US Army allows Sikh officer to keep Turban, beard in spite of current ban

[CougarKing]

While Commonwealth militaries such as the British military, the ADF and the CF do allow Sikhs their cultural considerations, the opposite appears to be true with the US Army:

U.S. Army allows Sikh to keep beard, turban, uncut hair

October 28, 2009 -- Updated 1631 GMT (0031 HKT)

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/10/28/sikh.us.forces/index.html

The Army will allow Kamaljit Singh Kalsi, left, to keep his beard and turban. Tejdeep Singh Rattan is awaiting a decision.

(CNN) -- The U.S Army has granted a member of a religious minority permission to keep his turban, beard and uncut hair while he serves in the military, the Pentagon and a group representing him said.

Capt. Kamaljit Singh Kalsi, a doctor, is a Sikh, a faith that calls on its adherents not to shave or cut their hair.

Kalsi filed a request in the spring for an accommodation to follow the principles of his religion. This month the Army granted his request, the Sikh Coalition told CNN. The Pentagon public affairs office later confirmed that Kalsi would be allowed to keep his turban, beard and uncut hair.

The civil rights group hailed the move as "a major step toward ending a 23-year-old policy that excludes Sikhs from service."

Kalsi said he was "overjoyed."

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Maj. Gen. Gina Farrisee said in the letter that Kalsi's "beard, uncut hair, and turban will be neat and well maintained at all times."

She said her ruling applies only to Kalsi's case, and is not a change of Army policy.

"This accommodation is based solely on the facts and circumstances of your case," the letter said. "This accommodation does not constitute a blanket accommodation for any other individual."

She said the exception could be revoked "due to changed conditions."

Her letter was dated October 22 and released by the Sikh Coalition the next day.

Kalsi is not the only Sikh asking permission to keep his hair, beard and turban while serving in the Army. Capt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan, a dentist, applied at the same time as Kalsi. His case has been deferred until he receives the results of his dental board examinations, the Sikh Coalition told CNN.

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