Playing as a defensive back for the Arizona Cardinals would be a childhood dream come true for many Americans, but for Jimmy Legree, his real passion was still unfulfilled.
At 28-years-old he took the first step towards realizing his lifelong dream of serving his country by enlisting in the Army and going to basic training.
Legree is currently at D Battery, 1st Battalion, 19th Field Artillery and next month will head to his Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Ft. Gordon, Georgia.
"It's been a good journey so far," Legree told Fox and Friends last week.
When asked what lessons from the NFL he hoped to bring to his military service, Legree answered without missing a beat saying, "dedication, commitment, hardwork, being resilient when times get hard, how to stay focused, stay on track, and just give my all every day."
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Legree played for two seasons with the Cardinals before enlisting as a communications specialist.
In regards to the reaction of other basic trainees when learning that there is a former NFL player in their midst, Legree said, "some ask for autographs, we laugh about it but of course they ask how was it in the NFL and everything like that so I give them a little insight...but I'm not special or anything like that so it is all fun and games when it comes to that."
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Reach Jack Murphy: jack@connectingvets.com or @JackMurphyRGR.
