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Simratpal Singh, an active duty war veteran, shaved his beard a decade ago when he joined the US Army at 18. Now, after a long stint in the Army and a medal, Singh has finally won the right to wear his turban and grow a beard while serving – a right that can only be revoked for the sake of “unit cohesion and morale, good order and discipline, health and safety". He was the first active duty soldier to receive this accommodation.

Now, he talks about the whole struggle in the video above. Singh moved with this family to the United States from Punjab when he was nine. He states in the video above that one of his grandfathers served in the British Indian army during World War II.

In a memo released by the Army, there were detailed instructions on how the beard should be maintained.

The beard and hair must be worn in a neat and conservative manner that presents a well-groomed appearance. The captain must roll and tie his beard to a two-inch length limit while in garrison and one-inch length for field training, physical training or when deployed. Hair will not be allowed to fall to his ears or eyebrows and must not touch the collar of the uniform

Religious rights and the need for uniformity in the army have long been at odds. In June 2016, a Muslim soldier in the Indian Army was apparently dismissed because he insisted on sporting a beard.