Chirag Veer Singh Sarao is appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) and becomes the first Sikh American to join the academy, according to multiple reports. USAFA officials say he received a religious accommodation on June 20 that allows him to serve while following his articles of faith and maintaining his religious identity. Sarao was appointed to the academy on April 4 and later entered the program during the academy’s In-Processing Day (I-Day) on June 24, when he officially joined and began training.
One outlet specifies that Sarao is a Keshdhari Sikh, a tradition that includes unshorn hair (kesh) and a beard. The reports also note his six-week boot camp that starts after in-processing. Before entering USAFA, Sarao is described as having received scholarships through both Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and Naval ROTC. Additional background cited includes strong academic and leadership credentials, such as being an Eagle Scout, holding a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo, and participating in varsity water polo.
USAFA is located in Colorado Springs and provides undergraduate education with military and leadership training, with graduates commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force or U.S. Space Force.
