Three Sikh-American Soldiers File New Lawsuit Against U.S. Department of Defense

Three Sikh-American soldiers filed a new lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense Tuesday morning, according to The Sikh Coalition. Specialist Kanwar Singh, Specialist Harpal Singh, andPrivate Arjan Singh Ghotra are seeking to serve in the U.S. military while also practicing their Sikh faith and keeping their Sikh articles of faith — turban, unshorn hair, and beard — intact.

"Three Sikhs filed suit against the Army to ensure that their requests for religious accommodation are resolved by their basic training ship dates in May," Harsimran Kaur, The Sikh Coalition's legal director, told NBC News. "The lead plaintiff has been waiting over seven months. The Army has been failing to make decisions on whether these patriotic Sikhs will be able serve their country while abiding by the tenets of their faith. In doing so, the Army is violating their constitutional and statutory rights."

Despite making requests for religious accommodation months ago, Singh, Singh, and Ghotra said they are seeking an answer now so that they can begin basic combat training with their units in May. They are represented by The Sikh Coalition, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and McDermott Will & Emery. The three organizations also represented decorated Sikh-American soldier Captain Simratpal Singh, who won a temporary restraining order March 4 against additional non-standard, discriminatory testing. A final decision on Captain Singh's case is expected March 31.

"We believe that the court will find that the Army is continuing to discriminate against observant Sikhs, and will enjoin the Army to allow the Sikh plaintiffs to serve with articles of faith intact," Kaur said.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/three-sikh-american-soldiers-file-new-lawsuit-against-u-s-n547331

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My personal feelings on this, is They knew the rules to begin with and should understand that assimilation is the key in such organizations. No matter your belief system, if you are truly called to serve then this would not be an issue!

Three Sikh-American Soldiers File New Lawsuit Against U.S. Department of Defense

Three Sikh-American soldiers filed a new lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense Tuesday morning, according to The Sikh Coalition. Specialist Kanwar Singh, Specialist Harpal Singh, andPrivate Arjan Singh Ghotra are seeking to serve in the U.S. military while also practicing their Sikh faith and keeping their Sikh articles of faith — turban, unshorn hair, and beard — intact.

"Three Sikhs filed suit against the Army to ensure that their requests for religious accommodation are resolved by their basic training ship dates in May," Harsimran Kaur, The Sikh Coalition's legal director, told NBC News. "The lead plaintiff has been waiting over seven months. The Army has been failing to make decisions on whether these patriotic Sikhs will be able serve their country while abiding by the tenets of their faith. In doing so, the Army is violating their constitutional and statutory rights."

Despite making requests for religious accommodation months ago, Singh, Singh, and Ghotra said they are seeking an answer now so that they can begin basic combat training with their units in May. They are represented by The Sikh Coalition, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and McDermott Will & Emery. The three organizations also represented decorated Sikh-American soldier Captain Simratpal Singh, who won a temporary restraining order March 4 against additional non-standard, discriminatory testing. A final decision on Captain Singh's case is expected March 31.

"We believe that the court will find that the Army is continuing to discriminate against observant Sikhs, and will enjoin the Army to allow the Sikh plaintiffs to serve with articles of faith intact," Kaur said.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/three-sikh-american-soldiers-file-new-lawsuit-against-u-s-n547331