A Beard Too Far

Elaine Donnelly: By Putting Diversity Ahead Of Discipline, The Army Is Headed Down A Slippery Slope

(National Review Online)  Elaine Donnelly is president of the Center for Military Readiness, an independent public-policy organization that specializes in military/social issues.

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Some ironies are more than cruel. On the day that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan approached Fort Hood armed with two handguns, he may have passed a newsstand selling copies of the November 9 edition of Army Times. On the front page was a photograph of a Sikh soldier wearing a beard, mustache, and turban with his uniform, accompanied by the headline, "Regs Make Way for Religion - Sikh, Muslim Allowed to Incorporate Customs into Army Dress."

Maj. Gen. Gina S. Farrisee, acting deputy chief of staff for Army personnel at the Pentagon, had granted a "religious accommodation" exception for Capt. Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, a Sikh physician. Without providing a reason for the special treatment, General Farrisee's October 22 letter stated that Captain Kalsi would be allowed to wear uncut hair, a turban, and a beard with his uniform. The religious accommodation was granted for Kalsi alone, and the letter explicitly states that the Army may revoke it at any time. (Another Sikh, who has been studying dentistry under the same Health Professions Scholarship Program that Kalsi was enrolled in, expects a similar personal waiver.)

Army Times further reported that a Muslim officer serving as an orthopedic-surgery intern at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center had received permission to "wear a beard, as required by his sect of the Muslim faith." The armed forces will have difficulty denying similar privileges not just to the 3,400 Muslims currently serving, but to thousands of other military personnel requesting uniform exemptions for other religious or personal reasons.

Sikhs, who are not Muslims, have a storied history as warriors in the Indian and British armies. They have served in the American military during periods of conscription, such as World War II and Vietnam. In 1967, however, the armed forces adopted regulations establishing uniform grooming and clothing standards for all volunteers. Military men and women may not wear religious head coverings, garments, or jewelry that are inconsistent with uniform appearance.

The armed forces guard individual rights, but they are governed by different rules from civilian organizations. In the 1986 Goldman v. Weinberger case, the Supreme Court upheld military regulations barring Jews from wearing yarmulkes while in uniform. Constitutional rights and freedoms guaranteed to civilians are subordinate to military necessity.

Now the Army is inviting more petitions from individuals seeking specal accommodations on a "case-by-case basis." Having abandoned sound practice without justification, the Army will have no principle on which to stand. These accommodations will erode military culture, fueling doubts about the judgment of leadership and resentment of special treatment for religious minorities. This would be the case even if there were no reports of a Muslim extremist shouting "Allahu Akhbar!" while murdering fellow soldiers at Fort Hood.

The Sikh Coalition issued a report applauding the decision in the case of Captain Kalsi and demanding complete revocation of extant regulations concerning grooming and clothing. It claims that Sikhs have been barred from military service - whereas in fact they can serve if they comply with personal-dress rules applied to persons of all faiths.

Captain Kalsi told Army Times that in 2001 recruiters assured him that he would be able to maintain the uncut hair and turban that are mandatory in his Sikh faith, but he said superiors revoked permission in 2008 when he had completed the scholarship program and was preparing for active duty. Instead of capitulating to Captain Kalsi, General Farrisee should have supported his superiors. The Pentagon also should hold accountable any recruiter who fostered misunderstandings about uniform regulations.

In several interviews following the Fort Hood attack, the Army chief of staff, Gen. George Casey, expressed concern about possible "backlash" against Muslim soldiers. Casey told the Wall Street Journal that it would be an "even greater tragedy if our diversity becomes a casualty here...We have a very diverse society. And that gives us all strength."

That statement makes sense only if the Army maintains professional uniform standards for all, without favoritism, special treatment, or political correctness.

If individuals on active duty may choose their own mode of dress on a "case-by-case basis," why not allow peyote smoking and other controversial religious practices, provided that the entire unit agrees and there is no unit-cohesion problem?

Rights of individual expression and free speech are surely equal to freedom of religion, so Army officials should allow military band members to wear their hair longer than regulation and have cool-looking beards. They should also suspend regulations forbidding loud criticism of the president, if soldiers in a given unit agree, and allow uniformed personnel to wear political messages and run for political office while on duty.

Come to think of it, some soldiers consider it "demeaning" to have to salute superiors, and others want labor unions to press for better living conditions. Absent adherence to sound priorities, the Army will have difficulty avoiding a headlong slide down diversity's slippery slope.

It is wrong to blame innocent co-religionists and other people of faith for the massacre at Fort Hood. The only way to guard against "backlash" is to carefully review all policy exemptions and revoke those that depart from sound principles. Today's military personnel are volunteers. If there is a conflict between religious expression and military discipline, the needs of the military must come first.

[skotting123]

Here the the point: Sikhs are known all over the world as incredibly solid soldiers. They serve in Canada, and in the UK. They served admirably in WW2 and WW1. They used to serve in the US military with distinction. They are not at all crazy. Nor are they muslims. They are have a great history as soldiers. They want to serve their country. We need to find a way that will accept their lifestyle and utilize their military talents.

[sukhvir1610]

Respect beard and mustache. That makes man a "man". Otherwise just a woman (or better say a "weird" woman). Do not force men to look like women. God gave you beard and mustache for a reason. It is sad that rules are created by people who have no respect for nature.
All the Arguments posted here supporting to shave beard etc to put chem gear are suspicious. You can create thousand and one excuses to suppress others but that does not make it logical.
This writer Elaine Donnelly just used an incidence (caused by a Muslim) to attack Sikhs. Looks like this writer is very much bothered by Army allowing a Sikh to have mustache and beard. He must be working very hard against Sikh in the past but somehow failed in his intentions.

[AOCGUY]

Arguments posted here supporting reduced grooming standards for Sikhs in the US Military are specious at best. The US Military has grooming statndards in place for good reasons. Beards would prohibit the proper fit for chem gear possibly resulting in death or injury. Uniformity and the elevation of the unit over the individual is also important for combat units.

[balvindersps]

Most people do not know that the Sikhs have fought gallantry in Europe and played an important role for the liberation of Europe and paid heavy price for the freedom of mankind along with Allied forces.

In WW1, the strength of the British Indian Army rose to 1,402,350 and in the WW2 to two and half million. During World War 1, it fought in China, France, Ypres, Belgium (Flanders), Mesopotamia against Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Palestine, Gallipoli, the Somme, East Africa, Palestine, Egypt / Suez Canal and numerous other battlefields in nearly all theatres of the war. In WW2, a company of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps was part of the British Expeditionary Force in 1940 campaign which ended in the evacuation from Dunkirk (France). Divisions of British Indian Army fought in the Western Desert, in the Middle East, in Eritrea, Ethiopia, they fought in Italy and took part in the liberation of Greece.

Early WW1 35,000 troops of Indian Army Sikhs - 22% of armed forces, Sikhs less than 2% of Indian population. War end 100,000 Sikh. By end of war 100,000 Sikh volunteers joined the British Armed forces with a few Sikhs also contributing to the French Air Service and the American Expeditionary Force.

The average Indian battalion had around 764 men when they landed in France, but by November 1914, the 47th Sikhs Regiment had only 385 men left. In the first battle of Ypres at Flanders in 1914 a platoon of Sikhs died fighting to the last man, who shot himself with his last cartridge rather that surrender. In Gallipoli, the 14th Sikhs Regiment lost 371 officers and men in mere minutes. The 15th Ludhiana Sikhs Regiment were in France in September 1914 and participated in fighting at Fauquissart, Festubert and Neuve Chapelle. After the bloody battle of Neuve Chapelle in 1915 the Sikh regiments had lost 80% of their men.

Words cannot justly commemorate the contribution of these fine warriors who fought disease, filth, gas attacks, and the onslaught of enemy troops and maxim guns with only their turbans to protect them from head wounds and their unshorn hair and long beards, as prescribed by their religious faith, in disease infested, muddy trenches. The following is a letter sent home by a Sikh soldier:

Thousand and hundreds of thousands of soldiers have lost their lives. If you go on the field of battle you will see corpses piled upon corpses, so that there is no place put hand or foot. Men have died from the stench. No one has any hope of survival, for back to Punjab will go only those who have lost a leg or an arm or an eye. The whole world has been brought to destruction. (Warrior Saints, Page 21)

The "Black Lions," as the Arabs called them in Mesopotamia, sacrificed their lives for the defence of freedom in Europe for an ally that was ruling their own homeland, yet they did it out of honour and loyalty.

"In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith." (General Sir Frank Messervy K. C. S.I, K. B. E., C. B., D. S. O.)

In all the battles in which they fought, they had to suffer heavy causalities. However, there was no wavering among them and they always stood like rock. Not an inch of ground was given up and not a single straggler came back. The ends of the enemy's trenches were found to be blocked with the bodies of Sikhs and of the enemy who died fighting at close quarters, and the glacis slope was thickly dotted with the bodies of these fine soldiers all lying on their faces as they fell in their steady advance on the enemy. (Sir Hamilton General British forces at The Battle of Gallipoli)

The history of Sikhs affords many instances of their value as soldiers, but it may be safely asserted that nothing finer than the grim valor and steady discipline displayed by them on the 4th June has ever been done by soldiers of the Khalsa. (Martial India F. Yeats-Brown, 1945.)

One man wrote home "this is not war; it is the ending of the world". The troops were taken out of the line and rested in early 1915, but were soon back in the trenches, and involved in the heaviest fighting.

During WW2 the battalions of the Sikh Regiment won 27 battle honours.

The Sikh soldiers faced the showers of bullets and shells of heavy guns and the fiercest enemy bombardments, wearing "Turbans" instead of steel helmets. During the First World War while fighting in the battle of Gallipoli (Turkey) on 3rd and 4th June 1915, 14th Sikh Regiment lost 371 brave officers and soldiers. Not an inch of ground was given up and not a single straggler came back. The ends of the enemy?s trenches were found blocked with the bodies of Sikhs and of the enemy who died fighting at close quarters. This was the high spirit of the turbaned Sikh soldiers.

www.eSikhs.com

[skipr76]

Elaine is probably not a racist, but like many Americans is just ignorant and I am not using the word ignorant in a bad way either. America is so separated from the rest of the world that sometimes people just start thinking that they are the only ones who know the best way and sometimes do not even want to give themselves a chance to learn about other people.
Sikhs are a warrior race and the British and the Germans have a great respect for their loyalty and fighting ability. One of the Indian Army's best regiments is the Sikh regiment. The American army would be doing themselves a great disfavor by refusing to let Sikhs serve in the armed forces in their turbans and beards and moustaches. A true Sikh is not supposed to ever cut any hair on his body and therefore his long hair on his head and hence the turban to keep it neat and his facial hair are a part of his faith. Sikhs feel compelled to serve in the American armed forces because they are a brave race and since they live in this country and are it's citizens, they want to protect it and fight for it's freedom just like everybody else. They have done this all over the world and fought in armies all over the world.
The Sikhs fought against the Mughal emperors (who were unjust and cruel and did not respect other religions).So read about the Sikhs and make sure you know how to distinguish them from other faiths.When you are in any trouble it would be good to have a Sikh on your side, proudly wearing his turban and his beard.

[sukhvir1610]

Elaine Donnelly, Do not misuse such incodence to defame Sikh community. Do not try to put Sikh and Muslin in same basket. Sikh religion is born in 15th century against the Muslim invaders called "Mughals". Sikh turban is not a religious dress. It is a natural dress to stand against all religious supressions. In India, Most men were shaved by Pundits to make them good disciples. Sikh did not accept any such religious dogma. They used all the natural and traditinal dresses against all the religious supressions and were the first people to fight against Muslim invaders.

You are so ingorant and i am sad the CBS news calls ignorant like you a "journalist". Just a yellow journalist!

[kaylag04]

Aside from being an affront to uniformity in the ranks, a beard interferes with the facial seal of chemical protection headgear. A committed phsycian with a desire to serve has many options besides military service. The Army's continual willingness to be the epicenter of social experimentation in the military may just get the good doctor killed.

[john_mccain2]

Elaine Donnelly is a racist for linking Nidal Malik Hasan's shooting spree to accommodation being offered to Muslims and Sikh soldiers. Donnelly, could this act of mass murder be avoided is the army did not make exceptions to the uniform policy? I agree with the comment above--this is idiotic. Right-wing conservatism from the likes of Donnelly who do not understand the root cause of this conflict will get us nowhere.

[ToolMangler1]

She is not 'racist' for her decision. She is just 100% wrong in her assessment. The Military has what is known as a "Uniform Code". This is the standard that "ALL" members of the service are held to.
When you are sworn in as a recruit you are told this "Up front" before you are given the "Oath of Allegience".
The reason for this "Code" is so every member understands that the word "Uniform" Means "In the form of One" not many!!!!
The Military is not a 'social club'.
If you are not prepared to fulfil you duty as a 'member of the unit' then do not join the military, do not take the oath, otherwise you are a liar.....

[diamruby]

While in the service you are working, it has nothing to do with religion, no body cares what religion you choose to practice but it is an after work thing do it on your own time. There should be no exceptions to the dress & other codes that are required. After this crazy religous nut killed & harmed his fellow co-workers we need to be very carefull of the type of people we are allowing into the service & all should be closely monitored. Someone surely dropped the ball this time & I hope it makes for more secure bases from now on. These soldiers deserve the best of everything they are the only reason we have a free America.

[Ms_enza]

Elaine Donnelly -- Idiot.

[YourVeryWrong]

Personal experience?