U.S. army nod to bearded Sikh |
The U.S. Army Dec. 14 granted a rare religious accommodation to an Indian American active-duty combat soldier of the Sikh faith, allowing him to grow his beard and wear a turban. For the first time in five years, the decorated Sikh American was granted a temporary 30-day religious accommodation to serve in the U.S. Army while maintaining his Sikh articles of faith. The Sikh Coalition, which represents with the law firm of McDermott Will and Emery LLP three Sikhs who have obtained religious accommodations, was heartened by this preliminary decision for Captain Singh, but continues to call on the U.S. military to end its presumptive ban on service by observant Sikhs. The Becket Fund, who also co-counseled in Captain Singh’s accommodation case, joined the call demanding a policy reversal. The 1980s ban against Sikhs because of their beards is religious discrimination, plain and simple. Lifting that ban against Captain Singh is a good first step, but more remains to be done.Last month, 27 retired U.S. Generals called on the U.S. Department of Defense to eliminate the ban . The letter joined the 105 Members of Congress, 15 U.S. senators, and 21 national interfaith and civil rights organizations who previously signed letters in support of American Sikhs’ right to serve.
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