Vice Chair Crowley Welcomes Steps in New U.S. Army Directive That Will Allow Sikh Americans, Others to Receive Career-Long Religious Accommodations

Press Release

Today, Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus and a leader on Sikh American issues in Congress, released the following statement on the new U.S. Army directive that provides for career-long accommodations for Sikh Americans and others to serve while maintaining articles of faith, such as a turban and beard:

"We are a stronger nation, and a stronger military, because of our respect for religious and personal freedom, and I'm pleased to see the U.S. Army once again recognize this with its new directive. Sikh Americans love this country and want a fair chance to serve in our nation's military on equal footing. I believe we should embrace this wish for religious freedom, not place restrictions on it. I look forward to reviewing this directive carefully, though it initially seems like a step forward in the right direction. I thank Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning and military leaders for hearing my concerns, as well as the concerns of the many others who have spoken out in support of this effort."

Presently, Sikh Americans and others must be granted an accommodation, or permission, to serve in the U.S. Army while maintaining their articles of faith. Such accommodations are neither permanent nor guaranteed, and have had to be renewed after virtually every assignment. Service members have also been required to remove their articles of faith while their accommodation request is pending, once again subjecting them to the difficult position of choosing between their faith and their job.

In 2014, Crowley and Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) led over 100 Members of Congress in a bipartisan letter to the Department of Defense urging the U.S. Armed Forces to update their appearance regulations to once again allow Sikh Americans to serve while abiding by their articles of faith, such as wearing a turban or beard.

Sikhs have served in the U.S. Army since World War I, and they are presumptively permitted to serve in the armed forces of Canada, India, and the United Kingdom, among others. Currently, a number of Sikh Americans have been granted individualized accommodations to serve in the U.S. Army where they have won accolades for their service including the Bronze Star. These patriotic soldiers wear turbans and maintain beards in a neat and conservative manner in accordance with operational requirements. They are also able to wear protective equipment, including helmets and gas masks, in conformity with safety requirements.

Last year, a U.S. District Court ruled that adherence to practicing Sikhism would not diminish the ability of a Sikh American student, Iknoor Singh, to serve in the U.S. military. Singh, who resides in Queens and is a student at Hofstra University, was seeking enrollment in the U.S. Army's Reserve Officer Training Corps.

A recognized leader in Congress on issues related to the Sikh-American community, Crowley spearheaded a multi-year, successful effort to convince the federal government to begin collecting data on hate crimes committed against Sikh-Americans and Hindu-Americans, an important issue brought to nationwide attention by the massacre of Sikh worshippers in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.

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