Sunday's Washington Post tells the story of Captain Kamaljit Singh Kalsi, a doctor preparing to enter active duty in the US Army. Like others of his Sikh faith, Kalsi's religious beliefs require him to leave his hair uncut and to wear a turban, in apparent conflict with Army regulations that would seem to forbid both.
Sikh Coalition executive director Amardeep Singh said he hopes that … the rule will be changed for all turbaned and bearded Sikhs who would want to enlist.
"Our country's military needs to reflect what America is right now," he said. "It's a diverse country, it's a country that puts forth for the rest of the world the values of liberty, particularly religious liberty."
Allowing Sikhs to serve with beard and turban "will send a very strong message to the rest of the world that we are who we say we are."
The report indicates that Army officials are reviewing the policy and the request for accommodation.
