Sikh dentist completes OBC

[teeth63a]

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This is a pretty big deal since Sikhs needed special permission to wear articles of faith since 1984 and few were granted.

The issue is not religous discrimination, as some people would like to paint it, but safety for the soldier...the turban he must wear may prevent his helmet from sitting properly, and his beard may prevent his gas mask from sealing as well. But apparently he and the army made it work, so congratulations to CPT Rattan!



http://www.newser.com/article/d9ek7...cer-school-after-decades-of-restrictions.html

 

[ArmyPreDent]

This is a pretty big deal since Sikhs were prohibited from joining in the 1980s.

The issue is not religous discrimination, as some people would like to paint it, but safety for the soldier...the turban he must wear may prevent his helmet from sitting properly, and his beard may prevent his gas mask from sealing as well. But apparently he and the army made it work, so congratulations to CPT Rattan!



http://www.newser.com/article/d9ek7...cer-school-after-decades-of-restrictions.html

Hey so what do you think about this? I wonder if this would fly if he was trying to become and Infantry officer, or other line unit officer? It seems odd to me that the Army would change its policies for one or two Soldiers, I also wonder what the Soldiers he sees will think? I hope all the best to him and I hope It works out well.

 

[pogue]

Hey so what do you think about this? I wonder if this would fly if he was trying to become and Infantry officer, or other line unit officer? It seems odd to me that the Army would change its policies for one or two Soldiers, I also wonder what the Soldiers he sees will think? I hope all the best to him and I hope It works out well.

Sikhs have never been prohibited from serving the in Army. The Army has rules- like being clean shaven and having your hair cut above the ears and such. Sikhs haven't served because they can't cut their hair or shave. It's not like the Army has been shutting them out. AR670-1 doesn't care who you are. 🙂

I don't think it would be as easy to put him in a line company. The longstanding tradition of infantry officers having no facial hair notwithstanding. It's hard to tell your joes they have to shave when you're sporting a sweet beard!

Congrats to the Cpt.!

 

[krmower]

Sikhs have never been prohibited from serving the in Army. The Army has rules- like being clean shaven and having your hair cut above the ears and such. Sikhs haven't served because they can't cut their hair or shave. It's not like the Army has been shutting them out. AR670-1 doesn't care who you are. 🙂

I don't think it would be as easy to put him in a line company. The longstanding tradition of infantry officers having no facial hair notwithstanding. It's hard to tell your joes they have to shave when you're sporting a sweet beard!

Congrats to the Cpt.!

We actually had a Periodontist in my last unit that was Sikh. He recently retired, but he was allowed to do it since the rules had been inacted after he came in he was "grandfathered" in and allowed to practice that way.