Sikhs and U.S. Army Standards for Uniform and Appearance

[omarali50]

General rules are useful, but so are exceptions. The Sikhs are a really special case. What they ask for in terms of special treatment is a very visible but purely symbolic concession and once that concession is made, they have a history of very distinguished service. Its not a slippery slope to shariah law or something like that. I dont know if there are enough Sikhs in the US to justify this, but if enough are wanting to join, then the US army would be foolish to keep them out due to some misplaced insistence on general rules.....

[Ken White]

Both wore their Dastaar, Kirpan and Kara in uniform. The one in Viet Nam simply put his steel helmet with no liner over his Dastaar. I didn't check their underwear. Both were good folks and one was an MI Warrant.

[slapout9]

The Chinese army has no problem with turbans. About half way through you will see an Indian Army officer running the Obstacle Course.....part of a larger Chinese Military Cooperation program with India.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnWvTGX-eps

[davidbfpo]

Slap,

Thanks for the clip. I was not aware that there was Sino-Indian military co-operation. I do wonder how the Pakistani Army reacted to this, after their long co-operation and a treaty IIRC.

davidbfpo

[slapout9]

Slap,

Thanks for the clip. I was not aware that there was Sino-Indian military co-operation. I do wonder how the Pakistani Army reacted to this, after their long co-operation and a treaty IIRC.

davidbfpo

I didn't know either, reminded me of Mackinder's theory of Geo-Politcs....the rise of the Eurasia Continent.

[Red Rat]

Sikhs in the British Army wear their turbans, as I belive they do in the British Police Services. We have not had an issue with it. They look very smart, come from what is regarded to be a martial caste (rather fight with them then against them) and the combination of turban and hair provides a degree of ballistic protection.

The prohibition of beards in the UK Army and Air Force (they are allowed in the Navy) is based on the requirement to wear respirators. My understanding is that Sikhs have a dispensation that gives them the ability to shave their beard if the alternative is a mouthful of nerve agent due to the beard causing a broken seal.
In the good old days it was forbidden for army officers not to have mustaches - my how things have changed!

[Uboat509]

I am not personally against allowing the Sikh's being allowed to wear their turbans as a general rule. As an SF guy, uniformity is not particularly important to me . The problem I do see, however, is not that a few Sikhs may be allowed to wear their turbans but that there would immediately be huge numbers of others clambering for their right to wear this that or the other thing. If the Army were to open this box a little then you can all but guarantee that the courts will open it a whole lot more.

SFC W