Civil Rights & Civil Liberties
Fight for Equality in U.S. Armed Forces
On September 1, 2010, McDermott, lead counsel for U.S. Army recruit Mr. Simran Preet Singh Lamba, announced that for the third time in less than a year, the U. S. Army has accepted a Sikh military recruit, making Mr. Lamba the first enlisted Sikh Soldier to be so accommodated by the U.S. military in more than 30 years.
Mr. Lamba sought an accommodation to maintain his religiously mandated turban, beard and hair while serving in the U.S. Army. The accommodation marks another major step toward ending a nearly 30-year-old policy that excludes Sikhs from service in the U.S. military and comes on the heels of the Army's 2009 acceptance of Captains Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi and Tejdeep Singh Rattan.
"Following the historic accommodations and successful integration of Captains Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi and Tejdeep Singh Rattan over the past nine months, we have been unwavering in our assertions that Mr. Lamba's religious requirements in no way hinder his ability to effectively serve the United States," said Amandeep S. Sidhu, McDermott's lead counsel. "We remain deeply impressed with the Army's forward thinking approach in allowing Mr. Lamba to serve with his turban and beard, and reaffirm our call for the Army to consider amendments to its uniform policy that continues to close the door to other Sikh Americans wanting to serve in the U. S. Army."
In response to McDermott's lobbying efforts, more than 50 members of U.S. Congress have written to military officials during the past year requesting that Sikhs be accepted into the U.S. Armed Forces. Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) have led these bipartisan efforts.
McDermott also continues to work with Army leadership to address the general policy barring Sikhs from service. This decision lends hope to all Sikh-Americans who want to serve their country while observing their faith. In partnership with the Sikh Coalition, McDermott has highlighted continued hate crimes and employment discrimination against Sikh-Americans and increased bullying of Sikh schoolchildren, and successfully forced the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to overturn screening procedures that explicitly profiled individuals wearing religious head coverings.
"I am grateful to Army leadership for allowing me to serve the United States," said Mr. Lamba. "There is nothing about my Sikh religious beliefs that prevents me from excelling as a soldier. I look forward to serving this great country with honor."