The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that Sikh Marine recruits don't have to shave their religious beards during basic training.

Judges Neomi Rao, Patricia Millett and J. Michelle Childs halted a Marine policy barring religious beards during training from being applied against two Sikh recruits who challenged the military branch's rules earlier this year, saying it likely burdens the exercise of their faith.