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.
I can see letting the{ Sieks[}spelling] from India but not the others. How can we tell the good ones from the bad ones.. There have been several US soldiers killed because the terrorist were allowed on the bases in their head towels and uniforms allowed them to sneak in.
I will not take orders from a raghead.
kinda hard to tell turban to shoot ….
Oh and he has beard….. In 1985 Beards were banned from the USN and other Branches…Why is he allowed to have one?
Why are they in our military ???
Yaaaa this country is def. going down the $#%&!@*ter!
Diana Burton, I am in the Army so I understand what uniformity is and why it is important. Not everyone in the Army wears the same uniform. Just like every religion is different and can be accepted to serve their country. The Sikh are not the only Soldiers who have beards in the Army, though they may be the only ones with turbans. The 3-4 Sikh Soldiers currently serving are such a minuscule sample of the overall force that seeing one on duty is extremely rare if you are not in their unit. Additionally, because they are working in hospitals, where very few Soldiers even wear the ACU (because they wear scrubs), they are very rarely seen by the public as well.
This is outrageous! And, if they can wear turbans, etc., why are Christians in the military being prevented from praying?
THAT’S BS! IT’S THE MILITARY. YOU DRESS THE UNIFORM, CUT YOIUR HAIR, SHAVE, WHATEVER OR YOU DON’T GET ACCEPTED. AND, YES, THAT DOES GO FOR THE WOMWN TOO
We are not being prevented from praying.