Sikhs In Us Military

A US court on Friday ordered the Marines to let Sikh recruits maintain beards and wear turbans, rejecting the elite unit's contention that permitting religious exemptions would reduce cohesion.

US Vice President Mike Pence has lauded the Sikhs' contribution, saying the community should continue to give serve in the military and public offices at local, state and federal levels in the country. Mr Pence, 58, said the community's "issues" were close to his heart and he was aware of them.

The US Army has issued a new regulation under which servicemen who wear turbans, hijabs or beards can now be enrolled in the military, making the force more inclusive of minority religions and cultures.

Upholding the religious freedom rights of Sikhs in the US armed forces, an American court has ruled in favour of a decorated Sikh Army Captain who had demanded that the military accommodate his articles of faith and abandon its impromptu discriminatory testing.

US President Barack Obama has promised Sikhs to look into their demand to allow them to serve in the American military "without restrictions" on their articles of faith like growing a beard and wearing a turban, according to a prominent community organisation.

A prominent Sikh-American organisation has urged US President Barack Obama to allow Sikhs to serve in the American military "without restrictions".

A top US Senator on Thursday asked Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to repeal a dress policy in its army which prevents Sikhs from serving in the military with their religious articles intact.

In the wake of the gunning down of four marines at military facilities in Tennessee by a Muslim youth with "unshorn beard", a Sikh rights group has asked Sikh-American community members to exercise caution as they become vulnerable to hate crimes following such incidents.

Sikhs enjoy greater religious liberty in the militaries of countries like India, Canada and Britain than the US, a Sikh advocacy group has said, presenting a case for removal of barriers for the members of the community to join armed forces in America.

Indian ambassador S. Jaishankar has welcomed US lawmakers plea to end US defence department's presumptive ban on Sikh Americans serving in the US military with their beards and turbans.

Lawmakers urged the Pentagon on Monday to lift a virtual ban on Sikhs serving in the US armed forces by easing the military-uniform policy to enable Sikhs to wear beards, long hair and turbans in accordance with the customs of their religion.

The Pentagon took steps on Wednesday to give individual troops greater latitude to wear turbans, head scarfs, yarmulkes and other religious clothing with their uniforms, but advocacy groups said the new policy fell short of what they were seeking.

Growing up near the Air Force base in Dayton, Ohio, Tejdeep Singh Rattan knew he wanted to serve in uniform. When the military discouraged him, he persisted but again got a cold shoulder.When he was turned away a third time, Rattan - an observant Sikh with a turban and beard - became suspicious."I was, like, I don't know what's going on," he said. ...

Two Sikh military trainees initiated a protest in front of Marine Corps War Memorial near Pentagon.

An influential Sikh group in the US has planned to launch a campaign this Vaisakhi, demanding the US Army to end its ban on turban. Sikh Coalition said that on April 14 it would file a formal complaint with DDIG on behalf of two Sikh medical professionals, who have been told by the Army to remove their turbans and cut their unshorn hair and beards ...

A US court on Friday ordered the Marines to let Sikh recruits maintain beards and wear turbans, rejecting the elite unit's contention that permitting religious exemptions would reduce cohesion.

US Vice President Mike Pence has lauded the Sikhs' contribution, saying the community should continue to give serve in the military and public offices at local, state and federal levels in the country. Mr Pence, 58, said the community's "issues" were close to his heart and he was aware of them.

The US Army has issued a new regulation under which servicemen who wear turbans, hijabs or beards can now be enrolled in the military, making the force more inclusive of minority religions and cultures.

Upholding the religious freedom rights of Sikhs in the US armed forces, an American court has ruled in favour of a decorated Sikh Army Captain who had demanded that the military accommodate his articles of faith and abandon its impromptu discriminatory testing.

US President Barack Obama has promised Sikhs to look into their demand to allow them to serve in the American military "without restrictions" on their articles of faith like growing a beard and wearing a turban, according to a prominent community organisation.

A prominent Sikh-American organisation has urged US President Barack Obama to allow Sikhs to serve in the American military "without restrictions".

A top US Senator on Thursday asked Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to repeal a dress policy in its army which prevents Sikhs from serving in the military with their religious articles intact.

In the wake of the gunning down of four marines at military facilities in Tennessee by a Muslim youth with "unshorn beard", a Sikh rights group has asked Sikh-American community members to exercise caution as they become vulnerable to hate crimes following such incidents.

Sikhs enjoy greater religious liberty in the militaries of countries like India, Canada and Britain than the US, a Sikh advocacy group has said, presenting a case for removal of barriers for the members of the community to join armed forces in America.

Indian ambassador S. Jaishankar has welcomed US lawmakers plea to end US defence department's presumptive ban on Sikh Americans serving in the US military with their beards and turbans.

Lawmakers urged the Pentagon on Monday to lift a virtual ban on Sikhs serving in the US armed forces by easing the military-uniform policy to enable Sikhs to wear beards, long hair and turbans in accordance with the customs of their religion.

The Pentagon took steps on Wednesday to give individual troops greater latitude to wear turbans, head scarfs, yarmulkes and other religious clothing with their uniforms, but advocacy groups said the new policy fell short of what they were seeking.

Growing up near the Air Force base in Dayton, Ohio, Tejdeep Singh Rattan knew he wanted to serve in uniform. When the military discouraged him, he persisted but again got a cold shoulder.When he was turned away a third time, Rattan - an observant Sikh with a turban and beard - became suspicious."I was, like, I don't know what's going on," he said. ...

Two Sikh military trainees initiated a protest in front of Marine Corps War Memorial near Pentagon.

An influential Sikh group in the US has planned to launch a campaign this Vaisakhi, demanding the US Army to end its ban on turban. Sikh Coalition said that on April 14 it would file a formal complaint with DDIG on behalf of two Sikh medical professionals, who have been told by the Army to remove their turbans and cut their unshorn hair and beards ...