A Muslim soldier says her command sergeant major forced her to remove her hijab
Sgt. 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)
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:
By: Meghann Myers
Sgt. 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.The 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.
“To me, it was the same thing as if they had asked someone to take their top off,” the soldier, a member of the 704th Brigade Support Battalion, said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
“Upon removing her hijab it was evident her hair was completely down,” Capt. Brooke Smith said in a statement. “CSM 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).”
Thanks, Pat! Read the rest of the article here: Army Times
Category: Army News, Guest Link, Legal, Religion
If you need a waiver to be in uniform maybe you shouldn’t be in the uniform…
there’s a reason they are called “uniform”………
Usually I agree with you, but not in this case. I am no fan of islam or religion in general, but allowing waivers on faith is not new or uncommon. I remember seeing old pictures of sikhs in turbans and an O-6 rabbi with a beard to put santa to shame.
I can’t speak to the usefulness of the individual in this case, but in general, allowing some leniency to be able to recruit from a pool that can bring unique capabilities to the table, is a good thing.
Its Ok like you say, but all head gear should be the same camo you are wearing! This actually started when optional PT uniforms were being changed and integrated the option was allowed and formations looked like a goodwill sale!!!!
The religious head gear could be fixed! They just don’t have the balls to do those things anymore.
We are an elite fighting force and we do not have to bend to anyone. No waivers. Period. She was a cook? No pork? Sounds like a personal problem to me.
I agree completely. Let’s also remove all physical waivers and kick out all the broke dicks from the Army.
“A culinary specialist, she said, she was recently reassigned from an on-post dining facility to her battalion’s headquarters company after objecting to cooking pork products.” Well color me shocked. She wants to be part of something but on her terms. And Mikey GFY
Did the troops AIT have pork products?
Then wear gloves and don’t eat it! You don’t get to force halal on others.
I’m a practicing Catholic. I don’t demand Sundays off, nor do I force my guys to say Grace before they eat.
Or abstain from meat on Fridays (remember Fish Friday at school?).
Since she is a Sgt. she must have been cooking for some time. Why the sudden aversion to cooking pork? And how did she meet the minimum enlistment standards for intelligence if she did not realize pork is a standard part of the diet for the majority of Americans? Did noone inform her that “An Army of One” was only enlistment advertising?
This tale is incomplete.
I’d bet dollars to dogturds that she’s been skating, doing everything but cooking, and the command that allowed it was afraid of backlash because it would look like they were harassing (1) a Muslim and (2) a female. Can’t follow the rules, you go home. Insh’allah, toots.
hey dipshit – the US Army does not run on, or conduct its business in the style of, sharia law. get bent. and to echo another, mikey: GFY.
signed, another SGT.
Who the hell is this Mikey?
Mikey Weinstein of Military Religious Freedom Foundation, and his quest to become wealthy by filing frivolous lawsuits against the government. His specialty is religion in the Armed Forces, claiming separation of church and state violations. Last I heard of him he was whining about a “missing member” place set at an Army base chowhall. The offense? The place setting included a Bible.
He truly is a vile, nasty little man.
Mikey Weinstein is another definition for santorum.
Don’t look it up unless you’ve got a strong stomach and loose morals.
A cook that cannot be in a mess hale that cooks or server pork also.
true
There’s really nothing more useless than a cook that can’t fucking cook…
“She had a waiver to wear religious garb while in uniform”
ummmmm…yeah.
Ya know, if she had some indespensible skill that the army truly needed, I could maybe see making an exception. But seeing as she can’t even manage to do her job as a culinary specialist??? F her, here’s the door!
One exception just leads to the next. Hire the fukker as a consultant or train somebody that can maintain the standards.
Fair enough, I have no problem at all with that plan.
A crisp TAH salute to Command Sgt. Maj. Kerstin Montoya for enforcing Army standards.
Look Bitch, if you don’t like how the Army treats you and you can’t abide by the rules, then just quit.
TAH DAH.
Now how hard was that?!?!?!?
I wasn’t aware you could “quit” the Army.
Check this out. She was demoted for another unrelated incident. So in short, she is a shitbag all around.
https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/04/03/muslim-soldier-demoted-planning-to-sue-the-army-after-hijab-controversy/
The IG conducted an investigation and backed the CSM. There is guidance for wear of the hijab and she wasn’t following that guidance so good on you CSM Montoya for upholding the standard!
Spc. Cesilia Valdovinos sounds suspiciously hispanic.
Do I smell a radical snowflake converted to islam to get attention?
I found it!!!!! *does chicken dance*
Cecilia Valdovinos converted to Islam in 2016!
https://taskandpurpose.com/army-muslim-soldier
Ride that EO pony!
I hear ISIS needs some new cannon fodder.
She missed her chance to defect.
*UPDATE* You Be The Judge “SGT Cesilia Valdovinos was also DEMOTED this week after an Article 15 investigation that was apparently unrelated to her religious discrimination complaint against her leadership.” “Muslim Soldier Demoted, Planning To Sue the Army After Hijab Controversy”: https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/04/03/muslim-soldier-demoted-planning-to-sue-the-army-after-hijab-controversy/ “Following a rejected equal opportunity complaint and a demotion in rank, a Muslim soldier who has accused her Fort Carson, Colorado, leadership of religious discrimination is contemplating a federal lawsuit, her attorney confirmed to Army Times on Wednesday.” “Spc. Cesilia Valdovinos, who was demoted this week following an unrelated Article 15 investigation, will file a complaint alleging violation of her civil rights either in northern Virginia or Denver, according to Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.” “This is a pattern and practice of anti-Muslim bigotry, prejudice and harassment,” he said.” “The 26-year-old culinary specialist’s story first went viral in mid-March, after she filed an EO complaint with her command based on an incident with her command sergeant major at the 704th Transportation Battalion” “The senior noncommissioned officer, believing that Valdovinos was wearing her hair down underneath her hijab ― rather than in a bun, per regulation ― demanded the soldier remove the head covering,” “Her hair fell to her shoulders, Valdovinos told Army Times, because she uses the extra fabric in the cap to secure her bun. When she removes it, the bun falls out.” “A week later, as the EO investigation was finishing, Command Sgt. Maj. Kerstin Montoya approached the soldier again, demanding that she go to the bathroom and fix her hair.” “I don’t have long, thick hair,” Valdovinos said. “My hair is thin and short, so because she doesn’t see a full bun sticking out of my hijab doesn’t mean I don’t have it in a bun.” “Her command has denied any discrimination.” “The findings of our commander’s inquiry determined the senior non-commissioned officer acted appropriately by enforcing the proper wear of the hijab, in compliance with Army regulations,” Col. David Zinn, who commands the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, said in a statement to Army Times on Wednesday.… Read more »
Thanks for the follow-up, Pat. Our little Muslim snowflake seems to have run into a bit of self-imposed bad luck, and wants a payday.
Mikey is right there enabling her every step of the way, of course. He never smelled a lawsuit he didn’t want a piece of, and a young, gullible client ices the cake.
What a tool.
“Valdovinos said she had been assigned to take a soldier back to his barracks after wisdom teeth surgery, but soldiers who saw them together suspected more”.
The thickens plot!
So, the convert to Islam was banging an infidel!
Was it pork?
“Porking” the infidel??
Wait, what… since when are opposite sex soldiers assigned to escort each other into barracks which (from what I recall) are restricted from entry by those same members of the opposite sex… so confused…
Stolen Valor alert:
“In spite of the alleged discrimination, Valdovinos says she plans on having a long career in the military, inspired by her grandfather, a veteran of the Vietnam War.”
https://news.yahoo.com/muslim-soldier-says-command-sergeant-major-forced-remove-hijab-feel-violated-211635941.html
Yeah right be-otch. A long career? An Art 15 and losing a stripe is going to really help her. Wonder if she was giving “attention” to the soldier zonked out on dental painkillers??
“Valdovinos said she had been assigned to take a soldier back to his barracks after wisdom teeth surgery, but soldiers who saw them together suspected more”.”
Sounds like she (an NCO) took advantage of a drugged up soldier under her charge. From her description of the events, no less! #MeToo
Ooh, WAITAMINNIT! In the US Army, Rank Reduction from E5 to E4 requires the minimum of a Field Grade Article 15 which is awarded for major mess-ups like failing a Drug Screening, DUI, getting arrested downrange,… I’m sure that if her CoC has their act together they’ll be preparing to give her a Chapter 13 Discharge which is a release due to unsatisfactory performance (I screwed up in my earlier comment, Chapter 11 is Failure to Conform to a Military Lifestyle and is used during one’s first 6 months of Service.) according to this (I quote), “Before a Chapter 13 can occur, it must be shown that further attempts at rehabilitation will have no effect, that the retention of the soldier will have a negative impact on the unit or the Army, that there is little or no potential for advancement, and that the circumstances causing the problem are not likely to end in the near future.”
https://www.reference.com/government-politics/chapter-13-army-discharge-9d15249b79228174
I bet that if her CoC is going to successfully pursue that it will take them some time to gather their evidence that she is unable to be rehabbed and I wish WHINEstein complete and total failure in his efforts.
I have no problems with the Hijab, Yarmulke, or other religious headwear, provided it’s worn within the constraints of AR 670-1. If you can’t follow the reg, you get corrected. Applies to ever Soldier, regardless of race, creed, color, religion or lack of religion. Fix it an move on, crying is not authorized.
Now the fun stuff. This e-5 is a cook. A muslim cook who cannot cook pork products. She cannot perform in her MOS, yet she’s somehow made it to e-5. So, we have a muslim woman, who enlisted as a cook, knowing full well that the Army eats a metric shit-ton of delicious pork, who refuses to do her her job and can’t wear her Hijab in accordance with regs. This adds up to somebody who enlisted just to stir shit up. I’d like to se her charged with a fraudulent enlistment, forfeit all pay and benefits, and sent packing with a general discharge.
Shitbird.
And Mikey can go fuck himself too.
Fraudulent enlistment is hard to prove but other than that minor point, I second what SFC D says.
I’d toss it in just for shits and giggles. She was a practicing Muslim when she enlisted, she knowingly picked an MOS that would violate her religious principles.
When I was a recruiter, MANY women who couldn’t get good scores on the ASVAB [the areas besides english and math] usually got offered truck driver or spoon !
I mostly agree except that this could be a safety issue. If she gets deployed, and hits an IED or something similar then I could see her getting severe burns if the material catches or melts. Under Armour was banned downrange for the same reason.
The Field Grade Article 15 it took to reduce her from E5 isn’t going to do her any favors, that ought to help her CoC get rid of her with a Chapter 13!
Any first term or mid term soldier can be given a bar to reenlistment if they cannot demonstrate mastery of their MOS.
A cook who cannot work in the DFAC is an obvious candidate for a BtR.
The beauty of the BtR is that the soldier has 180 days to correct the deficiency/s. A good 1SG or CSM ensures everything is by the book and I have only ever seen one soldier go from dud to stud in 180 days under a BtR.
The BtR has another advantage. Administrative discharge is required if the BtR is not overcome in 180 days.
Good Sr NCOs use the BtR to weed the true duds from the Army before they become SSGs, reenlist indef and become impossible to separate.
In addition, if she received a bonus to be a food service specialist but cannot/will not work in the MOS, the bonus should be recouped and an admin discharge should be initiated.
BtR is an awesome administrative tool. It doesn’t get used nearly enough. It’s a great boot in the ass if used properly. I was wondering about her being a bonus baby too.
Pork products, huh? I have bacon, ham and (in the freezer) some pork to roast. I also have in the fride smoked beef sausage, polska kielbasa, breakfast sausage, and more bacon. And more ham.
I will happily trade places with with this self-involved bimp. I’ll get her paycheck and she’ll get – what? maybe unemployment comp for a few months?
Oh, and hair long enough to fall to the shoulders is NOT short. That would be a bob, which is within regulations. Furthermoe, if her hair falls to her shoulders, it is NOT in a bun. It is loose.
Awful lot of spoiled brattiness going on here. I don’t recall whether or not any nuns are in the military but they don’t make this kind of noise. I guess they’re better at following the rules or something.
Did you guys google CSM Kerstin Montoya?
IDC SARC would hit that like an sledge hammer.
Nevermind.
I got the wrong picture.
Somehow I got a chick called Kristanna Loken.
Eff google.
Here you go. For IDC SARC
https://www.alamy.com/command-sgt-maj-kerstin-montoya-senior-enlisted-advisor-for-704th-brigade-support-battalion-2nd-infantry-brigade-combat-team-4th-infantry-division-holds-a-4th-inf-div-patch-march-11-2018-during-a-patching-ceremony-in-kandahar-afghanistan-soldiers-of-2nd-ibct-4th-inf-div-deployed-to-afghanistan-late-february-to-be-part-of-the-train-advise-and-assist-command-south-the-commands-mission-which-includes-members-of-the-40th-infantry-division-california-national-guard-is-to-train-and-assist-afghan-security-forces-and-support-counterterrorism-operations-image180069202.html
So there goes that muzzie snowflake’s Gender Card®™️ in her attention-whoring scheme!
WomenZ make me a ham sandwich and clean the kitchen.
I feel sorry for the Extra Duty supervisors, the troop will try to bust them for everything they instruct the troop to do.
Ham sandwich……that sounds really good. Nice swiss and some homemade makers mark mustard…………..oh, the story is about some mussy bitch. my bad and Mikey GFY
What is the maker’s mark mustard of which you speak? Color me intrigued.
AW1Ed, easy peasy.
1/2 cup makers (wifey simmers to get alcohol out – I don’t)
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
salt
put all in glass bowl, cover and let sit at least 2 days up to a week
blend w immersion blender or blender
Give her the vegan soyburger and french fries cooked in corn oil. All veggie, all within that dietary regime.
Screw her. She’s looking for a fat check, nothing else.
Check out the choice of words:
““He was very passionate about what he did and I just wanted to show my family that both male and female can do what we need to do and serve in this country,” ”
She says “serve in this country” instead of “serving our country”.
I don’t need anything else.
Excellent catch.
She sounds like the perfect candidate for a Chapter 13, Failure to Conform to a Military Lifestyle.
Yeah, but she can still get vets’ benefits and claim she caught the PTSD because her choices weren’t respected.
Gee, nobody respected my choices when I was on AD. I was told “Do it, and do it now.”
I made a mistake, Chapter 11 is Failure to Conform and can only be used during a Soldier’s first six months. A Chapter 13 Discharge means that one has been released due to unsatisfactory performance which puts her right in the crosshairs!
There was a lot of creative cover in the Viet of the Nam. It was tribal.
Assuming she is not Moro,(she does not look Pinay)……are there a lot of Muslim Latinas?
I couldn’t get a wavier for my supposed lack of f**king sanity but this asshole gets to wear a funny hat?!
I hate you Army.
(Secretly I miss you, call me???!)
My how things have changed. When I enlisted in ’71 I was expected to and did conform to what the Army wanted me to.
And….Mikey…I retransmit…GFY!
All this attention-whoring is suspect. What’s really going on here? Other than potential greed?
WTF is a Hispanic Muslim?
IDK, but falafel with tapatio sounds good AF
Maybe flatbread tacos.
Before the Reconquista there were lots of Hispanic Muslims in Spain. But that’s been 528 years or so.
so whats wrong with a hi jab its better than a low blow,although a low blow can be pleasant round the house
This is a great example of fighting a losing battle and getting wrecked for it. Just take the correction and quickly move on, you’re a SGT, you should know how to play the game. First she converts to a Islam and refuse to do her job, meanwhile in Afghanistan, local nationals are serving bacon to soldiers with no qualms.Then she pressed an EO complaint about her religious garb that she survived without wearing until 2016. Then she files a frivolous lawsuit.
No shit she got demoted. If you draw that much fire, you’re going to get wrecked. It’s a shame she ever was handed those stripes in the first place.
I find it completely hilarious that Weinstein is in this up to his atheist eyeballs. As for her conversion to Muslim in 2016, I’m willing to gamble she had something in mind before she enlisted. It’d take a bit to implement her plan of action but doable. Infiltration, it works.