Washington: The US Presidential Commission has recommended a uniform policy for all branches of the US Military, which allows religious believers such as turbans, beards, hijabs and yarmulkes, a skullcap worn in public by Orthodox Jewish men.
The president’s advisory commission on the Pacific Islands released its report on Friday, detailing the recommendations made on May 12.
In 1981, under the uniform guidelines of the US Army, symbols associated with religious faith such as turban, beard, hijab, and yarmulcase were banned. The US Army and Air Force changed their uniform policies in 2017 and 2020, respectively, to allow these symbols of faith.
“Now, hundreds of members serving in the U.S. Military and Air Force are currently serving with symbols associated with their faith,” the commission said.
“However, the US Navy and Marines have granted limited religious rights to their soldiers, forcing them to violate their religious tradition to serve the country,” the commission said.
Along with this, the commission has also made many other recommendations. The commission has recommended that federal agencies should make available key documents, digital content and forms translated into the languages of Asian Americans, people of Hawaiian origin and Pacific Islanders on their websites.
The recommendations are being reviewed before being sent to President Joe Biden.