The Sikh community has been an integral part of the American fabric for over a century and made numerous contributions to the progress and prosperity of our society, including a proud tradition of military service dating back to World War I.

In the last two World Wars 83,005 Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded while fighting.In the years to 1945, 14 Victoria Crosses were awarded to the Sikhs, a per capita record given the size of the Sikh Regiments.

In 2002, the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross winners were inscribed on the pavilion monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill next to Buckingham Palace, London.

From the founding days of their faith, Sikhs have been enjoined by their Gurus to confront social injustice as an integral part of their spiritual expression and advancement.

However, since the 1980s, observant Sikhs have faced great difficulty in serving due to a discontinuation of exemptions to uniform standards which previously allowed Sikhs to maintain their religiously-mandated beards and turbans while in uniform.

America’s allies, including Great Britain, Canada, and India, presumptively allow Sikhs to serve in their militaries. By allowing devout Sikhs to serve with their articles of faith intact, America's military can project core values of pluralism and equal opportunity to the world and expand its pool of qualified soldiers.

We therefore call on you to end the presumptive ban on devout Sikh soldiers in the U.S. Armed Forces so that patriotic Sikh Americans can freely serve the nation they love.