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.
This is crazy, the military is all about discipline for a reason, I’m reflecting back to my young trooper days in the army and showing up in the morning formation in a turbine, I would have had my ass kicked while the cadre men would have turned their backs to it.
aw come on, you are an american soldier or not, wtf.
Unless your Religeion is Christanity !
If we start turn our military into “politically correct” then we as a nation and a people are doomed ! Are you kidding me ?
But don’t let me catch you showing a tattoo. What a $#%&!@*ing joke.
Obama telling the military don’t make the others mad
Lol
Actually the man in the photo above is a Sikh. He isn’t a Muslim or Hindu.
again this country is F’ed up and giving it away. Live by our rules or get the hell out.
It was turban wearing jerks that nearly DESTROYED the pentagon!