'Beard poses no barrier to military service': Sikh Council reacts US Army's new grooming policy, no permanent shaving waivers

Sikh Council has reacted to the new grooming policy that the US Army announced, barring permanent shaving waivers beyond religious accommodations. Soldiers could face expulsion if they need shaving exemptions for more than 12 months over a two-year period, according to the new rules.

"This is about uniformity, discipline and standards, and this is about training," Steve Warren, a service spokesperson, said.Sikh Coalition issued a statement reacting to the grooming policy and said it has been demonstrated time and time again that maintaining a beard poses no barrier to capable and honorable military service.

“Over the course of our more than 15 years of work to assist Sikhs with religious accommodations and fight for policy changes within all branches of the military, it has been demonstrated time and time again that maintaining a beard poses no barrier to capable and honorable military service," it said, adding that Sikh soldiers would not be affected by the policy as religious accommodations have been kept in mind. But the coalition said that it would disproportionately harm individuals with medical accommodations, Black men, and South Asian men.

“We have seen elsewhere that policies that discriminate against those with a medical need to shave are often also used to infringe upon the rights of Sikhs who maintain their kesh (uncut hair) as an article of faith. While religious accommodations remain exempt from this new guidance for now, the Sikh Coalition stands in solidarity with soldiers who may ultimately be kicked out of the Army by this new shaving policy, which will disproportionately affect Black and South Asian men—especially those with medical conditions like pseudofolliculitis barbae," it said.

“We remain committed to working alongside other marginalized groups as we continue to fight for full equality of opportunity for all qualified individuals across the Department of Defense," it said.