Sikh US Army captain wins right to wear religious beard and turban in uniform

[rug]

REUTERS
01 APR 2016 AT 16:23 ET

A Sikh U.S. Army captain has been granted a long-term religious accommodation to wear a beard, turban and uncut hair in uniform, a decision supporters hailed on Friday as a landmark that could help other religious Sikhs to serve in the military.

Captain Simratpal Singh received the accommodation in a memorandum from Assistant Army Secretary Debra Wada dated March 30. The memo spelled out certain limitations and said the Army was working to develop uniform standards for soldiers who receive such waivers.

The accommodation for Singh is the first for an active-duty Sikh soldier since the Pentagon took steps two years ago to give individual troops greater latitude to wear turbans, head scarfs, yarmulke and tattoos as part of their religion.

The Pentagon’s move sought to make it easier for Muslims, Sikhs, Jews, Wiccans and others to follow the tenets of their faith while serving in the U.S. military. But advocacy groups say the process remains difficult.

https://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/sikh-us-army-captain-wins-right-to-wear-religious-beard-and-turban-in-uniform/

[COLGATE4]

1. The British military has been doing it for well over

100 years without problem.

[rug]

2. The Sikh Regiment always looked badass.

[COLGATE4]

3. Yep. So did the Gurkhas.

I saw them trooping the colors at Bukingham Palace for changing of the guard - really badass.