“The point is that there was no need to carve out exemptions prior to 1985. They were allowed to serve with their beards and turbans. I have no idea why the change was made in 1985. “
Was EVERYONE allowed to have facial hair like the Shikhs? If not, they were exempted.
There were rules on the length of beards and the requirement that they be trimmed and neat. Sikhs could retain their beards under those strictures.