Chairman Crowley Cheers Changes to U.S. Army Religious Accommodation Policy, Further Opening Door to Allowing Sikh Americans to Serve

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), Chairman of the Democratic Caucus and a leader on Sikh American issues, welcomed a U.S. Army directive on religious accommodations that will further open the door to allowing Sikh Americans to serve while maintaining their articles of faith, such as a beard or turban. Last year, the Army released a policy that provides for career-long accommodations for Sikh Americans. The revisions announced today build on that progress by defining the scope and implementation of service by Sikh Americans.

“This is major progress, not just for the Sikh American community but for our nation’s military. Sikh Americans love this country and want a fair chance to serve in our country on equal footing. Today’s announcement will help do just that,” said Crowley. “We are a stronger nation, with a stronger military, because of our respect for religious and personal freedom. I applaud all those who have worked so hard in a bipartisan way to make this day possible, and I appreciate the leadership of Secretary Fanning and General Milley.”

Before the recent changes, Sikh Americans and others had to be granted a limited accommodation, or permission, to serve in the Army while maintaining their articles of faith. Such accommodations were neither permanent nor guaranteed, and had to be renewed after virtually every assignment. Service members had 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 allow Sikh Americans to serve presumptively while abiding by their articles of faith, such as wearing a turban or beard.

Sikhs have served in the 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 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. 

In 2015, a U.S. District Court ruled that adherence to practicing Sikhism would not diminish the ability of a Sikh American Hofstra University student, Iknoor Singh, to serve in the 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 in 2012. Crowley also rallied support for the recent New York Police Department change to its policies to allow Sikhs to serve in the police force while maintaining their articles of faith.