The Sikh recruit who fought for Sikh Americans to be able to keep their beards and turbans while in military training has graduated.
Jaskirat Singh was one of three Sikh recruits who sued the Marine Corps in April 2022, NBC News reports. They said the the restrictions on beards, long hair and turbans in training infringed on their freedom of religion.
In December 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia granted a preliminary injunction allowing Singh and one other recruit to to train with their Sikh articles of faith.
On Friday, Singh graduated from the Marine Corps recruit training, Military News reports. He was wearing a turban, beard and long hair at graduation.
“I am honored to serve my country in the Marine Corps, and proud that I was able to do so while respecting my Sikh faith,” Singh said in a press release from the Sikh Coalition. “I hope that my graduation sends a clear message to other young Sikhs who are considering military service: Your faith does not have to be a barrier to any career.”
Sikh advocates have praised Singh’s fight.
“PFC Singh’s determination and perseverance has paid off: despite spending far too long in legal limbo as he fought to serve, he has now proven that he can excel in the Marine Corps while maintaining his articles of faith. His achievement is yet another testament to the simple fact that no one should be made to choose between any career and their religious beliefs,” Giselle Klapper, Deputy Legal Director of the Sikh Coalition said in a press release.
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