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The United States Air Force updated its official dress code policy this month, in observance of religious practices, to allow military personnel to wear turbans or hijabs as a part of the uniform. The Air Force released an update to the “Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel” code on Feb. 7, now permitting airmen to request a waiver to wear religious apparel while in uniform as long as they are “neat and conservative.”The material used for headwear must resemble the color of the assigned uniform. This includes camouflage, and must be worn in a fashion that presents a...

The Joe Friday look is out. Tattoos, turbans and beards are in. Police departments, compelled by a hiring crisis and eager for a more diverse applicant pool, are relaxing traditional grooming standards and getting away from rules that used to require a uniformly clean-shaven, 1950s look. More officers are on the job with tattoos inked on their forearms, beards on their chins or religious head coverings like hijabs and turbans in place of — or tucked beneath — their blue caps. “My turban is a part of me,” said Mandeep Singh, among 160 Sikhs in the New York City Police...

The New York Police Department is now allowing officers to wear beards and grow turbans in a bid to accommodate Sikh recruits. Sikh officers will be allowed to wear turbans in place of the traditional police cap and grow beards up to a half-inch long, which are required for religious reasons. Police Commissioner James O'Neill announced the new rules that affect all religious members on Wednesday following a graduation ceremony for new police recruits.

The Canadian Soccer Association says it has suspended a provincial association over its refusal to let turban-wearing children play. … Quebec’s federation says it’s concerned about safety and points out that the rules of the world governing body, FIFA, don’t specifically allow turbans. Critics of the Quebec decision point out that FIFA’s rules don’t explicitly ban turbans, either. …

Sikh policemen to get bulletproof turbans so they can join firearms units By DAILY MAIL REPORTER 07th May 2009 A Sikh police officer wears a traditional turban - which is not bulletproof Police are trying to develop bullet-proof turbans for Sikh officers to wear instead of helmets. The headwear would allow those who insist on always wearing turbans to join gun or riot squads for the first time. Scientists are investigating whether bullet-proof Kevlar could be used for the 15ft strip of cloth a turban requires. British Police Sikh Association vice-chairman Gian Singh Chahal said: 'Sikh officers have been prohibited...

Police are trying to develop bullet-proof turbans for Sikh officers to wear instead of helmets. The headwear would allow those who insist on always wearing turbans to join gun or riot squads for the first time. Scientists are investigating whether bullet-proof Kevlar could be used for the 15ft strip of cloth a turban requires. British Police Sikh Association vice-chairman Gian Singh Chahal said: 'Sikh officers have been prohibited from becoming firearms officers because our religion does not allow us to remove the turban. 'Nor can we wear the NATO helmet for public order policing.' He said research had already begun...

Turbaned Sikhs in B.C. contest mandatory hard hat rule at sawmill Posted by Michael Rollins, The Oregonian April 01, 2008 06:59AM   Kalwant Singh Sahota Sikhs in Canada have won several key battles over religious attire. For example, Sikhs can wear turbans instead of the familiar Royal Canadian Mounted Police hats. But what about a sawmill? Isn't this easily a safety issue? It might be, except the two Sikhs who filed a human rights complaints have been working there for years without hard hats and have suddenly been required to don them. The Vancouver Sun's Kim Bolan is expert...

US Sikh organisations have expressed anger over changes allowing airport security staff to "pat down" turbans. Until now turbans have been searched or removed only to resolve an unexplained alarm from an airport metal detector. But now security will have greater discretion to inspect turbans so that they can be manually checked for objects such as non-metallic weapons. However Sikh groups have responded to the new measures by describing them as outrageous and discriminatory. Sikh men wear turbans to cover their hair, which they leave uncut in accordance with their religion. Organisations representing Sikhs have only recently completed a publicity...

Danish protest over plans for soldiers in turbans By Julian Isherwood in Copenhagen (Filed: 12/07/2002) Plans to let ethnic and religious minorities wear traditional clothes while serving in Denmark's armed forces have provoked a row. The controversy arose after the nation's defence staff said it was considering a change in practices to allow for the ethnic and religious requirements of its soldiers. The Right-wing People's Party, a key part of the ruling coalition, was outraged that Sikh turbans, Jewish skull caps and Islamic scarves would be acceptable. A government target calls for 3.2 per cent of employees in Danish public...