Indian Army 2015: Camouflage Turbans

[Blue Puttees]

Does the Indian Army officially authorize the wearing of a camouflage turban?

Besides the United States Army, does any other nation wear a camouflage turban?

http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...igious-apparel

US military eases uniform rules to allow turbans and beards

• New guidelines cover clothing, facial hair and body art
• Requests to be decided on a case-by-case basis

Tom McCarthy in New York
@TeeMcSee

New US military guidelines have opened the way for service members to wear religious clothing such as turbans or skullcaps while on duty, the Department of Defense has announced.

The guidelines, published on Wednesday, also allow for facial hair, body art and other expressions of religious belief. It is not a blanket permission, however; requests for dispensation from stated uniform policy are to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

The military counts thousands of Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Wiccans and members of other religious groups among its ranks. The groups have protested against the exclusion of religious apparel, saying it forces them to choose between their religious beliefs and a desire to serve.

To be approved, changes in apparel or presentation must not impair the operation of weapons, pose a health or safety hazard or interfere with other military equipment such as helmets, flak jackets or wetsuits, according to the guidelines.

“The new policy states that military departments will accommodate religious requests of service members, unless a request would have an adverse effect on military readiness, mission accomplishment, unit cohesion and good order and discipline,” said Pentagon spokesman Lt Cmdr Nathan J Christensen.

The Sikh American Legal Defence and Education Fund said the rules did not go far enough.

“This is an expansion of the waiver policy that is decided person by person,” its director, Jasjit Singh, told the Washington Post. “It does not open doors and say you can apply as a Sikh American and serve your country fully.”

The Sikh Coalition collects the stories of Sikhs who have won the right to wear turbans and beards on duty. The first was Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, a doctor and Afghanistan combat veteran who was granted a religious accommodation by the US army in October 2009.

Caption for the first photograph: Afghanistan veteran Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi was granted a religious accommodation by the US army in 2009. Photograph: Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images

[BWEF]

Jews, Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims etc are all allowed to wear things related to their religion in the British army.

Details here:

http://www.army.mod.uk/join/Equality-and-diversity.aspx

Beards are also allowed to be worn, even by Rastafarians, along with their "neat and tidy" dreadlocks.

Didn't it used to be just the Pioneer Sgt?

[Blue Puttees]

Thank you BWEF.

I was specifically asking about camouflage turbans.

[BWEF]

Originally Posted by Blue Puttees

Thank you BWEF.

I was specifically asking about camouflage turbans.

I would have thought that khaki counted as camouflage, but it you are thinking of DPM etc, you could always ask the British Armed Forces Sikh Association:

https://www.facebook.com/BritishArme...ikhAssociation

[Mike_2817]

Nor does it seem that wearing a Camouflage Turban is universal in the U.S. Army either

[Blue Puttees]

Originally Posted by Mike_2817

Nor does it seem that wearing a Camouflage Turban is universal in the U.S. Army either.

Your are correct Mike_2817.

[Blue Puttees]

Jewish soldiers in the US Army are authorized to wear the yarmulke. Some choose to wear a camouflage version.

[peter monahan]

At the risk of sounding irreverent, the US forces have an absolute obsession with camoflage. One sees it worn at ball games, on the street and wherever serving soldiers are to be seen, regardless of its appropriateness to the background or circumstance. I mean, a camoflage yarmulka? Only visible from behind and perched on a very uncamoglaged human head. I don't think the US issues camofalged underwear but it is available in 'surplus' shops and reflects the fascination with DPM as a fashion statement.

Long preamble there to the answer: no, I don't think the modern Indian Army issues camoflaged turbans. Black or khaki when not in full dress, or blue for UN missions seems to be the rule, though I have come up with one example of Sikh soldeirs in camoflage netting [on joint manuevers with Chines troops]. Generally, BTW, it is only Sikhs who wear turbans anymore, except for the aforesaid dress uniforms.

[Blue Puttees]

Thank you Peter.

[fougasse1940]

The US army even officially issued camouflaged womens maternity pants!

Rgds, Thomas.

Originally Posted by peter monahan

At the risk of sounding irreverent, the US forces have an absolute obsession with camoflage. One sees it worn at ball games, on the street and wherever serving soldiers are to be seen, regardless of its appropriateness to the background or circumstance. I mean, a camoflage yarmulka? Only visible from behind and perched on a very uncamoglaged human head. I don't think the US issues camofalged underwear but it is available in 'surplus' shops and reflects the fascination with DPM as a fashion statement.
.

[peter monahan]

Thomas

Somehow, that doesn't surprise me! Logical, though. If one has female soldiers, some will get pregnant and, unless pregnancy leads to to relief from duty, will still have to be in uniform so... OTOG, camo'ed knickers are beyond silly. If all you have oin is underwear, you're either out of uniform and action or in such deep s**t that what you're wearing is the least of your worries!

[BWEF]

Originally Posted by peter monahan

Thomas

Somehow, that doesn't surprise me! Logical, though. If one has female soldiers, some will get pregnant and, unless pregnancy leads to to relief from duty, will still have to be in uniform so... OTOG, camo'ed knickers are beyond silly. If all you have oin is underwear, you're either out of uniform and action or in such deep s**t that what you're wearing is the least of your worries!

But do they mean trousers, rather than underwear?

Divided by a common language

[fougasse1940]

I was referring to trousers. See here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/USGI-WOODLAN...-/121389010853

Rgds, Thomas.

[peter monahan]

"Pants" = trousers in North America and what we colonials call "underpants" or "underwear" in the UK.

The comment on camo underwear was a whimsical addendum to the semi-serious discussion of taking a sensible idea - making oneself less obvious to potential hostiles - to possibly nonsensical lengths. I'll shut up now!

[REMEVMBEA1]

I wonder in the case of a beard wearer getting gassed , because he can't seal a respirator , would he have a claim against the army on health and safety grounds. Just wondering.