Airmen at one of Britain's most famous RAF bases have been advised not to wear uniforms when they visit a nearby city, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.
Senior officers at RAF Wittering near Peterborough, Cambs, fear that servicemen and women will be abused by locals who oppose British involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq.
An MoD spokesman said the decision was a local one made by station commanders.
He said generally soldiers, airmen and sailors were encouraged to wear uniforms in public.
Defence Secretary Des Browne described the situation as a "great shame".
"We must defend our forces' right to wear their uniforms in public," said Mr Browne.
"It is a great shame that some individuals in this community don't respect our forces - who are daily doing a great deal for this nation.
"This is not a situation we should tolerate. We are investigating it as a matter of urgency.
"I hope that by working closely with Peterborough City Council and the local police, service personnel at RAF Wittering will soon be able to wear their uniforms freely about the town with the support of the local people."
A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire Police said she was not aware of any incidents of servicemen being attacked or abused in Peterborough.
