A US military press release highlights Marine Lance Cpl Malike Mejdouli, a “devout Muslim” who fasted even while in combat in Afghanistan.  It was not without impact:

“You just have to deal with it,” said Mejdouli about practicing his faith. “I was sick for like five days out here while fasting, throwing up and everything.”

In many discussions on Islam, soldiers are generally exempt from fasting.  Mejdouli notes he couldn’t fast last year because he was in basic training.  USAFA cadets in training this year were declared “travelers” by the local Imam, as the Koran explicitly exempts travelers from fasting.

Apparently, General Allen’s comments on Islamic fasting applied only to supposed Afghan allies.

Unlike some other Muslims in the military, Mejdouli makes a point of saying the Afghans don’t even know he’s Muslim — he’s just another American Marine to them.

As an aside, the article says

Fasting involves not just refraining from food and drink but also evil actions, thoughts and words.

Apparently, some Afghans missed the memo on the second half of that, as Ramadan supposedly contributed to an uptick in insider-attacks of betrayal by Afghan troops supposedly allied with US and coalition forces.