University of Missouri Army ROTC members will not be walking around campus in their uniforms for the remainder of the week due to threats from student protesters.
KRCG reports that a professor of military science sent an email to members instructing them to not wear their uniforms because of threats made towards veterans and soldiers in the Columbia area.
The email, which was sent out Monday evening, read:
“Team, There have been threats made against Veterans and Soldiers in the COMO area, therefore as a force protection measure do not wear your uniforms to class this week. You should wear your uniform for LAB only and you should not wear it around campus at all.”
The group’s physical training sessions were reportedly also cancelled for the week .
According to KOMU, Lt. Col. Todd Perodeau originally gave the order via email after receiving news of a threat to a Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Columbia. Perodeau said he did not want to subject his cadets to the media attention that wearing a uniform on campus brings.
“The American Legion Post 202 received a letter over the weekend threatening veterans,” said Lt. Col. Brent J. Unger.
Unger told KOMU 8 News, “As a standard force protection measure, the Army and Air Force ROTC units instructed their cadets to wear civilian clothes while the threat persisted.”
While the letter was later found to be bogus, the Army and Air Force ROTC units decided to keep their units in civilian clothes for the remainder of the week due to the “uncertain security environment” on the MU campus.
Mizzou has been in the news all week following a protest over racial tensions on the flagship campus, and subsequent resignation of a media professor who ordered the removal of a student photo-journalist trying to cover the event.
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