The Pentagon has approved a new policy that will allow troops to wear turbans and other religious clothing and engage in religious observances.
Until now there has been no set policy in the military to allow accommodations for religion.
Soldiers must apply for a waiver to be able to wear their religious garment or engage in a specific religious activity, which the military says they will take on a case-by-case basis.
The Pentagon has approved a new policy that will allow troops to seek waivers to wear religious clothing, seek prayer time or engage in religious practices.Defense officials say the waivers will be decided on a case-by-case basis and will depend on where the service member is stationed and whether the change would affect military readiness or the mission.
Until now there has been no consistent policy across the military to allow accommodations for religion. Now, for example, Jewish troops can seek a waiver to wear a yarmulke, or Sikhs can seek waivers to wear a turban and grow a beard.
Others can request specific prayer times or ask that they be allowed to carry prayer beads or other items.
The policy also says that service members can choose not to recognize any religion, according to NBC News.
According to Defense Department statistics obtained by NBC, there are only three Sikh Americans in the military. There are about 3,700 Muslims. 6,300 Buddhists, and 1,500 Wiccans.
The directive stresses that “the importance of uniformity and adhering to standards, of putting unit before self, is more significant and needs to be carefully evaluated when considering each request for accommodation,” according to NBC.
Well that’s good cause now there’ll be no misunderstanding where their loyalties lie ! And will be open game for targets ! Cause if I was in midst fire fight I shoot anything that’s not imediatly recognizably U S military ! No hesitation ! No question in my mind ! Hell with it and deal with collateral bill$#%&!@* later ! F###k em !!!!!!
can’t get anyone else dumb enought to enlist to be hung out to dry by the fed govt like they have to the american soldier. and these foreign soldiers will fight and shoot americans without question
I am not much for the whole uniform thing (never been one all my life, more of a solo worker) but when it comes to the United States military, and the military hat, WTF. it’s either the standard hat or bare head, no god dam turban. I quote a friend of mine on this. “Religion should not be mixed with military, this include the towel heads.” If you have to wear the turbans because it is a part of your religion, if you have to read the bible because it is a part of your religion fine. But here’s the kicker DO IT ON YOUR OWN DOWN TIME. MILITARY IS UNIFORM OR NONE
Hell no..not in our lifetime..go home you damn Muslims!
Remind him what country he’s in!! I’m sure there’s a country somewhere that shares his beliefs.
I got no time to fight, its time to play er, pray.
Really in all the years we were in the military and even when we retired I never saw one person with a turbin as for any other garments or engaging in religious observances. That is strange? Our pentagon is also destroying or is causing a ruse to undermine our country.
First of all Muslims are not Americans and deserve nothing from America..ship all illegals home, if obama/bin laden won’t then we will
Oh bs
Why is our country only accommodating Muslim religions and not Jewish or Christian religions. Why are atheists trying to ban Christianity and not Islam when Islam is more threatening to their freedoms? None of this makes any sense to me. America is a Christian nation. Why is America bowing down and bending over for Islam?