A Sikh man became the first to complete Marine Corps boot camp while keeping his beard and turban Friday after a court fight that began almost two years ago.
Pfc. Jaskirat Singh, 21, marched at the front of his platoon during its graduation ceremony at the San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot. He is one of several Sikhs who sued the Marine Corps in 2021 to be able to do so with his articles of faith. It's the latest in a string of legal victories for Sikhs looking to serve while wearing their beards and turbans.
Singh said Marine Corps values and those of his religion align.
"We have honor in wearing our turban — keeping our beard," Singh said. "Then courage — Sikhi is a very warrior-orientated religion. And then commitment in the Marine Corps and … commitment to faith in Sikhi."
Singh is the first of three recruits that sued the Marines to complete boot camp. Singh submitted a request for religious accommodation to the Corps in November 2021 to keep his beard and turban. When it was denied he, along with two other recruits and a Marine captain, sued with the help of the Sikh Coalition, a group that advocates for the Sikh community.
Giselle Klapper, the deputy legal director of the Sikh Coalition, said Sikhs wearing beards and turbans shouldn't prevent them from serving in the military.
"(Singh's) case is yet another point of proof that the Sikh articles of faith do not inhibit people's service across the U.S. military," she said.
The Marine Corps was among the last holdouts — along with the Navy — to not accommodate Sikhs' religious articles. The Sikh Coalition has successfully sued both the Air Force and the Army.
The Marines had cited concerns over troop uniformity as well as issues with recruits getting a proper seal on their gas masks — something Singh said was no problem.
"The gas chamber? It was pretty easy," Singh said. "Not that hard."
He said he was supported by his fellow recruits through training.
After a short leave period, Singh will report to the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton.
