{"id":44436,"date":"2019-06-10T08:55:42","date_gmt":"2019-06-10T11:55:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/?p=44436"},"modified":"2021-04-01T12:25:21","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T15:25:21","slug":"us-air-force-allows-sikh-airman-to-keep-beard-turban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/2019\/06\/10\/us-air-force-allows-sikh-airman-to-keep-beard-turban\/","title":{"rendered":"US Air Force Allows Sikh Airman to Keep Beard, Turban"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"In a first for the Service, the US Air Force has allowed a Sikh Airman to wear a beard in uniform<\/a>:<\/p>\n

The U.S. Air Force has granted a religious accommodation to an active duty Sikh airman that will allow him to wear a turban, beard and unshorn hair in accordance with his faith.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Airman 1st Class Harpreetinder Singh Bajwa said he was “overjoyed that the Air Force has granted my religious accommodation. Today, I feel that my country has embraced my Sikh heritage, and I will be forever grateful for this opportunity.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bajwa enlisted in 2017 as a clean-shaven, cropped-hair recruit, but learned of the US Army’s grooming exceptions for Sikhs in 2018. He sought the help of the Sikh American Veterans Alliance and the ACLU<\/a>, and four months later had his religious accommodation granted.<\/p>\n

Heather Weaver of the ACLU is quoted as saying<\/p>\n

…no one should have to choose between following their faith or serving their country…we hope that all branches of the military come to recognize the importance of religious inclusion and diversity.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You’ll note there are two non-profits working for Bajwa’s liberties, while there’s a glaring absence of the self-proclaimed “sole non-profit” military religion group, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF. While he claims to have Sikh clients, Weinstein has generally ignored<\/a> or downplayed<\/a> the issue of Sikh military religious freedom. The most likely reason, of course, is the free exercise enjoyed by Sikhs can likewise be enjoyed by Jews, Muslims, and Christians<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Mikey is too cowardly to outright oppose<\/strong> religious freedom for Sikhs in the military — despite the fact it would be consistent with his supposed principles — and yet he’s also afraid to support<\/em> them, knowing that “a rising tide lifts all boats,” and a turban-wearing Sikh Airman bodes well for a military Christian who wants to display his faith publicly, too.<\/p>\n

Weinstein has previously said military policies promoting Sikh religious freedom could lead to a “tsunami of fundamentalist Christian oppression<\/a>.”\u00a0 The facts have proven him wrong, as they generally do.<\/p>\n

Originally at the Washington Post<\/a>. Also at Military.com<\/a>. Later at the Baptist Joint Committee<\/a>.\u00a0Photo via the ACLU.<\/span><\/p>\n

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