Court Decision Allows Army Captain To Wear A Sikh Turban In Uniform
According to a court, the threshold for religious accommodation is that the accommodation cannot affect unit cohesion and morale, good order and discipline, healthy and safety:
A decorated army officer is now officially permitted to wear a religious beard and turban in uniform thanks in part to a ruling late Thursday.
Capt. Simratpal Singh — a lifelong practicing Sikh, who was a West Point graduate, Army Ranger and Bronze Star recipient —was previously given a temporary accommodation in December. When it was set to expire in February, Singh sued after he was told by the Army he had to report for days of gas mask and helmet testing, citing religious discrimination.
He eventually won, with a court document saying that the temporary order would only be revoked if his beard and turban affected “unit cohesion and morale, good order and discipline, healthy and safety.”
According to The Sikh Coalition, which is currently representing Singh, he is the first Sikh American to receive a religious accommodation while serving. [Mashable]
You can read more at the link, but there have been other Sikhs who have had religious accommodations made for them by the military so I am not sure why Singh is being claimed as the first. In fact there is an entire Wikipedia page dedicated to sikhs who have served in the US military.
Really? So the Government Issue doesn’t apply here? Liberals, POS.
Gov. Nikki Haley (R, SC) and her husband were born Sikh.
What part of “uniform” don’t people understand? There should not be any exceptions.
And I’m not saying I’m even worthy to speak in front of the Captain; but an Army Officer suing the Government to allow custom uniform changes due to his religion seems at best perverse.
Around ten years ago, there was a Colonel who worked at 121 Hospital at Yongsan who wore a Sikh turban to work.
@ guitard
That’s probably an example of someone writing their own exception to policy or their superior being nonchalant about it.
That uniform matching ACU turban doesn’t look too bad. I could even see them allowing ACU hijabs someday. They did require our military women to wear hijabs in some Middle Eastern countries in the early part of the first Gulf War, didn’t they?
But they need to definitely draw the line at ACU burkas. 😮
#7
P.S.
Almost forgot about the Cultural Support Teams.
“What part of “uniform” don’t people understand? There should not be any exceptions.”
Absolutely, just google:
US Army Stetson
US Army Spurs
US Army Beret
US Army Drill Sergeant Hat
US Army Female Drill Sergeant Hat
US Army Maternity ACU Top
US Army Tanker Boots
US Army Ranger Rolled Patrol Cap
US Army Tanker Spurred Drill Stetson Maternity Ranger Rolled Beret
…and the list goes on and on and on and on for all eternity.
“What part of “uniform” don’t people understand? There should not be any exceptions.”
Absolutely, just google:
US Army Flying Spaghetti Monster Colander
Take all or take none.
#5 – Back during my tour in Korea (1985-87), there was a Sikh major who worked down at the 121 hospital. He had a thick black beard and wore an OD green turban with his US Army uniform. IIRC, Stars and Stripes Korea did a feature article on him, and I believe that AFKN ran a piece on him as well.
I am surprised to see that 30 years later, a Sikh is having to sue in order to keep his beard and turban. As long as it doesn’t prevent him from properly performing his specific duties, I don’t see the harm. In fact, it’s a testament to our religious freedoms that we would make this kind of accommodation.
Bruce, I get what you’re saying; but please watch this again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv0_W7T7Z3A
And this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b3sGD2YxAA
Anything that identifies a soldier and his unit is a risk. And that risk is about the folks he serves with, not just the guy with the turban, fez, hijab, colander, or UGG boots…