later (David Robinson excepted), it’s helpful for athletes to have options. The change in policy figures to greatly help the service academies in recruiting, since they can now attract players with serious pro aspirations.

Via, The Gazette, here are the views of Air Force baseball coach Mike Kazlausky, who said Reynolds “might end up being the greatest thing to happen to Air Force base.”

Kazlausky, an Air Force grad who served 20 years before retiring as a major, prefers players who want to follow his career path. He enthusiastically offered the story of recent graduate Trent Monaghan, a pitcher who told the St. Louis Cardinals “thanks, but no thanks” when they inquired about drafting him in the 31st round last month.

“He said, ‘I came to serve. I came to fight,'” Kazlausky said. “That’s what gets me excited.”

But Kazlausky also has no issues telling recruits they have options.

“Hopefully they can do both,” he said. “It’s not that kids want to get out of their ability to serve. They all want to serve, that’s why they came here.”

Reynolds was selected in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens after an incredible senior season at Navy. He was likely to receive a pass to play in the NFL before serving in the military, but the policy change means the same will apply for all service academy athletes, not just the superstars.

All these athletes will end up in military uniform eventually. Might as well let them chase their other dreams first.

[The Gazette]

About Alex Putterman

Alex is a writer and editor for The Comeback and Awful Announcing. He has written for The Atlantic, VICE Sports, MLB.com, SI.com and more. He is a proud alum of Northwestern University and The Daily Northwestern. You can find him on Twitter @AlexPutterman.