Sikh Army captain sues US military over grooming policy tests

March 01, 2016 11:10

A Sikh Army captain filed suit against the US military on Monday after being ordered to undergo "extraordinary, targeted, repetitive testing" before receiving permanent permission to wear a beard and long hair for his religion, court papers said.

Captain Simratpal Singh, a member of the 349th Engineer Battalion who was awarded the Bronze Star for his work clearing explosives from roads in Kandahar Province in Afghanistan, was granted a temporary accommodation last year allowing him to dress according to his religious beliefs, the court filing said.

But Assistant Army Secretary Debra Wada recently ordered additional tests before she would grant him a permanent exemption, saying she wanted to be certain he could safely wear a helmet and gas mask if he had a turban, uncut hair and a beard, the lawsuit said.

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