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Court ruling allows Sikh men to attend Marine Corps boot camp with facial hair and turbans

Published December 29, 2022 at 11:52 AM MST
Capt. Kamal Kalsi, left, one of two other Sikh officers serving in the U.S. Army, looks on as Spc. Simran Lamba, front, the first enlisted soldier to be granted a religious accommodation for his Sikh articles of faith since 1984, speaks to members of the media following his basic training graduation. (Brett Flashnick/AP)
Capt. Kamal Kalsi, left, one of two other Sikh officers serving in the U.S. Army, looks on as Spc. Simran Lamba, front, the first enlisted soldier to be granted a religious accommodation for his Sikh articles of faith since 1984, speaks to members of the media following his basic training graduation. (Brett Flashnick/AP)

The Sikh Coalition brought a lawsuit on behalf of three prospective recruits and one Marine Corps captain. The lawsuit is ongoing as the Sikh captain is still unable to deploy with his facial hair.

Giselle Klapper, senior staff attorney of the Sikh Coalition and led the lawsuit, joins Here & Now‘s Deepa Fernandes.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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