Most other face-to-face conversations with him haven't really been that great. It's very hard to get a read on him honestly. It wouldn't be so bad if he had talked about this at the parent meeting we had about 2 weeks ago. Then he could have gotten feedback and questions then instead of counting on the players to relay the information to him. It's just odd. He had already talked about the spring workouts so bringing this up would have been something related to all of that.Your story includes some texting back-and-forth of an apparent misunderstanding and disagreement. Apparently, a couple of years later, the coach's perspective changed. That is why I suggested a face-to-face that would included you showing up with some ideas to constructively address all concerns .
I agree that ROTC participation is valuable. If I were the coach, as someone who spent over two decades in uniform, I'd be looking for a way to accommodate. This is a communication and expectations issue. You and the coach now view the previous agreement differently. Sometimes, a parent face-to-face needs to happen...doesn't have to be contentious.