![\"muslim](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/sgt-valdovinos-e1554308551719.jpg\")
\nSgt. Cesilia Valdovinos has filed a complaint after her command sergeant major accused her of being out of hair regulations and ordered her to remove her hijab. (Military Religious Freedom Foundation)<\/p>\n
\nSgt. Cesilia Valdovinos has filed a complaint after her command sergeant major accused her of being out of hair regulations and ordered her to remove her hijab. (Military Religious Freedom Foundation)<\/p>\n
AnotherPat sends us this link concerning Sgt. Valdovinos, a practicing Muslim who was disciplined by a superior for a uniform violation and subsequent unapproved hair style. She had a waiver to wear religious garb while in uniform, which was not mentioned during the encounter. So a minor episode that could have been handled at the SNCO level has gone high and left. Even our buddy Mikey Weinstein is involved. Read on: <\/p>\n
By: Meghann Myers
\nSgt. Cesilia Valdovinos was at a chapel at Fort Carson, Colorado, for a suicide prevention briefing on March 6 when she says her command sergeant major grabbed her by the arm, took her outside and made her remove her religious head covering in front of others.<\/p>\nThe senior noncommissioned officer believed that Valdovinos, 26, who has an approved exemption from her brigade commander to wear a hijab in uniform, was wearing her hair out of regulations underneath it, she told Army Times on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, it was the same thing as if they had asked someone to take their top off,\u201d the soldier, a member of the 704th Brigade Support Battalion, said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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The battalion adjutant, who accompanied Valdovinos and Montoya for the inspection, says that the senior NCO tapped the sergeant on her shoulder before leading her outside of the chapel.<\/p>\n
\u201cUpon removing her hijab it was evident her hair was completely down,\u201d Capt. Brooke Smith said in a statement. \u201cCSM Montoya told her to get her hair back in regulation and not let it happen again. At no point did CSM Montoya touch the soldier or yell at her (at all or within earshot of other soldiers).\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Thanks, Pat! Read the rest of the article here: Army Times<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"