Blake Hall
U.S. Army ROTC male cadets at Arizona State University are voicing their displeasure across the internet regarding their participation in April’s “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes”, complaining that they were forced to walk in high heels for the event designed to raise awareness for sexual assault against women on college campuses.
Endorsed by the U.S. Army itself, the branch encouraged cadets to volunteer their time and participate in the function and cause. For the students at ASU, however, the word “voluntary” was never part of the equation — according to some.
“Attendance is mandatory and if we miss it we get a negative counseling and a ‘does not support the battalion sharp/EO mission’ on our CDT OER for getting the branch we want. So I just spent $16 on a pair of high heels that I have to spray paint red later on only to throw them in the trash after about 300 of us embarrass the U.S. Army tomorrow,” one anonymous cadet wrote on a social media sharing website.
Another cadet’s account differed slightly from this, saying that while attendance was mandatory, the choice of footwear and dress wasn’t prescribed and that civilian attire was accepted.d