Why US military’s beard ban has sparked concerns among Sikhs

A United States Department of Defence order restricting beards in the military has sparked widespread criticism among Sikhs. The Sikh Coalition, a leading advocacy group for Sikhs in the US military, and the North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) have expressed concern over the directive, which could majorly impact Sikh, Jewish and Muslim soldiers.

This comes after US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s recent push for implementing strict grooming standards in the military. The move, however, is facing flak as it threatens religious accommodations for Sikhs, Orthodox Jews, and Muslims who keep facial hair as part of their faith.

Let’s take a closer look.

Beard ban in the US military

On September 30, US Defense Secretary Hegseth said in his speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico: “If you want a beard, join special forces. If not, shave. We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans.”

He reportedly said that the era of “rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles” through waivers for medical or religious reasons is over.

“No more beardos,” Hegseth said during the presentation, attended by top officers and their enlisted advisers. “The era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done. Simply put, if you do not meet the male-level physical standards for combat positions, cannot pass a [physical training] test or don’t want to shave and look professional, it’s time for a new position or a new profession.”

Following Hegseth’s remarks, the Pentagon issued a memo directing all branches to revert to “pre-2010 standards” for facial hair, stating that “facial hair waivers are generally not authorised.”

The document, titled Grooming Standards for Facial Hair Implementation, mandates compliance plans within 60 days and complete execution within 90 days, with some exceptions for special operations forces during “validated mission-essential requirements”, though even they have to be clean-shaven before deployment.

As per Stripes.com, Hegseth ordered a military-wide review of grooming standards in March, resulting in the Army and Marine Corps tightening rules on medical shaving waivers.

While the “pre-2010 standards” are vaguely defined, the policies from the late 1990s and early 2000s typically banned beards except for rare medical or religious exemptions, with a focus on a “clean-shaven and neat” appearance for gas mask seals and uniformity.

In 2010, the US Army granted its first formal religious accommodations in more than two decades to two Sikh officers, Captain Simran Preet Singh Lamba and Dr Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi.

The US Army started granting permanent religious accommodations to Sikh soldiers in 2017, establishing a “strong presumption” in favour of approving requests for turbans, beards, and other religious items. Other troops have granted religious beard waivers on a case-by-case basis since 2019.

Under Hegseth’s new policy, those who have been granted a religious exemption will face “individualised reviews” and will have to provide documentation proving their “sincerity of the religious or sincerely held belief” to be considered for an accommodation.

Organisations condemn Pentagon’s directive

The North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) has opposed the Pentagon’s directive.

“The new rules state that the facial hair waivers are generally not authorised. It would create serious implications for Sikhs, orthodox Jews, Muslims and other religious minorities whose faith requires them to maintain beards and other articles of faith,” NAPA executive director Satnam Singh Chahal said, as per Hindustan Times. 

Chahal described the move as a betrayal of trust for those who have fought for years for religious accommodation in the armed forces. “This decision is not about discipline or lethality, it is about stripping away the dignity and religious identity of devout soldiers who serve this country with loyalty and honour,” he said.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) general secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal said the development was deeply concerning for the Sikh community. “This is highly unfortunate, and we categorically consider it to be unjust. In a democracy like the US, it is the government’s duty to respect and uphold the religious freedoms of all persons, especially those belonging to minority communities,” he said.

Punjab politicians react

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has urged External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar to take up the issue with the US government to ensure Sikhs can practise their faith without any discrimination, saying Sikhs all over the world were concerned about the directive.

Drawing the attention of the external affairs minister, Badal said that “an impending ban on Sikhs in the US Army maintaining their religious identity with regard to the five cardinal symbols (the five kakaars), including turban, hair and beard”. He called for an early initiative on behalf of the Indian government in this regard.

The SAD chief added: “The decision ran against the principle of freedom to practice one’s religion, a cornerstone of the US democracy.”

Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan denounced the US government’s decision to ban beards, calling it an “insult” to the Sikh soldiers who fought in the World War. He also urged the Central government to immediately raise the issue with Washington.

With inputs from agencies