NEW YORK: breaking new ground in over two centuries, Arjan Singh Ghotra and Gurjiwan Singh Chahal have completed their Cadet Basic Training at the prestigious United States Military Academy at West Point with full traditional Sikh gear as they were granted full religious accommodation upon intervention by Sikh Coalition.
Sikh Coalition Executive Director Sapreet Kaur has said in a press release that, “This is the next groundbreaking step that shows our nation’s largest employer that Sikhs can accomplish anything when given the opportunity.”

She further pointed out that since 2009, the Sikh Coalition and pro bono counsel, Amandeep Sidhu, with his team from the law firm McDermott Will & Emery, have led relentless advocacy efforts to end religious discrimination by our nation’s largest employer. Starting in 2014, Becket Law also partnered with the Sikh Coalition on two successful lawsuits against the Department of Defense on behalf of four Army clients.

In January 2017, the U.S. Army issued updated rules governing religious liberty that significantly improved the standards for Sikhs and other religious minorities who seek to serve their country with their religious articles of faith intact. According to the U.S. Army, this historic step forward has translated to at least 50 observant soldiers now serving.