United States Army Captain Tejdeep Singh Rattan became the first Sikh in a generation to serve in the United States Army with his turban, full length hair and full beard. Rattan had to get a waiver from the Army to serve without sacrificing the unshorn hair mandated by his faith. An immigrant from India who arrived in New York as a teenager, Rattan said he hopes his military commitment will allow him to give back to his adopted home country and will help diminish prejudice Sikhs sometimes face in the U.S. Army officer basic training graduation ceremony took place at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio on March 22, 2010. Captain Rattan and Dr. Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, who will attend basic training this summer, are the first Sikhs to receive exemptions in more than 25 years.
The Army in 1984 eliminated an exemption that had previously allowed Sikhs to maintain their articles of faith while serving, but officials can issue individual waivers to the uniform policy after considering the effects on safety and discipline, said Army spokesman George Wright. Only a handful of such individual religious exemptions are ever granted. "I'm feeling very humbled. I'm a soldier," said the 31-year-old dentist, smiling after the ceremony at Fort Sam Houston. "This has been my dream." Rattan - who received a master's degree in engineering before pursuing a dental education and Kalsi both offer health care skills that are in high demand in an Army stretched by wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Rattan said he encountered no trouble from fellow soldiers during training
Here is a picture and more details.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/23/sikh-army-captain-graduat_n_509294.html
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Thursday, April 1, 2010
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