- Jul 20, 2012
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...upon her return from India??
Apparently, the Canadian Forces Chaplaincy submitted a review for the Dress Regulations to amend the section on members of the Sikh faith, to allow women to also tie turban in uniform. That motion was actually approved in March 2012 however the Dress Regulations themselves had not been updated to reflect it (an oversight maybe?) Anyway my request for religious accommodation prompted them at the National level to go digging, found those minutes, and started the process to have it updated. In the mean time, since the minutes had been posted for 2 years now, female Sikhs have actually been allowed to tie the turban in uniform since then. No need to wait for the regs to be updated. But until they are, I was told to keep a copy of those minutes of the Dress Committee meeting on hand.
There are still very few turban wearing Sikhs in the Canadian military at all, maybe only one or two other Navy members and they were men. I am not sure but there *might* possibly be one female medic in the army who does... but it's not verified. And usually something like that makes the news. I found the first turbaned air force member (Tatla), lots of media on LCol Harjit Sajjan (who actually helped me with this) and some photos of some army medics (all men). I found one image of a Navy member Sikh male who I think is out of the CAF now.
So I am not the first in the Navy but I am 99% sure I am the first Sikh female in the Navy and possibly the whole CF.
If anyone knows of a female Sikh in the Canadian Army or Airforce who ties turban in uniform pls let me know... Why I am thinking there might be is that SOMEONE had to bring forth the issue two years ago or else the Chaplaincy would never have requested for it to be amended! The Navy is pretty small so I am sure there isn't one in the Navy.
Apparently, the Canadian Forces Chaplaincy submitted a review for the Dress Regulations to amend the section on members of the Sikh faith, to allow women to also tie turban in uniform. That motion was actually approved in March 2012 however the Dress Regulations themselves had not been updated to reflect it (an oversight maybe?) Anyway my request for religious accommodation prompted them at the National level to go digging, found those minutes, and started the process to have it updated. In the mean time, since the minutes had been posted for 2 years now, female Sikhs have actually been allowed to tie the turban in uniform since then. No need to wait for the regs to be updated. But until they are, I was told to keep a copy of those minutes of the Dress Committee meeting on hand.
There are still very few turban wearing Sikhs in the Canadian military at all, maybe only one or two other Navy members and they were men. I am not sure but there *might* possibly be one female medic in the army who does... but it's not verified. And usually something like that makes the news. I found the first turbaned air force member (Tatla), lots of media on LCol Harjit Sajjan (who actually helped me with this) and some photos of some army medics (all men). I found one image of a Navy member Sikh male who I think is out of the CAF now.
So I am not the first in the Navy but I am 99% sure I am the first Sikh female in the Navy and possibly the whole CF.
If anyone knows of a female Sikh in the Canadian Army or Airforce who ties turban in uniform pls let me know... Why I am thinking there might be is that SOMEONE had to bring forth the issue two years ago or else the Chaplaincy would never have requested for it to be amended! The Navy is pretty small so I am sure there isn't one in the Navy.
