Sikhs in US Marines can now keep beard, wear turban

Sikhs in US Marines can now keep beard, wear turban

A United States court on Friday directed the Marine Corps to let Sikh recruits maintain beards and wear turbans, rejecting the elite unit’s argument that allowing religious exemptions would reduce cohesion.

The trio of recruits – Aekash Singh, Jaskirat Singh, and Milaap Singh Chahal – had sought an exemption from the Marines rule which required them to shave their beards. The men had argued that the beards and turbans were an expression of their commitment to their religious faith but the Marine Corps had told the three Sikh men that they could serve only if they shaved before the basic training.