BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. — Veterans across the country are relieved after the Senate finally approved the Honoring our PACT Act earlier this week. The act, which the president is expected to sign, provides care to veterans who were exposed to harmful toxins while serving.  

 

What You Need To Know

The PACT Act was approved by the Senate on Tuesday

That act provides much-needed care to veterans who were exposed to harmful toxins

One of those relieved veterans is Ron Holmes from Wilmington, North Carolina. For Holmes, serving his country has always been his dream

 

“I wanted to be a Marine since I was 3 years old. It was Memorial Day parade, saw the Marine Color Guard Dress Blues marching and that was it. I was hooked,” said Ron Holmes, a former Marine from Wilmington. “Everything from that point on, my friends played Army, I played Marine, and that was it. I just wanted that challenge.”

Little did he know, that dream would come with long-term consequences.  

“You know, when they hit the oil wells, and they lit them on fire, it was crazy,” Holmes said. “Not just how hot it was, but how black the sky was.”

That was Holmes' first exposure to toxins while serving overseas but certainly not his last. He was around burn pits, jet fuel exhaust and even consumed some of the toxic water while in Camp Lejeune. His body is what paid the price.

“I was home on leave and my mom had noticed that I had this weird hiccup that I was doing with my lungs, and I didn’t even really notice that I was doing it, and I had done it up until recently,” Holmes said. “I had seen a specialist at Duke, and he basically told me that the damage was in the lower part of my lungs and that my lungs don’t inflate the full capacity and that was making me do this weird cough thing.”

Ron Holmes, a Marine Corps veteran, conducts marksmanship training. (Photo: Natalie Mooney)

It’s not just Holmes, veterans all over the country are suffering from similar exposure issues. 

Holmes said that there are veterans who are worse off than he is and very deserving of the care. Thankfully, now that the PACT act has been passed by the Senate and is expected to receive President Joe Biden's signature, that care is coming, and Holmes believes that care is long overdue.

“You know the PACT Act is, like I said, it’s elected officials taking accountability for sending America’s children into harm's way to do their bidding,” Holmes said. “It is a start of a path to healing.”

While it may be a path to healing, Holmes says that the PACT Act is only the first step on that path. Holmes is hoping this will be a chance to speak up on different kinds of care for veterans, including holistic alternatives such as legalizing medical cannabis for veterans.

Ron Holmes, Marine Corps veteran, conducts marksmanship training. (Photo: Natalie Mooney)

“I think the ultimate goal with the PACT Act and getting veterans the care, I think all along the thing is to work toward a holistic solution and get our veterans off of just too many prescription narcotic and medicines,” Holmes said. “I think there’s a holistic solution, and I think the PACT Act should be a path to that.”

The PACT Act passed 86-11 in the Senate this week. Republican Sen. Richard Burr voted in favor, while Republican Sen. Thom Tillis voted against.