{"id":29589,"date":"2018-11-20T23:17:12","date_gmt":"2018-11-20T23:17:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/11\/20\/muslim-airman-granted-air-forces-first-beard-waiver\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:49:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:49:27","slug":"muslim-airman-granted-air-forces-first-beard-waiver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2018\/11\/20\/muslim-airman-granted-air-forces-first-beard-waiver\/","title":{"rendered":"Airman becomes the first Muslim to be granted service\u2019s beard waiver for observing religion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Air Force has granted a religious accommodation beard waiver to a Muslim airman, making him the first Muslim in the Air Force to be allowed to do so as a way to observe his faith. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff Sgt. Abdul Rahman Gaitan, an airman with the 821st Contingency Response Squadron at Travis Air Force Base<\/a>, California, was granted the exemption after waiting years for approval, an Air Force release<\/a> said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gaitan, who was raised as a Catholic, first developed an interest in the Muslim faith while stationed at an air station in Izmir, Turkey, a curiosity that remained strong when he left for his new duty station in Hawaii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I left Turkey, I felt as if a little bit of myself was left behind,\u201d he said. \u201cI began to read the Quran and the more I learned, the more I was drawn to its teachings.”<\/p>\n\n\n\t