President Biden personally called and congratulated U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technician Second Class Zach Loesch. The president thanked him for his "heroic work" saving lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
The most desperate of circumstances brings out the best in people, despite any personal handicap they may be working under. So it was for Loesch — he gave the effort his all despite the fact that he’s about to be discharged from the service against his will.
The White House released a readout of his call Friday, mentioning Loesch and Coast Guard Lt. Cdr. Christopher Hooper by name, "to personally thank them for the heroic work that they and their Coast Guard colleagues have performed during search and rescue operations in response to Hurricane Ian."
Loesch is about to be released from the service and the work he loves now that the Biden administration has ruled against his religious exemption challenge from vaccination.
Both his Religious Accommodation Request (RAR) and his appeal were summarily rejected according to Breitbart News.
"If I had asked any of the people I saved yesterday if they wanted to come with me even though I am unvaccinated, every single one of them would have said 'yes,'" he told Breitbart.
Among those he rescued was an elderly couple who was trapped in a rear bedroom by a sofa that was jammed against the door. Loesch kicked his way through a wall to reach them. After rescuing the couple he went back for the disabled woman’s wheelchair.
Loesch said he didn’t want to ruin the call by bringing up his pending discharge.
"It just sucks that he thanked me yet the vaccine mandate is what’s kicking me out," he said. "I just love my job and I’m really good at it. It sucks. I feel like this is the job that I was born to do."
The Biden administration appears to be singling out the Coast Guard on the issue of vaccine exemptions on religious grounds.
Federal courts had earlier ruled that the U.S. Navy and Air Force are prohibited from taking any actions against their sailors, airmen, and officers who request religious accommodations. But the administration announced in July that it was discharging hundreds of Coastguardsmen without offering separate hearings.
Said military defense lawyer R. Davis Younts of the situation, "It is impossible to justify this continued mandate and this action based on the current studies and science."
But there may be a tiny glimmer of hope for Loesch and those similarly situated.
On Sept. 16 three members of the Coast Guard, including its academy’s top 2020 graduate, filed suit against the administration in a Texas federal court for summarily denying their Religious Accommodation Requests.
Although only three plaintiffs are listed by name, it’s a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of an estimated 1,200 Coastguardsmen.
According to the plaintiffs initial filing, "Defendants’ policy of denying all religious accommodation requests no matter the circumstances is vastly out of step with policies in the rest of the country, including in the countless workplaces across the country that currently provide religious accommodations without any evidence of causing harm."
The lawsuit lists Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan and Assistant Commandant Rear Adm. Brian Penoyer as defendants.
Biden described his phone call to Loesch: "I told him how proud of him I was and thanked him for all the work he and his Coasties are doing to save lives."
There’s an old maxim: "No good deed goes unpunished." Biden illustrates that it’s just as true today as it was when it was first written in the 12th century.
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.