Politics

Biden Thanks Coast Guard for Heroism Despite Pending Release of COVID Vax Warrant

No Comments6 Mins Read

As Hurricane Ian rocked the state of Florida, like most natural disasters that affect our communities, American heroism tends to shine brightly. Often that heroism comes from the military, and in the case of disaster relief and rescue, you can always count on the men and women of the United States Coast Guard to get you through.

This latest storm was no exception, with various stories of heroism including that of Aviation Survival Technician Second Class Zach Loesch. At one pointhe saved an elderly disabled woman from drowning by kicking down her door to safety.

As if that weren’t enough, he was conscientious enough to grab his wheelchair and strap it to his body before being airlifted to safety. This is just one of the many reasons why Mr. Loesch has received praise from President Biden himself.

Still, there’s only one problem: Loesch is about to be involuntarily fired from the Coast Guard.

Related: Army quietly backtracks on COVID vaccine restrictions on active duty troops

Thanks but no thanks

In a press release from the White House last Friday, it was announcement that the President had spoken to Loesch as well as another Coast Guard officer involved in the rescue, to personally thank them for their valiant efforts in response to Hurricane Ian.

Specifically, President Biden told reporters regarding his conversation with Loesch that “I told him how proud I was of him and thanked him for all the work he and his Coasties do to save lives.”

You would think we would want to keep that commitment to service and neighbor. Unfortunately, we will lose many like Loesch thanks to the military mandate of the COVID-19 vaccine. Within the next month, he is expected to be discharged from the army due to his refusal to be vaccinated.

Related: Biden Defense Spox John Kirby denies ‘awakening’ harms military recruiting. He is wrong.

Legal issue

Like many others in uniform, Loesch requested religious accommodation for the vaccine, which was denied with his appeal. Currentlythere are 2,632 coast guards who refuse to comply with the mandate.

Last month, 1,200 soldiers filed a complaint against the Coast Guard, accusing the service of “categorically rejecting almost all” requests for religious accommodation. So far881 coastguards refused requests for religious accommodation, of which only 1% were approved.

Those that were approved were for members who were already awaiting separation or retirement. To put it plainly, only members who already had a pending release date had their requests approved.

Sound familiar? It should. Just as stated a few weeks ago, other military branches have had to roll back some of their restrictions on COVID vaccines pending similar litigation and charges.

Related: With military recruiting in the red, will ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ provide the same bump as the 1986 original?

A worrying trend

In June, Pentagon Inspector General Sean O’Donnell, in a memo to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, declared that “We found a trend toward generalized assessments rather than individualized assessments” required not only by federal law, but also by the Pentagon’s own policies.

“Assuming a 10-hour workday with no breaks or attention to other matters, the average review period was approximately 12 minutes per pack,” the memo reads. sharp out.

It’s hard to believe that 12 minutes would be enough time to accurately assess everyone’s request. The reality is that those reviewing these packages likely took breaks and other obligations, meaning they spent even less time reviewing each case. Given the mathematical assumptions, the IG said they estimate approximately 50 refusals were given per day in all branches.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Alaric Stone, one of the litigants in the lawsuit against the Coast Guard, said this “I find myself in a situation where I have to choose between my faith and service to my country. It’s really heartbreaking.

Bittersweet Situation

“If I had asked any of the people I saved yesterday if they wanted to come with me even though I’m not vaccinated, every one of them would have said yes,” said Loech.

Of this, personally, I have no doubt. But, to be fair, the military had to get vaccinated against various diseases, all in the name of preparedness.

I’ve been stuck with more than I can count without complaining. However, the process for applying for religious accommodation for this particularly controversial vaccine appears to be stacked against those who file.

With military recruiting at an all-time low, you’d think we’d be looking for ways to keep our best and brightest rather than dumping them on a vaccine, especially given all the international challenges we face and domestic challenges like tropical storms.

Nor can I imagine a greater honor than receiving a phone call from the Command-in-Chief himself thanking you for your heroism and service.

What a monumental career and moment in life you tell your grandchildren about when the time comes. However, as Mr. Loesch said, “It just sucks that he thanked me, but the vaccine mandate is what kicks me out.”

You are absolutely right on this point; it sucks.

Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot of “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”

Share.

Related Posts