Update: A letter to the editor of the Stars and Stripes calls this a “bad decision,” saying other officers will have to “pick up the slack” when the Sikh soldier cannot be deployed due to his religious gear being incompatible with the chemical defense ensemble.

Earlier this year two Sikh medical students who had joined the US Army appealed the Army regulation that prevents them from wearing their articles of faith, including their beard, turban, and kirpan.  As discussed previously, a US appeals court had upheld the Army regulation.

The Sikh Coalition now reports that one of the physicians has been granted an exception to the uniform policy.  Notably, this is not the change in policy that the Coalition sought; instead, it is merely an individual exemption.

The Stars and Stripes reported that Capt. Kamajleet Singh Kalsi

applied for a “request for religious accommodation” through his chain of command, and he learned Friday it had been granted by the Army, said his attorney Amandeep Sidhu.

The letter granting the exemption notes that it is based on his individual circumstances and may be revoked at anytime based on changing conditions.

The regulatory guidance that governs the accommodation request is the same for every other service member who seeks an exception based on beliefs.  The Department of Defense instituted this internal review process to address the right of its members to free exercise of their faith, while acknowledging the balance of military necessity.  Not every request is granted, nor does the granting of an exemption result in a change in policy.

The Associated Press reported that a decision on the second Sikh officer, a dentist, would be made after his board exams.