U.S. Lawmakers Urge Pentagon to Allow Sikhs Leeway in Military Attire
Reuters reports that lawmakers are urging the Pentagon to ease their military-uniform policy, which currently creates a virtual ban on Sikhs serving in the armed forces. Reuters writes that lawmakers are urging the military “to enable Sikhs to wear beards, long hair and turbans in accordance with the customs of their religion.” A bipartisan letter from 105 lawmakers to U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel read, “We believe it is time for our military to make inclusion of practicing Sikh-Americans the rule, not the exception.”