He never deployed in a sub. That was a staged photo--he spent a few weeks on a sub as every Academy grad does. He was commissioned in the Reserves with a 2 year AD commitment which was shoreside at a sub base. He was a civil engineer. But he did his duty.
I don't think Academy athletes should get special treatment that other top academic graduates cannot enjoy. You go to the Academy to become a career Officer of the line (or Staff Corps Officer if they go to Law or Medical School after the Academy, for example). Why shouldn't a top math or science student graduating be allowed to interview with a high paying tech company for a great job....and defer their service to a later time? Why is it in the national interest to have some grads allowed to delay their commitment to make more money than their commission would bring them, but not others?
Dumb law.