A Sikh-American officer and decorated combat veteran will be allowed to serve with long hair, a beard and a turban in accordance with his Sikh faith, the U.S. military announced Friday.
The Army granted Cpt. Simratpal Singh a long-term religious accommodation, making him the first active duty Sikh soldier to be approved to wear his articles of faith while actively serving.
“My military service continues to fulfill a lifelong dream,” Singh said in a statement. “My faith, like many of the soldiers I work with, is an integral part of who I am. I am thankful that I no longer have to make the choice between faith and service to our nation.” Cpt. Singh will continue in his battalion operations staff position at Fort Belvoir, Va.
Singh was represented by The Sikh Coalition, along with The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery. He is also a West Point graduate, Army Ranger and Bronze Star recipient for his service in Afghanistan.
Having already been serving in the military for over 10 years with no long hair, beard or turban, Singh received a temporary accommodation in December after reporting to a new assignment in Fort Belvoir. His suit followed after the Army fought his effort to serve with his religious accommodations.
“Captain Singh’s case is a painful study in the onerous hurdles for observant Sikh Americans who want to serve their country,” Amandeep Sidhu, partner at McDermott Will & Emery, said in a statement. “With this historic accommodation, we hope that the U.S. military will finally move past protracted, case-by-case religious accommodations and recognize that the time for permanent policy change is now.”
Singh’s turban must be black or camouflage, depending on the situation. His beard must be rolled or tied to no longer than two inches in garrison, or one inch when in the field. His hair is also not allowed to cover his ears, eyebrows or touch his uniform’s collar.
The Army command will provide quarterly assessments of the new accommodation, and it will be reviewed by Debra Wada, assistant secretary of the Army, in a year.
