{"id":31398,"date":"2022-08-26T20:36:29","date_gmt":"2022-08-26T20:36:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/08\/26\/judge-denies-to-stop-ban-on-religious-articles-in-marine-boot-camp\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T21:11:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T21:11:04","slug":"judge-denies-to-stop-ban-on-religious-articles-in-marine-boot-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2022\/08\/26\/judge-denies-to-stop-ban-on-religious-articles-in-marine-boot-camp\/","title":{"rendered":"Judge declined to halt ban on religious articles in Marine boot camp"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A federal judge on Wednesday declined to temporarily halt<\/a> the Marine Corps\u2019 ban on the Sikh turban, beard <\/a>and other religious articles of faith in recruit training and certain deployment conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The legal action began in April after Capt. Sukhbir Singh Toor<\/a>, Jaskriat Singh, Aekash Singh and Milaap Singh Chahal sought to wear their traditional articles of faith in those instances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Marine Corps does not allow beards or faith articles to be worn in recruit training, except for medical condition waivers for the beard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attorneys for the plaintiff shared a response on U.S. District Judge Richard Leon\u2019s decision Thursday with Marine Corps Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They disagree with the decision and that the Marines are doing a, \u201cdisservice to both our clients and itself in denying religious rights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giselle Klapper, Sikh Coalition senior staff attorney, said, \u201cNonetheless, we agree that this issue remains critically important, and we intend to move quickly and decisively to appeal the decision and defend our clients\u2019 rights to a full and favorable resolution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eric Baxter, senior counsel for The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, said, \u201cNo one should have to choose between living according to their faith and serving their country. The court\u2019s ruling sets up a false conflict between faith and service \u2014 but as the Marines have rightly said for decades, spirituality makes Marines stronger and more resilient.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Corps officials previously have declined to comment on ongoing litigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The case is far from over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The request was for a preliminary injunction, which if granted would have stopped the ban until the courts determined the ultimate finding as to whether the ban denies the captain and poolees the right to freedom of religion.<\/p>\n\n\n\t