Pensacola NAS sailor wants permission to wear hijab head covering during training

A Pensacola Naval Air Station sailor who was told to remove her hijab has requested official permission to wear the head covering while attending the base's Naval Air Technical Training Center.

Lt. Cmdr. Katherine Meadows, spokeswoman for the training center, said the student made the official request after she was told by an instructor to take off her hijab.

Meadows said the student was previously denied a request to wear the hijab during her eight-week basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois.

"Upon her arrival at Naval Air Technical Training Center, she did not have commanding officer approval to wear the hijab, therefore she was appropriately directed to remove it to ensure compliance with Navy standards," Meadows said in an emailed statement.

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Meadows said the Navy's uniform regulations do not authorize the wearing of a hijab or any other non-uniform items unless the sailor is granted a waiver based on an exception to the policy. Religious exceptions are allowed, but must be requested and approved.

"The authorized approval official may, in his or her discretion, grant an exception if it is determined the item will not pose a safety hazard or impede mission accomplishment or training requirements," Meadows said.

Students at the Naval Air Technical Training Center learn skills needed to support naval aviation. The thousands of students who come through the school each year do everything from air traffic control to flight deck operations and aircraft maintenance.

Melissa Nelson Gabriel can be reached at mnelsongab@pnj.com or 850-426-1431.

