Change in Religious Accommodation Policy All branches of military service can fully expect full beards, tattoos, piercings and turbans among the ranks of service members in uniform ! Senior leaders should be aware of the Department of Defense's (DOD) policy change regarding military religious accommodations, due to the impact these changes will have on all branches of the United States Armed Forces. This article will provide background related to the DOD Religious Accommodation Policy, discuss the effects on uniform standards, and provide recommendations for changing the current policy.BackgroundIn January 1986, S. Simcha Goldman filed a lawsuit and fought for freedom of religious expression for military personnel after being disciplined for failure to comply with uniform rules while working as a doctor in a military hospital (Military Law Review, 1986). That lawsuit ultimately wound up before the Supreme Court and led Chief Justice Warren E. Burger to ask, “Where would the logic of religious exemptions from the dress code end, in a nation of hundreds of faiths” (“Reflection of the High Court”, 1986). The Department of Defense states that it has a responsibility to exercise appropriate consideration in developing and implementing policy involving the civil liberties protected by the Constitution of the United States with respect to of the American people, their employees, and members of the armed forces (“Dod Civil Liberties,” 2012). A new policy on "religious accommodations" took effect on February 10, 2014, allowing military personnel to wear religious clothing and modifying dress standards while in uniform based on their specific religious denomination ("Religious Accommodations"). Ac...... middle of document ......y_Law_Review/pdf-files/276C6D~1.pdfDepartment of Defense, Director of Administration and Management (2012), DoD Civil Liberties Program (DoDI 1000.29). Department of Defense, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (2014). Accommodation of Religious Practices within the military services (DoDI 1300.17 http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/130017p.pdfThe High Court reflects on religious dress in the army (1986, taken from http:/). /www.nytimes.com/1986/01)./15/us/high-court-pondering-religious-attire-in-military.htmlWashington, G. (1790). Retrieved from http://www.tourosynagogue.org/index.php/history-learning/tsf-intro-menu/slom-scholarship/86-washington-letter