Tuesday's terrorist attacks prompted Notre Dame Navy and Air Force ROTC commanders to temporarily suspend students from wearing their uniforms. The Army ROTC's uniform policy, however, remained unchanged.

According to Col. Mark Gehri, Notre Dame Air Force ROTC commander, the decision to halt wearing military uniforms was made at the Montgomery, Alabama headquarters Tuesday.

"It was just a prudent measure, even though there was no local terrorist threat," he said.

Gehri emphasized that the decision was made as a precautionary action to ensure the safety of the students and not in deference to terrorists.

Similarly, Notre Dame Navy ROTC's decision on uniforms followed a precedent set by the Navy as a whole, though each individual unit could decide whether or not to observe it.

"We pretty much followed suit with the rest of the military," said Capt. Jim Shelton, commanding officer of NROTC. "The actual decision was part of a reaction to the initial attack that occurred."

Air Force staff resumed its regular uniform policy Thursday afternoon, and the Navy expects to follow suit soon.

"I was very anxious to get mine back on," Gehri said. "[Friday] you can expect the Air Force ROTC back in uniform. It's time to represent ourselves to the citizens."

"We're going to be getting back into uniforms very soon," Navy Capt. Shelton echoed. "If things go the way they're currently going, they [midshipmen] will show up in regular uniform."

Shelton, however, downplayed the effect the absence of uniforms has had on the unit. Navy ROTC students do not wear their uniform to every class and there is not a scheduled event that requires uniforms until next week.

"Thursdays students are typically in uniform but they obviously didn't wear them [yesterday]," Shelton said. "It really wasn't a huge change."

Similarly, Gehri said that the temporary uniform policy change attracted little attention.

"I think everyone is so absorbed in processing the shock and disbelief [of Tuesday's tragedy]," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if there were multiple reactions by the campus community; however in times of national strife like this, support goes up."

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