Both men maintained their Sikh identity throughout graduate school, during specialized Army training, at Army ceremonies, and in Army medical facilities. Four years later, the Army is now telling the two Sikhs that the recruiters’ assurances were false and that they will have to forsake their religious practices. The Secretary of Defense has stated that the United States Army is open to reviewing whether the Sikh articles of faith truly hinder one from ably serving in the Army.
.
Sikhs have a long history with the U.S. military, having serviced in World Wars I and II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and in the Persian Gulf with turbans and beards. Because the faith was grandfathered, both Colonel Arjinderpal Singh Sekhon, a physician, and Colonel G B Singh, a dentist, served in the army with turbans and beards for over 25 years

It's no surprise to me that recruiters misled the Sikh recruits, with ever increasing recruiting goals some recruiters have taken to making promises that the U.S. Army won't keep. Still, I think there is a chance an exception will be made for these soldiers. It's a rare case where there is precedence and a religion that was grand fathered in. The problem will be concerns that this will open up the entire topic to debate which is distracting to the purpose of the Army and thus the issue in the first place.

Read the Full Story