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.
My God, my country. Keep it in the mosque and get over it.
IF YOU CANT WEAR THE COMPLETE UNIFORM, GET THE HELL OUT OF THE COUNTRY
would be for Obama.
what has the fluffs done to the army? just plain stupid.
Kate Martin, of course they would report in the duty uniform, my point is that there are a lot of different uniforms while performing their duty specific to their MOS. Since two of the three or four are doctors, chances are they spend a great majority of their time in scrubs.
Christians aren’t allowed to pray or display a Cross but Muslims can wear Turbans etc!
For over 200 years our Military has dressed so all individual are the same and equal!! The military has always allow freedom of religion EXCEPT when in uniform what don’t they understand about dress codes!!!!
When under fire I would really prefer a helmet to a turban. Get real people. It is a safety thing not a PC thing. If these guys get injured for failing to wear protective gear, can they sue the military? Really stupid idea.
This is just BS.
If our troops can’t pray then Muslims shud b treated the same