Milaap Singh Chahal is one of the men who was denied entry to basic training because of his beard. Sikh Coalition hide caption
toggle caption
Sikh Coalition
Milaap Singh Chahal is one of the men who was denied entry to basic training because of his beard.
Sikh Coalition
A federal court has ruled that the Marine Corps cannot deny entry to Sikhs because of their unshorn beards and hair.
The Marine Corps told three Sikh men that they could serve only if they shaved before going through basic training. Most Sikh men don't cut their hair as a sign of their religious commitment. But to serve in the military satisfies another aspect of their faith.
"They believe, as part of their religious duty, in defending the rights of others," lawyer Eric Baxter, who represents the men, told NPR. "[Sikhs] have served for a long time in militaries around the world, including in the United States, with all of their articles of faith in place."
The District of Columbia's federal appeals court decided that the three are entitled to serve. The Sikh Coalition is campaigning to allow Sikhs to practice their religious customs while serving in the U.S. military. More than 100 members of Congress and 27 retired generals support the group's cause.
"The Pentagon's existing policies are based on stereotypes about what Americans should look like," the group wrote on its website. "Instead of perpetuating stereotypes, policymakers should focus on whether candidates for military service can competently perform their job functions and promote teamwork and camaraderie."
Baxter said his three Sikh clients had been waiting for more than two years to go through formal training, all the while watching their fellow recruits advance without them.
"That's very demoralizing for two years to see that everyone else gets to progress and you're told, 'No, you're not good enough to serve in our country,'" he said.
The Marines claimed their rules about hair are a matter of national security, because the beards will impact "troop uniformity."
The Marine Corps allows medically required beards and diverse hairstyles for women, and has relaxed its rules around tattoos.
In 2021, NPR reported that the Marines planned to address its lack of diversity and retention problems. Approximately 75% of Marines leave at the end of their four-year term, the highest turnover rate among the military services, according to the article.
The ruling means that the three men are allowed to go ahead with training, while the Marine Corps considers a possible appeal.
"They should really just recognize it's time to make this change and let all Americans serve without having to abandon their religious – their core religious belief," Baxter said.
FAQs
Sikh Marine recruits can keep their turbans and beards throughout training, court rules. A federal appeals court recently ruled that three Sikh men should be allowed to proceed with Marine Corps recruit training while maintaining their turbans and beards.
Can Sikhs have beards in the military? ›
In January 2017, the Army issued new regulations stating that Sikh Soldiers will not be forced to give up their religious turbans, hair, or beards throughout their military career. “It's remarkable that this change happened,” said Singh.
Can Sikhs sue the Marine Corps over restrictions on beards? ›
The recruits sued the Marine Corps in April, saying its refusal to grant a religious waiver was arbitrary and discriminatory.
Can Sikhs join the Marines? ›
In a milestone for religious freedom and against employment discrimination, a federal court of appeals granted a preliminary injunction last month that requires the Marine Corps to immediately allow two Sikh Americans to enlist and begin basic training without shaving their heads and beards, while also allowing them to ...
Can Sikh men shave their beard? ›
Trimming /cutting of hairs is strictly not allowed in Sikhism. Hence cutting of beard is also not allowed. Currently most of the Sikhs who do not trim beard use hair rubberband or hair gel to tug/set their beard hairs. In essence only cutting/trimming of hairs (hence beard) is prohibited.
Can Sikhs join the U.S. military? ›
Sikhs and Sikh Americans have served in the United States military since World War I through all subsequent wars.
Is the Marine Corps going to allow beards? ›
The Navy doesn't allow religious accommodations for beards aboard ships but allows them with some limitations on shore duty. The Marine Corps allows accommodations for beards except in combat zones, according to Giselle Klapper, the Sikh Coalition's interim legal director.
Do Sikhs have to cut their hair in the military? ›
Waivers to the military grooming standards are commonly only granted for religious or medical reasons, and by the individual's Commanding Officer. Observant Sikhs are unique in that they've been granted permanent blanket waivers for beard and hair length at the service level by the Army and Air Force.
Are Sikh men not allowed to cut their hair? ›
By not cutting it, Sikhs honour God's gift of hair Kesh combined with the combing of hair using a kangha shows respect for God and all of his gifts. Or like a woman without clothes, such is a man without kesh. When a man adorns Kesh only then does he have full form.
What are the rules for Sikh beard? ›
Long hair is considered part of a Sikh's manhood, but women are also commanded never to trim their hair. A Sikh with long hair and an untrimmed beard is seen as a spiritually devoted man of faith. Sikh men keep their hair up in a turban which is supposed to equalize everyone.
Nineteen-year-old Private 1st Class Nathaniel Laprade just became a Marine. And at 4'7", he's believed to be the shortest person ever to serve in the U.S. armed forces.
Why are Sikhs so strong? ›
Anyway Sikh believes in inner strength derived from Gurus principles that is why Sikhs are known for their last stands where few Sikhs could take on bigger armies and defeat them Hari Singh Nalwa and our Gurus proved it time and again.
Can Sikhs wear turbans in the U.S. military? ›
Freedom of religion is ensured for all United States military personnel. Service members are allowed to have a beard and wear a turban if that is part of their religion.
Can Sikh remove pubic hair? ›
Hair removal – Hair cutting, trimming, removing, shaving, plucking, threading, dyeing, or any other alteration from any body part is strictly forbidden.
Can a Sikh guy shave his pubes? ›
The Sikh religion forbids cutting or shaving any bodily hair. Orthodox Sikhs always carry a dagger with them, lest someone try to force them to do something against their religion.
How do Sikhs hide their beards? ›
To keep the beard manageable, various methods are used. These include tying the hair into a knot and concealing it under the beard; pleating the beard from top to bottom; tying a knot and concealing the knot; and using hair-fixing preparations to fix the beard.
Do Sikhs have to shave in the Army? ›
India. In the Indian Armed Forces, male Sikh servicemen are allowed to wear full beards as their religion expressly requires followers to do so. However, they are specifically required to "dress up their hair and beard properly".
What religion allows beards in the military? ›
This includes Islam, Sikhism, and some Orthodox Christian denominations. The Open Halls Project, an advocacy group for heathens serving in the military, sought to clarify any existing confusion in a 2017 post about beard exemptions.
Can Sikhs wear turbans in the US military? ›
Freedom of religion is ensured for all United States military personnel. Service members are allowed to have a beard and wear a turban if that is part of their religion.
Can Indian soldiers grow beard? ›
It is a fact that Indian Armed Forces don't allow beard or facial hairs for its soldiers. It is all based on maintaining discipline and uniformity. Not only beard, the military does not even allow its men to have longer hairs that cover the ears or longer than 'moderate length'.
