Free Republic

Sikhs Challenge U.S. Army's Ban on Turbans, Beards Sunday, June 14, 2009 NEW YORK — Military service is in Capt. Kamaljit Singh Kalsi's blood. His father and grandfather were part of India's Air Force. His great-grandfather served in the army in India under the British. So when U.S. Army recruiters talked to him during his first year of medical school, he readily signed up. But his plans to go on active duty in July are now on hold. An Army policy from the 1980s that regulates the wearing of religious items would mean he would need to shave his beard...

NEW YORK -- Military service is in Capt. Kamaljit Singh Kalsi's blood. But his plans to go on active duty in July are now on hold. An Army policy from the 1980s that regulates the wearing of religious items would mean he would need to shave his beard and remove the turban he wears in accordance with his religious precepts. Sikhs have a long history with the U.S. military, serving in World Wars I and II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and in the Persian Gulf.

Note: The following text is a quote: Justice Department Files Religious Discrimination Lawsuit Against Essex County, New Jersey County Refused to Accommodate Muslim Employee’s Religious Headcovering The Department filed a lawsuit today against Essex County, N.J., alleging that it discriminated against a Muslim corrections officer on the basis of her religion in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The suit alleges that the county refused to permit Yvette Beshier to wear a religiously mandated headscarf while working as a corrections officer. Title VII prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin...

Marine fights to wear dress blues at high school graduation April 10, 2009 Marine Pfc. Garrett Miles-McCarthy graduated from boot camp in San Diego only last month but he is already in his first battle: against his hometown school board. The 18-year-old wants to wear his dress blues uniform at his high school graduation ceremony in El Paso, Texas. He finished his coursework in December and immediately shipped out to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. School officials have said no, that all grads have to wear cap and gown, no exceptions. The mayor, a local congressman and others are...

A Seattle man who was arrested wearing a King County Sheriff's Office-issued jumpsuit and bullet-resistant vest was charged Thursday in an attempted drug robbery. According to police, Jason M. Lusher, 38, forced his way into a North Seattle home early Tuesday morning while armed with an AK-47-style assault rifle. Lusher was wearing sheriff's office garb apparently issued to his father, a retired sergeant. In court documents, investigators assert that Lusher broke down the door with the butt of his rifle before accosting a woman living in the home. Police say Lusher later admitted to officers that he was looking for...

Patriotic helmet needs to go, Newton Fire Chief says By Ben Terris, Globe Correspondent A veteran of the Iraq War, Richard Busa is used to fighting for the American flag. But never quite like this. After more than three years of rushing into fires with his signature red, white and blue helmet, the Newton firefighter has been told to paint it black. Newton Fire Chief Joseph LaCroix wants the patriotic decoration gone, saying it does not conform to the department's rules.

BAGHDAD – Two American servicemen were killed Tuesday when a gunman in an Iraqi army uniform opened fire while they were distributing humanitarian aid in northern Iraq, the U.S. military said. It was the third such shooting in the Mosul area in less than a year purportedly involving Iraqi soldiers, raising concerns about infiltration of the Iraqi security forces in one of the most dangerous areas in Iraq. The shooting, southwest of Mosul near the Syrian border, came on the eve of a parliament vote on a pact that would allow American troops to remain in Iraq three more years....

New AF Dress Coat Left Flapping in the Wind It could just be that the Air Force is entering an era that, in part, will be defined by what will not be a hot-button issue: uniforms. "First things first," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz responded Sept. 17 when asked by Military.com whether uniforms -- new ones or modifications to current dress -- will be relegated to the back burner during his tenure. Schwartz, who had just listened as his major command chiefs offered up a list of things the Air Force needs today-right-now-thank-you-very much -- including new...

Man accused of posing as Dodger on field LOS ANGELES — A man faces criminal charges for allegedly stealing a uniform from Dodger Stadium and posing as one of the team's players. Ronald Higgins pleaded not guilty to several charges Friday, including burglary and trespassing. The 47-year-old Higgins was arrested Wednesday morning after a security guard found him walking on the field in a Dodgers uniform and holding a glove with two balls. Higgins allegedly identified himself as a Dodgers player, but the guard recognized him from an earlier incident and called police. Prosecutors say Higgins' clothes were later found...

HEIDELBERG, Germany, Sept. 19, 2008 – Though he’s never regretted joining the Army, a soldier here said, his decision never felt more right than when he faced the greatest challenge of his life: battling cancer. It’s been almost nine years since Army doctors found a grapefruit-sized tumor growing in Sgt. 1st Class James Jordan’s chest. He was 33 then and stationed in South Korea. Today, Jordan has survived two bouts with cancer and is planning a long career before retiring from the Army. "I love the Army," said Jordan, a senior paralegal for the Europe Regional Medical Command judge advocate...

Because I'm pointing you to the Army Times and they are on the list of "News Organs" that don't want any of their words post on FR I can only point you to the Army Times web site. You'll enjoy the words that the troops are giving to whoever made the decision (if you can call it that) to do away with the Class A Greens and go to a Junked Up Dress Blue uniform. Army Times

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Aug. 25, 2008) -- Out with the old, in with the blue. The Army has made it official; the green service uniform, which has defined the service since the mid-1950s, is on the outs. In place of the green uniform will be a variation of the blue uniform, something many Soldiers already own. Official word on the new "Army Service Uniform," or ASU, was released Aug. 20 in a message to all Army activities. The message defines the wear policy and the "bridging" strategy for transition to the new uniform. "It's a culmination of transformation efforts...

The Browns will wear brown pants for the first time in team history during Monday night's nationally-televised preseason game against the New York Giants at Giants Stadium. The pants are the same color of "darker" brown that's on the plain socks the Browns have worn in recent seasons. They contain no stripes or markings. They will be wearing those socks again on Monday, with their traditional white jerseys and orange helmets, and also the black shoes they started wearing again in 2006. The team had the brown pants created as an option for their away uniform when they integrated the...

BLOOMER, Wis. - A new Marine who's graduating from Bloomer High School this month won't be able to wear his military uniform during the commencement ceremony.

Springfield's men in black are returning. The city's new police commissioner, William Fitchet, says members of the department's Street Crime Unit will again don black, military-style uniforms as part of his strategy to deal with youth violence.

SELDOM has the sacrifice of so many been so sneered at by such a worthless few. Barely a week goes by without one or more brave members of our Armed Forces giving their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan. We at The Sun SALUTE our heroic Boys and Girls – and today declare the ban on them wearing their proud uniforms in public an INSULT. Last night PM Gordon Brown slammed a barmy order that 2,000 RAF personnel must don civvies on a city’s streets to avoid confrontations with “antiwar” thugs. The same cowardly minority of hooligans have spat at and...

The New Calendar of People's Liberation Army

I joined the MT National Guard last month. I was supposed to drill tomorrow, but they changed it for me to tonight. I just got my uniforms 10 minutes ago. The patches were rubber-banded together. I'm not sure which patch goes where. I have two for my last name and 1 that says "US Army" I also have a circular, which looks something like a sunburst over a mountain top. I'm not sure though and as far as I can tell it could be up-side down. I don't want to look like a dork! Can anyone help me?

A follow up on the East Texas Marine that had his car stolen. 20 year old Blake Weller, a Marine from Whitehouse, is on leave and, just three days ago, his car was stolen along with his uniform and medals, including a purple heart. Police were able to get his car back and now the suspected thief is in jail. But Blake said he is still missing the thing most important to him. About 5:45am Monday morning Blake received quite a wake up call. "I received a phone call from Tyler PD and they said they have recovered my car...

SAN DIEGO — Leather belts with brass buckles are out; nylon belts with quick-release plastic buckles are in. Slacks are out; lightweight cargo pants are in. Shiny badges and nameplates are out; cloth patches are in. The Border Patrol uniform is getting its first makeover since the 1950s to look more like military fatigues and less like a police officer's duty garb. The new uniform, introduced this week, reflects how illegal border crossings have changed in the last decade. As enforcement heightened, routes moved from the streets of San Diego and other border cities to unforgiving, often remote mountains and...