The Pentagon has approved a new policy that will allow troops to wear turbans and other religious clothing and engage in religious observances.
Until now there has been no set policy in the military to allow accommodations for religion.
Soldiers must apply for a waiver to be able to wear their religious garment or engage in a specific religious activity, which the military says they will take on a case-by-case basis.
The Pentagon has approved a new policy that will allow troops to seek waivers to wear religious clothing, seek prayer time or engage in religious practices.Defense officials say the waivers will be decided on a case-by-case basis and will depend on where the service member is stationed and whether the change would affect military readiness or the mission.
Until now there has been no consistent policy across the military to allow accommodations for religion. Now, for example, Jewish troops can seek a waiver to wear a yarmulke, or Sikhs can seek waivers to wear a turban and grow a beard.
Others can request specific prayer times or ask that they be allowed to carry prayer beads or other items.
The policy also says that service members can choose not to recognize any religion, according to NBC News.
According to Defense Department statistics obtained by NBC, there are only three Sikh Americans in the military. There are about 3,700 Muslims. 6,300 Buddhists, and 1,500 Wiccans.
The directive stresses that “the importance of uniformity and adhering to standards, of putting unit before self, is more significant and needs to be carefully evaluated when considering each request for accommodation,” according to NBC.
I say “Hey Airforce…it s ok to denie that kid his cross & Christian text”….And by all means go w/the turbans and checkered board rags on their heads…This way we can identify them in our sites…Just saying..
If they are American solgers they should dress like American Solgers
So much for seperation of church and state……and they still take away the bibles….what am I missing??
meanwhile they remove all the bibles on military base hotel rooms… how the $#%&!@* does this makes sense?
Dress like Americans, or send them back to their country
WTF!!! Can’t even say the PLEDGE in school?? We’re really opening the door now!!!!!!!!!!
So glad my World War 2 Vet Dad didn’t live to see this!!
Mormons have always worn their religious garments.. so what is the big deal?
I see a lot of “friendly fire” casualties. If the look like Muslin terrorists, shoot them.
Not when I served under Reagan