Yesterday, Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08) joined "Don Lemon Tonight" to press for Cameron Kinley, Naval Academy graduate and captain of the Navy Midshipmen football team, to be able to defer his service in the U.S. Navy to play professional football. The Acting Secretary of the Navy, Thomas W. Harker, denied Kinley’s waiver request and left Kinley with no ability to appeal.

Rep. Scott contends that several other service academy athletes, including from the Naval Academy, have been granted waivers in the past to temporarily defer their service to play professionally. In most cases, those athletes were transferred to Reserve status for the duration of their deferment.

On June 16th during a House Armed Services Committee hearing, Rep. Scott questioned Acting Secretary Harker on Kinley’s deferral denial and lack of appeal process for Kinley. During the hearing, Rep. Scott also stressed the importance of creating a uniform standard across all Services where men and women excelling at their sport of choice have equal opportunity to defer their service to play professionally. You can click here to watch his remarks at the hearing.

You can click here to watch Rep. Scott on “Don Lemon Tonight.”

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Rep Scott: There should be a uniform standard across Services when Academy graduates seek to defer their service to play professional sports.

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