Posted on Jun 16, 2015
MAJ Senior Observer   Controller/Trainer
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Iknoor singh 600x400
A Federal Judge has ruled that Iknoor Singh's adherence to his Sikh faith - wearing facial hair, keeping his hair long, but wrapped in a turban, and carrying a sharp knife on his person - would not diminish his capacity to serve the nation he loves, the United States of America, as a future Officer in the United States Army. Do you feel too many allowances are being made for his faith or do you feel he should be welcomed into the ranks if he can successfully fulfill the requirements for Commissioning? What say you, RP?
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(Note: Full article added by RP Staff.)

MINEOLA, NY — A Sikh college student from New York said Monday he is excited about a federal court decision that will permit him to enroll in the U.S. Army's Reserve Officer Training Corps without shaving his beard, cutting his hair, or removing his turban.

U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson issued the ruling Friday in Washington, D.C., saying 20-year-old Iknoor Singh's adherence to his religious beliefs would not diminish his ability to serve in the military.

"I didn't believe it at first when I heard about the decision," said Singh, who lives in the New York City borough of Queens.

He told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Monday: "It was kind of surreal. This is something I have been fighting for for two or three years. I'm excited and nervous; very excited to learn."

Singh, who will be a junior next fall studying finance and business analytics at Hofstra University on Long Island, said he has had a lifelong interest in public service. He speaks four languages — English, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu — and he said he wants to work in military intelligence.

"Becoming an officer is not an easy thing," he conceded. "You have to be proficient in many areas."

Sikhism, a 500-year-old religion founded in India, requires its male followers to wear a turban and beard and keep their hair uncut.

Under a policy announced last year, troops can seek waivers on a case-by-case basis to wear religious clothing, seek prayer time or engage in religious practices. Approval depends on where the service member is stationed and whether the change would affect military readiness or the mission.

Currently, only a few Sikhs serve in the U.S. Army who have been granted religious accommodations.

In her ruling, Jackson said, "It is difficult to see how accommodating plaintiff's religious exercise would do greater damage to the Army's compelling interests in uniformity, discipline, credibility, unit cohesion, and training than the tens of thousands of medical shaving profiles the Army has already granted."

Army spokesman, Lt. Col. Ben Garrett, said in a statement the decision is currently being examined. "The Army takes pride in sustaining a culture where all personnel are treated with dignity and respect and not discriminated against based on race, color, religion, gender and national origin," he said.

Hofstra spokeswoman Karla Schuster said in a statement that the university "supports Mr. Singh's desire to serve his country, as well as his right to religious expression and practice. We are pleased that the courts have affirmed that he can do both as a member of the ROTC."

Gurjot Kaur, senior staff attorney for the Sikh Coalition, said the decision was "an important victory in the fight for religious freedom. We urge the Pentagon to eliminate the discriminatory loopholes in its policies and give all Americans an equal opportunity to serve in our nation's armed forces."

The American Civil Liberties Union and a group called United Sikhs jointly represented Singh in the case.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/sikh-student-queens-clear-join-army-rotc-article-1.2259423
Posted in these groups: World religions 2 ReligionThcapm08l9 ROTCDiversity Diversity
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SSG Van Henson
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It seems to me that the judge and most everyone else has missed a more important point. He will be non-deployable to any conflict where Chemical/Biological weapons have a potential to be used.
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PO1 Rick Duff
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It CANT be a win for freedom of religion when jackwagons are court martialing a chaplain for doing HIS JOB!
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The chaplain's job is to support the religious needs of everyone in his command, not convert everyone in his command to his own religion.
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SSG Todd Lysfjord
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You should be honored to get the privilege of adhering to the traditions and standards of our military by serving ...not the other way around!
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SSG Todd Lysfjord
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The individual requesting the privilege to join the military should adhere to its standards and traditions...not the other way around.
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SFC Operations Nco
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NO...plain and simple. Too many judges are getting away with legislating from the bench.
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PO1 Aaron Baltosser
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What an absolute miscarriage of justice. Even in the basic regulations you will find restrictions on how ladies wear their hair. Anything that prevents their services cover in a proper manner is strictly prohibited. Facial hair is a trait of an undisciplined service member with the exception of a PFB case. There is zero value in having the military structure bend to the will of a single individual using a different set of special consideration rules. Whenever you apply one rule for an individual, and a different set for the rest n an organization, you set yourself up for failure. This was a leadership failure in the court, and hopefully will be overturned on an appeal. With the Sikh faith there is one more interesting rub. Anyone in a BEQ or in his case a BOQ is restricted from having a knife over a certain length. In his case that regulation would have to be ignored as well since it is considered part of the faith and must be in his possession. Good grief Charlie Brown!
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MSG Combat Engineering Senior Sergeant
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What difference does it make anymore? A beard and turban are the least of our problems. Look on the bright side, eventually there will be no more daily shaving for anyone who claims a religious exemption.
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SCPO Lee Pradia
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Why make concessions for some and not all? The regular Army allowed others to enlist and get commissioned, why not Army ROTC at the University the man was attending. The court ruled based on others that were allowed to enlist and obtain commissions. This is not the 1940's, time for the Armed forces to equal society. Remember when Blacks could only be cooks and stewards? Women not allowed on ships, in combat, fighter planes? Gays? Times are changing, time to catch up.
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SGT Ricky Young
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I believe that the court has gone to far. The military is losing its ability shape our future soldiers with the discipline they need. We were once a military that adhered to hair cut and uniform policies. These policies were put in place train soldiers to pay attention detail. Seems that there is if you don't like it take it to court and change it. How has this action actually help further following orders. Yes I agree that one has the right to serve but to change a policy for one religion and not another. We are not a religion, We are Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines. Discipline keeps our attention, inconsistency breeds chaos. I find this a weakness and questionable ability to follow orders. If put in command will he be able to follow orders that he is given without questioning his superiors. The military is not cut out for everyone, if you can serve with the rules in place may it not for him. There has been a degrade in the military as recent years. There are better battles to be fought such as why military personnel has to use food stamps to feed their families. If you don't like the rules find a different game.
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MAJ Karen Shive
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Going to have a hard time dealing a gas mask
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MAJ Karen Shive
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*sealing
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Yeah, that's a huge problem in the field...
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