Three Sikh Marine recruits fight to keep turban, other articles of faith

Washington, October 14

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Three prospective Sikh Marine recruits have made an emergency appeal in the US federal court that they be allowed to attend the basic training of the elite forces without having to remove their religiously mandated uncut hair, beards, kanga (wooden comb), kara (steel bracelet) and turbans.

Judges at the District of Columbia’s Court of Appeals heard arguments by the trio of recruits — Aekash Singh, Jaskirat Singh, and Milaap Singh Chahal on Tuesday who are in a lawsuit against Marine Corps Commandant David H Berger.

They appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit in September after a lower-court judge denied their request for a preliminary injunction that would have allowed the men to enter Marine Corps Basic Training with their articles of faith.

The Marines have said that the enforcement of the Corps’ rules is necessary to maintain uniformity for the national interest.

Brian Springer, a Justice Department lawyer representing the Marine Corps, said the “country’s chief expeditionary force” has the right to insist on greater uniformity among recruits during basic training. Countering the statement, Judge Patricia Millett, said the argument “makes no sense, because nobody during boot camp is going out as an expeditionary force”.