Religious liberty is a defining American principle. But what happens when these rights intersect with military service? A lawsuit recently filed in federal court examines that difficult question.

On Monday, Capt. Sukhbir Singh Toor and three other Sikhs sued the Marine Corps over its requirement to shave their beards and remove their turbans. These things are sincere expressions of their religious beliefs. Toor has been granted some accommodations, but he can’t deploy to a combat zone with a beard. The three other men are waiting to go to basic training, but only want to if they can keep their beards and wear their turbans. Their lawsuit alleges that the Marine Corps’s refusal to make religious accommodations violates their constitutional rights.