Caleb Campbell isn't going to Iraq either.
And he's being treated like a 'hero'.
He isn't disobeying any orders or violating the UCMJ:
Campbell will enter the NFL through an Army policy that allows highly regarded athletes to turn pro after their graduation from West Point. This policy, enacted in 2005, a year after Campbell entered the academy as a plebe, allows the athlete to serve a portion of his military service obligation as a recruiter. Cadets who do not play intercollegiate revenue sports, by comparison, have a five year service obligation in the branch they selected at graduation; the higher your rank, the more likely you get the branch you want.
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/61947