Dr. Robert M. Gates
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000
April 14, 2009
Dear Secretary Gates,
We write today to urge you lift the effective ban on members of the Sikh faith from joining the United States Military. Each of our organizations believes that as Americans, those willing and able to serve in defense of their country should be permitted to do so.
Since 1981, Sikhs who practice the mandates of their faith in keeping unshorn hair and beards and wearing turbans have been barred from admission to the armed forces. While federal laws have sometimes been interpreted to allow members of other faiths to wear religious headwear, Sikhs have not been included. In addition, while the Army provides for men who must keep beards for medical reasons to do so, beards mandated by faith are not permitted. The Army’s policies are forcing Sikhs who want to serve their country to choose between their religion and their service. This practice undermines the core values of equality, justice, liberty, and religious freedom that have long been enshrined in the United States Constitution.
In the last few months, two Sikh health professionals, Captain Kamaljeet S. Kalsi and Second Lieutenant Tejdeep S. Rattan, have been refused the right to continue serving the Army while complying with the mandates of their faith. This is despite the fact that both men were both recruited and commissioned – with their Sikh articles of faith – during their respective first years of medical and dental school (2001 and 2006) through the Army’s Health Professions Scholarship Program. Both are concluding their training and are slated to begin active duty in July 2009. However, the U.S. Army is now disputing their ability to serve with their Sikh identity intact.
Captain Kalsi and Second Lieutenant Rattan’s commitment to their articles of faith must be seen in context. Historically, uncut hair and turbans have been central features of the Sikh identity. For example, in the 18th century, Sikhs in South Asia were persecuted and forced to convert from their religion; the method of forcing conversions was to remove a Sikh’s turban and cut off his hair. Since then, denying a Sikh the right to wear a turban and maintain unshorn hair is perceived as the most humiliating physical injury that can be inflicted upon a Sikh.
For centuries, Sikh soldiers and officers have served in armies across the globe, fought bravely in wars, and have achieved the highest levels of military distinction. Captain Kalsi himself is the fourth generation in his family to serve in the military. His forebears served honorably in India’s military, and Captain Kalsi joined the U.S. Army with the intent to continue the family tradition. Sikhs also served as part of the Allied Forces in both World Wars. Sikhs currently serve in the militaries of Great Britain, Sweden, Canada, Pakistan and India. As United Nations peacekeepers, Sikh troops often work hand in hand with U.S. forces. Until their retirement last year, a Sikh doctor and dentist served in the U.S. Army, grandfathered in under the old policy. In all cases, Sikhs’ turbans, unshorn hair, and beards have never been an impediment to their service.
We urge you to rethink the existing policy that would bar Sikhs like Captain Kalsi and Second Lieutenant Rattan from joining the thousands of men and women who serve in our armed forces.
We thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
The Sikh Coalition
OneAmerica
International Justice Network
Anti-Defamation League
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
Veterans and Servicemembers Project, Urban Justice Center
The Arab-American Family Support Center
National Council of Jewish Women
Americans for Religious Liberty
NAACP
The American Civil Liberties Union
Interfaith Alliance
Sikh Research Institute
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
Military Law Task Force of the National Lawyers Guild
Gurdwara Sahib Hayward
Sikhs in England' (SIE)
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)
Asian American Justice Center
Arab American Institute
Sikh Students Association at the University of Connecticut
South Asian Bar Association of Northern California
The Penn Sikh Organization (University of Pennsylvania)
Wing Luke Asian Museum
International Institute of Gurmat Studies, Inc.
Darbar-E-Khalsa
Institute of Gurmat Studies, (Regd.)
Sikh Council on Religion and Education
Chief Khalsa Diwan-Mumbai Unit
Khalsa Peace Corps
Sikh Sports Association of USA
South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!)
Center for Constitutional Rights
Asian Law Caucus
Sikh Communications Council
GW Sikh Students' Association
Sikh Society of Michigan (Madison Heights Gurdwara Sahib)
South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT)
New York Community Action Network
Sikh Foundation San Diego
Nanak Sadan Sikh Temple
Haryana-Punjabi Association USA
University of Washington's Sikh Student Association
Gurdwara Mata Sahib Kaur, Glen Cove, NY
United Sikh Association at Baruch College
United Sikh Association at NYU
Sikh Student Association of North Carolina State University
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF)
UC Berkeley Sikh Students’ Association
Sikh Forum of James Logan High School
UNITED SIKHS
Chinese Progressive Association
Guru Nanak Foundation of America
Sikh Student Association of AUA College of Medicine
University of California, Irvine, Sikh Student Association
Sikh Students Association of the University of Virginia
Sikh Association of Capital District
Sikh Religious Society of Chicago
Cc:
Bill Carr, Deputy Under-Secretary for Military Personnel Policy
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