tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post5453724003611917356..comments2024-03-19T07:30:55.288-04:00Comments on Curmudgeon: US Army Officer is SikhCurmudgeonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04323026187622872114noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-3483318620522791232010-04-01T07:27:33.433-04:002010-04-01T07:27:33.433-04:00I remember that, too. I guess I accepted that exp...I remember that, too. I guess I accepted that explanation without question, but is it really true? I've heard lots of explanations about why women, gays, just-naturalized citizens, "foreigners", etc., were going to destroy the morale of the army. At the time, I just accepted a lot of that. Historically, there are similar justifications for denying blacks, Japanese, and more. <br /><br />Now that I'm out and have had time to reflect and the benefit of hind-sight, it's obvious that a lot of these restrictions said more about the biases of the time than about the truth and reasonableness of the rule.<br /><br />Which is not an indictment of all rules, just an acknowledgment that some are based on matters other than effectiveness, practicality and combat readiness.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04323026187622872114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705078887057341738.post-37735021201755529692010-03-31T22:16:11.222-04:002010-03-31T22:16:11.222-04:00I was always taught that the prohibition against f...I was always taught that the prohibition against facial hair was because facial hair would prevent a tight seal when wearing a protective mask (aka a gas mask).Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.com