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The ALS challenge – a sensation that sent shivers through the Internet by daring candidates to pour a bucket of freezing ice water over their heads to raise awareness and funds to combat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – has been officially barred by the Defense Department for servicemembers in uniform, according to Military Times.

Avoiding endorsements
According to the news source, the DoD Office of General Counsel issued an edict saying that Defense Department employees and current servicemembers could not participate in the challenge while in uniform, and that included civilian uniforms as well. The DoD holds that participating in the challenge while in uniform could be construed as an official DoD endorsement, which could be considered a breech of ethics because the ALS Association is a private nonprofit organization.

Military officials are not the only government workers who have been warned against participating in the ice-bucket challenge. The Associated Press reported that U.S. diplomats will also be barred from the activities. Lawyers at the State Department sent a cable recently saying that U.S. ambassadors and high-profile foreign service officers could not participate in the ALS Association-favored activities for similar reasons – such actions would infringe on federal ethics rules because the organization is a private entity.

"There are firmly established rules preventing the use of public office, such as our ambassadors, for private gain, no matter how worthy a cause," the cable said, according to the AP. "Thus, high-ranking State Department officials are unfortunately unable to participate in the ice-bucket challenge. We since wish the ALS Association continued success in its ice-bucket campaign, and in its fight against Lou Gehrig's disease."

Contributing people
One U.S. ambassador had already participated in the ice-bucket challenge before the cable was sent, according to the AP. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro poured ice water on himself and challenged another ambassador before receiving the cable. Additionally, Military.com has hosted a video of Vice Adm. Ted Carter – the superintendent of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland – and commandant of midshipmen Capt. William Byrne taking the ice-bucket challenge. Although the officials are out of uniform, they are assisted by two other military members in naval attire.

The ice-bucket challenge has attracted a flurry of rock stars, celebrities and high-profile individuals to help raise awareness and funds for ALS. Former Commander in Chief George W. Bush was recently doused with cold water. He challenged Bill Clinton – another former commander in chief. President Barack Obama was challenged previously but chose to donate to the cause and forego the cold water instead.