Meet Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi: First Turbaned Officer To Serve In The US Army

Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi made the Sikh community proud by becoming the first Sikh to serve at US Military Army with a turban, beard and unshorn hair in 2009. Kamaljeet is a military officer and a doctor serving in the US Military Army. He faced many challenges before he was allowed to serve actively in the US Army with his turban.

When the army offered him to shave and stop wearing a turban to serve actively in 2008, he respectfully denied and fought for his right to serve in the military army. It took him a year and a half to get himself in the military.

Besides, he was the first religious accommodation in generations to be a part of US Military Army. Not just the Sikh, but he worked for more than 10 years to get the policy change for other religions in the Army. People are now allowed to wear hijabs, turbans, beards, skullcaps and other religious expressions.

The first turbaned US Sikh soldier has received a Bronze Star Medal the fourth-highest combat award for his meritorious services in Afghanistan. Being a doctor, he has received the medal for ‘exceptionally meritorious service as an emergency medicine physician’ while deployed in Afghanistan in 2011.