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It was 2009. I was stationed at the Al Taqaddum Airbase where I was a Marine Captain leading a police training team. Twelve Marines and a Navy Corpsman. Running missions through Habbaniyah, Fallujah, and Ramadi.
It was my first of three tours of duty during the War on Terror. And from our camp, the base’s burn pit loomed over us. 
Smoke columns filled the sky and blew through our living space. We ran through it, joking about how we should be doing gas mask runs. For three months that pit bathed us in toxic fumes. We accepted it and focused on our duty.
For me, that was planning our routes and poring over intel to avoid the immediate danger: IEDs on all the convoys and missions we were running outside the wire. I was so proud to bring every member of that team home safely.
Or so I thought — because, as it turns out, we couldn’t protect ourselves from our own country.
When I got back from Iraq, I developed a persistent tickle in my throat. Constant irritation. I never had allergies before and annoyed myself with the constant throat clearing. Eventually, I was so embarrassed by it that I went to the base clinic. They said it was postnasal drip and that they could give me allergy medicine. There was no formal diagnosis. But over 10 years later, it’s still there.
Bothersome. Uncomfortable, but certainly manageable. And that’s about the best story you’ll hear about a vet who’s been exposed to burn pits. Many struggle with chronic respiratory issues. Migraines. Cancer. 
So imagine how we all felt, watching country club politicians like Josh Hawley, most of whom have never even worn the uniform, throw us a giant middle finger by voting to stall the PACT Act — legislation that expanded healthcare coverage for veterans who were exposed to these toxic pits.
Hawley’s ultimate vote for the legislation came after substantial public backlash from his actions. 
As it turns out, Hawley’s politics kept over a million [ [link removed] ] veterans waiting to get help.
What Hawley did was about as anti-American as it gets. Patriots don’t attack veterans who suffered injuries or illness from serving their country. At a time when veterans needed Hawley to set aside politics, he failed. 
Washington spent years voting to keep us in these forever wars, lying to the American people about what was really going on over there, and getting rich off their defense contractor stocks that skyrocket when we’re at war.
These people profited off of sending us over there only to screw us when we came back messed up. It’s criminal — and I’m ready to do something about it. 
I served my country for 13 years in the United States Marine Corps. I’d give anything for this country. And I won’t let my fellow veterans keep waiting for politicians like Josh Hawley to stand up and do their jobs.
This election is our only chance to hold Hawley accountable for running out on veterans. 
I only wish our leaders could make an ounce of the sacrifice that our veterans have.
Our country would be a better place.

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