Okay Marines, don’t know if you picked up on this back in September when it happened. I did but I saved it for this series on “The Corps.”
A Sikh Marine is now allowed to wear a turban in uniform
From The Marine Times
The new headgear for Sikh Marines.
On Sept. 23, 1st Lt. Sukhbir Toor possibly became the first Marine lawfully wear a turban in a Marine Corps uniform.
The Marine Corps granted Toor the ability to wear his turban, uncut hair and a beard in uniform, in accordance with his Sikh faith, unless he deploys to a combat zone or while he is wearing a dress uniform in a ceremonial unit, The New York Times first reported.
The young Marine and the lawyers who represent him said the accommodations mark progress, but do not go nearly far enough accommodate the Marine in his Sikh faith.
The accommodations he was granted, “effectively amounts to a denial … it’s almost asking someone to compartmentalize their identity,” said Giselle Klapper, his lawyer from the Sikh Coalition advocacy group.
After several requests and lawsuits the Army changed policy in 2017 and now allows Sikh soldiers to wear articles of their faith and turbans with minimal restrictions.
Toor, the son of Indian immigrants, joined the Corps in 2017 and is serving as an artillery officer in 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center Twenty nine Palms, California.
The Marine told The New York Times that when he first joined he was willing to cut his hair, shave his beard and wear the traditional Marine Corps covers, believing it was wrong to ask for something from the Marine Corps before he gave anything back.
But when he was selected for promotion to captain in the spring, he decided it was time to ask.
“I finally don’t have to pick which life I want to commit to, my faith or my country,” Toor told the Times. “I can be who I am and honor both sides.”
Sikhs traditionally wear five articles of faith that signify commitment to their religion. The articles include a small wooden comb known as the “kanga,” a small knife or ceremonial sword called “kirpan,” cotton “soldier shorts” or slightly longer underwear called the “kachera,” a small steel bracelet known as a “kara,” along with going without cutting their hair or beard, known as “kesh.”
The turban, or dastaar, over the centuries became closely linked to the Sikh religion. It is in the code of conduct and bears nearly the same amount of importance as the other articles, according to Learn Religions.
In June Lt. Gen. David Ottignon, the head of Manpower and Reserve Affairs wrote a letter granting Toor the ability to wear the turban and unshorn hair, but only in limiting circumstances.
“The real world consequences of the failure of a forward deployed Marine unit, such as the one you lead, could jeopardize the lives of Marines and those relying on them to complete their mission,” the general added. “The Corps cannot experiment with the components of mission accomplishment in forward units without assuming the risk of mission failure.”
Under the initial restrictions Toor was prevented from wearing his articles of faith while he was assigned to units that may deploy on short notice, like 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, where he currently serves.
“Look, I’m on the ground level with the trigger-pullers every day,” Toor told the Times. “To them, I don’t think it makes a difference. We have men, women, people of all races in my platoon. We all wear green, we all bleed red. My Marines didn’t respect me because of what I had on my head.”
Toor also was banned from wearing a turban or beard in dress uniform in any ceremonial position, arguing it would hurt recruitment along with the Corps’ ability to convince the American people that it was “cohesive group of warriors capable of defending the nation’s interest.”
Toor immediately appealed the decision and received slightly greater accommodations that allowed him to wear a turban and beard while in garrison.
But he says the deployment restrictions and the restrictions on ceremonial units that remained were still unacceptable.
Klapper argued the deployment restrictions might put Toor’s career at risk if the Corps forced him to choose between a deployment and his beard.
She was also appalled by the reasoning by the Marine Corps when it came to ceremonial units.
“We’re saying the reason you can’t serve, or you can’t maintain your religious identity, the reason we have to erase essentially your religious identity is because you are in a public facing role” the lawyer said. “That to me is problematic because in reality it’s not under the law a reasonable argument and it’s also just extremely outdated in my view.”
The Marine Corps has not yet responded to questions about Toor or the branch’s decision to limit his accommodations.
Klapper and the other lawyers representing Toor have since sent a letter to the Marine Corps asking it to reconsider its decision in this case with the hopes that the Corps will either follow the Army’s precedent or at least work with Toor’s representatives to come to an agreeable solution.
But, if the Marine Corps does not come to the bargaining table or accept greater accommodations, the lawyer is prepared to sue the Corps in federal court, she said.
Appears no one in authority within the military is capable of uttering the word: “NO”. What about Women Marine Sikh’s. Can they wear that diaper on their head and cover their face? Of course, CMC Berger can’t say no, SECDEF will chew him out. Plus, we have to follow the U.S. Army’s lead. I mean hell we are no longer a separate and distinct service. Check out the Army’s story. Copy and paste the link below; you won’t believe it! If it wasn’t so tragic it would be laughable. I’m sure this uniform change will really help the poor recruiting issue.
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-army/2017/01/05/new-army-policy-oks-soldiers-to-wear-hijabs-turbans-and-religious-beards/
” it’s almost asking someone to compartmentalize their identity,”
….ummm yeah, welcome to the Marine Corps. Your “identity” is for when you arent in uniform. WTF part of being a Marine did you not understand – oh thats right, obviously all of it.
Excuse me Dennis, to whom are you talking? Me?
Divide and conquer.
We are willfully dividing…
paving the way for our enemies to finish the job.
The DOD is mandating that our troops to be vaxed and if they refuse are discharged. Yet, we allow such a religious exemption for this Shik that runs counter to not only regulation, but longstanding tradition. What about those Marines who don’t want to be vaxed since the vaccination was developed from aborted children making it morally compromised, thus against their religion? Where is their exemption?
Good Question!
Exactly!
Unbelievable. What’s next?
Amazing! God save us,
So let me see…the Corps will eventually have two gay guys wearing their turbans holding hands in uniform, hugging and kissing just before one gets deployed and the one staying home will slide into their pink jeep and tearfully wave good by…..
Nope certainly not the Corps I was in! (65-69)
There are already disgusting pictures of homosexual perverts (I do wish patriots would realize they are not “gay”—our enemies take the high ground by trying to get us to use their terms as a way to try to control thought and debate) in Marine uniforms deliberately displaying “affection.” I am not sure though that their headgear makes that much worse, although all of it is counter to uniformity.
and thus good order and discipline.
This will expand now that there is a precedent. The limits they placed will eventually be struck down as well by EEOC civilians who could care less about Uniformity and G O & D in the military. The Army recently gave in to “heathenry” as a religion and said it’s followers can have beards.
This is the morphing of the very popular look among wannabe tough guys and air-softers who have copied the nonuniform but oh-so-cool look of our modern day (very) “special”warriors who persuaded their superiors they needed to wear mufti, beards, sleeve tats, long hair etc. “to fit in with the locals.”
This ridiculous excuse (also I think this was influenced by the private military contractors who left the military not only for bigger paychecks but also for relaxed grooming standards) apparently became routine with no “grown-ups” in the room. I am persuaded from my own small unit leader days in combat in Vietnam that this atmosphere of “hands-off” grooming and uniform standards was a direct contributor to the myriad LOW violations that made the news.
I agree. Great outfits are all encompassing. They include grooming, discipline, respect, close order drill which teaches immediate response to a verbal command. appearance, character, demeanor, knowledge, physical fitness. . . . . . . and the list goes one and on and on!
I had seen this as well. What’s ironic is that I also read (on the internet so it has to be true) that Sikhs in the Indian Army are required to adhere to their Army’s grooming standards and are not allow the privileges bestowed upon this Captain. Why is the United State Marine Corps deviating from their long standing tradition, that is until recently, of not conforming to the cultural whims of society. Don’t tell me we need to change to meet the changing climate in society. A Marine is a Marine regardless of where he or she comes from. Religion, race, ethnic or economic background did not come into play. We have one goal and one goal only: to be the best fighting force the world has ever seen. Diversity connotes individualism and individualism never had a place in my Marine Corps (1975-2006).
No Walter individualism did not have a place in my Corps either, and it sure as heck should not now or ever. This article appeared in the “Marine Times,” so you can take it to the bank that is is a fact.
I seen this in September as well, kinda figured that idiot would trigger an old combat Gunny with PTSD and get his rag stomped into a puddle of pudding by now. Geez how fn stupid