Two weeks after President Biden signed the PACT Act, veterans injured by toxic burn pits are getting better access to healthcare.

“It’s not like everybody’s getting a cold or something, people are dying from this,” says Danny Pinsonault.

Pinsonault severed nearly 30 years in the army reserves, he came home in 2006.  Unfortunately, the effects of toxic burn pits in Kuwait came back with him.

“The stuff came down then it would get sucked into the air conditioners and was blowing right back into our tents. And our tents were all bundled up.”

“Look what’s happening. It’s called the PACT Act and a big part of it, the biggest is the budget part for the burn pits,” says veteran advocate Gary DuFour.

DuFour has been advocating for burn pit survivors like Danny for nearly a decade. He is hopeful they will now get the help they need going forward. Danny’s wife, Sandy, is not as worried about what might happen like she was before.

“If something happened to him 6 weeks ago or 2 months ago I probably wouldn’t be as comfortable as I where I am now going forward,” said Sandy Pinsonault.

Since his diagnosis of glioblastoma in March, Pinsonault now wears a medical device to help him with his burn pit induced cancer. 

“We’re looking at possibly another surgery. So, that’s scary. To describe our day-to-day life it’s probably like having an Alzheimer’s patient,” says Pinsonault.

Under the PACT Act, Sandy is now eligible to receive survivor’s benefits.

“So, when the time comes when I’m not around anymore financially you’re going to be okay,” says husband Danny Pinsonault.

“Because of PACT Act,” replied Sandy Pinsonault.

Sandy still believes more needs to be done. Her husband was part of teams that conducted clean-ups.

“The PACT Act should be saying enough is enough. We got to find another solution to get rid of our waste,” says Pinsonault’s wife.

At the end of the day Danny remains in good spirits. And the pact act is even helping with that.

“I look for the positive and when I see something positive, I run with it because at this point that’s all we’ve got,” said Pinsonault.