American Army Citizenship Rule Is An Absolute Joke

Your time on WCAP is not the entirety of your military career.

Chelimo and Bor both had to do Basic Training, they have an MOS (I believe), and their commitments in the military will extend beyond their time in WCAP.

In my experience, (service academy graduate and track athlete not fast enough to make WCAP) time spent in WCAP may not even count towards their service commitment. They train full time now, in order to be competitive. They will certainly have time within a unit when their running careers have ended.

These guys are worth their pay grades as professional athletes in terms of the exposure they give the Army; which can not be said of some of the American born WCAP athletes.

My only question is why is the Sam Hendricks is not on WCAP. My thought was that by not being on WCAP he is free to take a Nike contract while still maintaining his commission. If he can train full time while still serving then I guess that works for him.

Dennis T Reynolds wrote:

dlk2234 wrote:

If I'm mistaken and these guys are in combat, then I retract but I doubt that is likely.

Not everyone in the armed forces goes into combat and that doesn't make the sacrifice they make for our country any less meaningful or important. You are a f*cking joke for suggesting it does.

What sacrifice do they make beyond what any other person makes. Any other govt employee lets say?

They will still have to serve time in the army after their time in wcap is done. This could mean doing a tour in an active war zone. Do any of you haters read or research before coming on here and spitting sad vitriol? The number of times the OP has responded in this thread is seriously sad. Get a life you frickin loser.

Fastcraxk wrote:

Discovery wrote:

This is true.

AND it has a negative impact on people's interest, in the United States, in the sport of track and field. Tough to identify with bought athletes that haven't come up the ranks in the country they now represent.

If you watched Chelimo's 5k and lost interest in American distance running than you are an idiot. There have been few times I've watched a race in recent years with such excitement. Guess you liked the slow AF sit and kick races executed by Rupp? Chelimo has a big personality which is something Rupp has never had. Chelimo could end up having a bigger impact on US running than Rupp and he's not even WHITE! Look at what Meb has done and he's not WHITE either.

I watched Chelimo and I enjoyed it to the max. You miss my point. I am a die hard fan of T&F. In order for T&F to gain in popularity, people outside of a very small group of die hards need to find appeal. It is hard to identify with hired gun East Africans or hired gun anyone from anywhere for that matter when their number outnumbers that of US runners that have come up through the ranks. U.S. Distance running is going this way and it is my opinion that is not good for the sport of distance running in the United States.

Clearly my opinion differs from yours and you decided to call me names and imply I am a racist when in fact the latter applies to you. The earlier poster is also correct in stating the future or very near future is very unpredictable for athletes who are long time U.S. Citizens, who from one year to the next don't know who the U.S. army program is going to gain through a loophole to quick US Citizenship. This also may cause sponsors to question their support levels for athletes and tune people out when not knowing what next year brings.

You called me an idiot. That I am not and you clearly have limited ability to express your thoughts.

You capitalized the word white twice in your rebuttal. Which indicates you have racial bias at the very least.

You use Meb in your rant as if I have slighted him. Your spin needs to be exposed for what it is. I think Meb is a great American. His family came to America seeking a better life and with that so too did a young Meb arrive and come through the ranks. His is a great story. It is an American story. People identify with him. He is as American as any American in my opinion. He is a great role model.

I am talking about bought athletes that happen to be East African that gain quick citizenship through gaming a loophole.

You're right. If they didn't get a US citizenship they would not have enlisted. To think the ONLY reason they joined though was for an easy route to world championships is laughable. Most of them will never make a world team and none of them were world caliber before they joined. You're just a butt hurt loser they can't understand the true meaning of the word American. It certainly has nothing to do with color of your skin or the country you or your family were born in. Yes, I refer to my childhood friends that were from Ireland as Irish and my friends from China as Chineese.. but they are all as American as I am as a German descendant. People will always refer to these Guys as Kenyans, but it has nothing to do with their nationality and everything to do with their heritage.

So, shut up....

Same with Julius Bor, etc, etc....

You go through Basic Training and deploy. Then I call you not a real American.

If you see Meb as American and not these guys than you have no understanding for what these guys signed up for. Sad as your spreading very uneducated opinions when these guys should be celebrated. One of Simmon's US qualifiers didn't get to compete as he was deployed to Afghanistan. Such a gaming loophole for that guy huh? He is now risking his life while you post on these boards about how they aren't American. You're a pathetic man.

Eva Heard Of . . . wrote:

800ftw. wrote:

I mean, I don't agree with the OP, but Farah is clearly British. Just lived here nearly his whole life from a child, went through the British school and athletic system and clearly carries British culture.

Farah is a Tax Exile who has not lived in the UK for many years.

The Mobot illegally moved to the UK at age 8 and exiled himself 7-years ago. So, he has not lived in the UK nearly all his life; even discounted his first 8-years in Somalia.

He emigrated to the USA and applied to be a tax exile only 3 years ago. He also was never an illegal immigrant so stop pushing that lie.

There are many British ex-pats living abroad not paying tax to the UK. He would have paid more tax here than you've ever paid in America (and probably more there too).

Not that tax is even important. Many republicans/conservatives wish to cut it right down anyway!

Nationality has nothing to do with taxes or where you were born.

If anyone thinks they have more right to the USA or UK because they were born there than someone who moves there to serve, be productive, get involved with the culture and support the national pride then they've got another thing coming. Pure xenophobia.

Interesting experience, thanks for sharing.

Most "Americans" wouldn't do what they have done to get American citizenship. American runners have the same opportunity to be a part of the program.

Brit Abroad wrote:

I didn't say it was a new phenomenon or that I had a problem with the US gaining new citizens... I'm merely suggesting that these people are completely manipulating your system to take places of legitimate AMERICAN (not just American by a citizenship technicality) athletes.

You could never look down the line and try and predict who will be making American teams for the next Olympics cycles like we can do, because those teams are going to be made up of people who aren't even 'American' yet, it's a joke.

I raced against Leonard Korir, Paul Chelimo, Hilary Bor and Shadrack Kipchirchir in college right here in the USA 7-8 years ago. I'm proud to call them fellow Americans today and support the WCAP with my tax dollars. Better spent than most of my taxes anyway.

So we should go around the world stealing athletes to displace actual Americans and use they old bit "look at these patriots, how could you not call them Americans"?

As if these guys would say no under any circumstance. Whatever the Army has them doing, its waaaaay better than whatever they were doing.

Army Guy:

Plusses: Secure job

paycheck

health care

food

housing

Minuses:

Could conceivably be in harms way but in the last few years losses have been pretty small honestly. And this is all service branches.

http://www.icasualties.org/

Kenyan civilian Guy:

Plusses:

None

Minuses:

Poverty, extreme

Corrupt leaders

Subsistence lifestyle

Life expectancy of 61y

Yeah it was a real tough choice. What patriots!

Look, I said above, I love the way Chelimo runs and he is a great guy I'm sure, but I just don't see this as much different than Qatar importing Kenyans. Sorry.

I'm happy to call these guys Americans, and I thank them for serving in the military. I just don't think they should be able to represent the US and displace long-time American athletes in competition based on nationality.

I actually think we should jettison nationality based competition and use an all-comers standard where federations have no say, (anyone under 3:33 or whatever in the 1500 is in) but thats another story.

I don't think anyone would argue that joining WCAP gives these guys a lot of opportunities superior to those available back in Kenya.

However, I don't see how the lack of opportunity in Kenya makes these guys un-American.

Everybody has something deep to say, but I will only say that We Are The World, And We Will Take Credit For Mo Farah's Success. And If We Want We'll Take Him As Our Own.

Brit Abroad wrote:

Yeah, fine with me. He's been in England since he was in primary school (6/7/8 years old ish) and is therefore British as far as I'm concerned. Not even remotely similar situation.

Ok...

See, that's what you will never understand about the US. Griftin' Mo is through and through British because he's lived there until he turned pro then he lives everywhere but the UK 90% of the year (leaving behind his disgusting wife and numerous children)... But the Army Kenyans somehow aren't American enough despite the rigors of their program.

But you're not actually British and this is a troll thread.

I do not have a problem with Kenyans or anyone else for that matter joining the US military. I do have a problem with people gaming the system for money. If these guys actually served in the military to do something besides running then I would not have a problem. Elkanah Kibet served properly and deserves citizenship and the ability to run. He was a soldier first. These other guys not so much. Not American. I never considered Lagat American. I certainly did Manzano, Lomong and numerous others.

Most of the Kenyans making the US teams would not make the Kenyan team and that is why they are running here. They are not serving in the military. Only in name. Ask them how many days they wore their uniform in the last 365. I'm guessing less than 15-20 times. It's a joke.

Maybe there should be an LRC FAQ for the WCAP to point the ignorant or racist to when they say WCAP guys don't do basic training, have required duties, deploy, see combat, or have further commitments after their running is over.

The difference between running for BAHRAIN and the WCAP is pretty simple. US Army runners despite what the ignorant and racist say potentially put their life and limb on the line in service of their country. They have real army duties, commitments, and deployments. The WCAP athletes aren't guaranteed a spot on the national team. Athletes who run for Middle Eastern countries are granted citizenship so they can automatically represent their new country at WCs or OGs. The incentives can be citizenship signing bonuses, medal bonuses, and lifetime salaries.

https://www.google.com/amp/www.nation.co.ke/sports/athletics/Olympic-3000m-steeplechase-gold-medallist-Ruth-Jebet-in-Kenya/1100-3350826-view-asAMP-mcgm7m/index.html

https://www.google.com/amp/deadspin.com/if-youre-a-small-rich-country-you-can-buy-an-olympic-1785302021/amp

Fastcraxk, you are being disingenuous again.

Brit Abroad provided opinions not just one or "only" as you state. He is pointing out the obvious.

Your responses are laughable.

"Sole" = "only"