[1]Lucas Kunce for U.S. Senate

John — nearly two
years ago, Josh Hawley and 40 other Republicans blocked a bill to expand
healthcare to millions of veterans like me who were exposed to toxic burn
pits during their service.

[ [link removed] ]On the left, YahooNews headline that reads 'Blunt, Hawley vote to stall
bill expanding health care for veterans exposed to burn pits.' On the
right, a Fox News op-ed headline by Lucas Kunce reading: I was exposed to
toxic burn pits in Iraq; Republicans turned their backs on veterans like
me

In a moment, I’m going to ask you to [ [link removed] ]make your first donation of any amount
toward my grassroots campaign to replace Hawley in the U.S. Senate. But
first, I want to tell you about the burn pit I lived next to in Iraq — and
how politicians like him failed veterans like me.

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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.

[ [link removed] ]Photo of the burn pit Lucas lived next to in Iraq. Large column of
smoke streaming up into the sky.

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 all these Republicans like Josh
Hawley, most of whom have never even worn the uniform, throw us a giant
middle finger?

I know that’s harsh language, but it has to be. Because what they did was
about as anti-American as it gets. Patriots don’t attack veterans who
suffered injuries or illness from being around those toxic pits.

Many of these same Republicans 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 that’s exactly why I’m running to
replace Josh Hawley in the U.S. Senate.

We deserve leaders who are willing to make even an ounce of the sacrifice
our veterans have. [ [link removed] ]If you’re with me, please add a donation of
$10 or anything at all to my grassroots campaign today so we
can stay on track with our goals this month, get this message in front of
Missouri voters, and defeat Josh Hawley this November.

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I’m proud to have you on this team,
John.

Thanks for being part of it,

— Lucas Kunce


 


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Paid for by Lucas Kunce for Missouri.

Use of military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform do not imply endorsement by the Department of the Navy or the Department of Defense.