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DoD order: No “Ice Bucket Challenge” for service members, DoD employees in uniform

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The Department of Defense Office of General Counsel has issued an order that current service members and DoD employees cannot participate in the “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge” while in uniform.

This includes civilian uniforms that clearly show a DoD relationship — i.e. Department of the Army civilian police uniforms.

The OGC says that participating while in uniform can be construed as an official DoD endorsement for the cause.

The legal advisory was posted to the Facebook page of the National Training Center/Fort Irwin.

It states in part, “ALS Association is a national non-profit organization. As such, participating in this event is subject to concerns about implied endorsement. The OGC is the federal agency that has final say on appropriate ethical behavior for the DOD.”

A video was posted earlier this week of a group of Navy Blue Angel pilots participating in the challenge. It has since been removed.