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A Sikh American Soldier's Battle for The Turban
Tuesday, 23 July 2013, 00:12 IST
He finally won an accommodation from the Pentagon in 2010, went on active duty at Fort Bragg and was deployed twice in Afghanistan, where he went on to win a Bronze star for service and a NATO commendation.
Since then, two more soldiers, Captain Tejdeep Singh Rattan, a dentist and Specialist Simran Preet Singh Lamba, an army medic, have received waivers from the Army.
The Army raised three concerns, whether he could wear a gas mask and a helmet and whether it would affect his "unit cohesion" or esprit de corps. Kalsi said he met all their concerns by wearing a helmet over his long hair wrapped by a 'patka' or sport bandana.
"Never have I faced any problem or issues with my fellow soldiers," said Kalsi, 36, a father of two children, who is currently the medical director of emergency medical services at Fort Bragg.
"We have sort of proven the concept that we not only make good soldiers, but great soldiers," added Kalsi, who is now waging a new campaign to get the rules that have prevented hundreds of Sikhs from joining the military repealed once for all.
Source: IANS
Since then, two more soldiers, Captain Tejdeep Singh Rattan, a dentist and Specialist Simran Preet Singh Lamba, an army medic, have received waivers from the Army.
The Army raised three concerns, whether he could wear a gas mask and a helmet and whether it would affect his "unit cohesion" or esprit de corps. Kalsi said he met all their concerns by wearing a helmet over his long hair wrapped by a 'patka' or sport bandana.
"Never have I faced any problem or issues with my fellow soldiers," said Kalsi, 36, a father of two children, who is currently the medical director of emergency medical services at Fort Bragg.
"We have sort of proven the concept that we not only make good soldiers, but great soldiers," added Kalsi, who is now waging a new campaign to get the rules that have prevented hundreds of Sikhs from joining the military repealed once for all.
Source: IANS
