Participants: Cliff Kindy and Murray Lumley, Co-Leaders, Russ Attoe, Bill Durland, Genie Durland, Ron Forthofer, Ron Friesen. Anne Herman, Kirsten Romaine Jones, Judy Leurquin, Wes Rehberg, Michael Smith, Dick Williams, Gretchen Williams, and Jane MacKay Wright.

I. Purpose of the Delegation:

Our delegation’s purpose is two-fold. First, to gather as much information as possible about so-called “depleted uranium” (more accurately – weaponized nuclear waste) munitions, their chemical properties, health effects, and environmental impact. We are concerned because many of us have served with CPT in Iraq and seen first hand alarming evidence of health problems – especially horrendous birth defects – in the civilian population there resulting from exposure to radioactive weaponry used in the First Gulf War. American and allied military personnel have also suffered and continue to suffer an extensive complex of illnesses and disabilities generally attributable to exposure to radiation from the use of weaponized nuclear waste.
Informing ourselves fully about all aspects of the DU issue is the first and most essential step in an effective campaign to stop the production, testing, use, deployment, and storage of these nuclear munitions.
Our second purpose is to witness about the issue and work to raise awareness and empower on-going local activism on the issue.

II. Learning and Information Gathering:

1. Our first activity upon arrival in northeastern Tennessee was to take part in the second major national conference on depleted uranium, U238 weaponry, which took place at Eastern Tennessee State University on Saturday, May 19. Presenters were Major Doug Rokke, Ph.D., U.S. Army retired, Pentagon expert on depleted uranium and author of Pentagon-ordered studies, reports, and regulations on the protection of battlefield personnel deploying uranium weaponry, Cathy Garger, writer/speaker on depleted uranium, and Mohammad Daud Miraki, Ph.D., author of Afghanistan After Democracy, which graphically details the effects of U238 weaponry in Afghanistan. John Paul Hasko, local activist and former Aerojet employee, presented a DVD of “On Strike for Their Lives,” a 60 Minutes documentary on a workers’ strike against Aerojet in the early 1980s. The conference also included brain-storming by local activists about future plans and directions.

2. In addition to participating in the conference, our CPT delegation heard presentations from the following experts throughout our time together:
* Vanessa Fitsanakis, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology, King College, expert in nuclear toxicology, provided definitive and clear information about how nuclear toxins impact living organisms, in particular human DNA.
* Charles Gutierrez, B.S. in biochemistry and M.A. in microbiology. Former employee at Tennessee Nuclear Specialists (now Aerojet) during a time when little or no safety practices were in place. Recently retired from a position as Lab Manager at the V.A. Medical Center where he worked to provide accurate diagnosis of severe health problems in Desert Storm and Iraq War vets and experienced sanctions and attempts to discount and cover up such data.
* Jeff Wardeska, Ph.D. Chemistry Professor at ETSU and Chemical Engineer, discussed what DU is, how it behaves and how hazardous it is, as well as organizations opposed to DU weaponry.
* Video presentation by Richard B. Cook, M.S. in chemistry: “Why DU Should be Banned” – a common sense explanation at a high school chemistry class level of a scientific point of view.
* La’Shan Taylor, M.S. in Public Health, Environmental Epidemiologist, provided detailed presentation on methodology and techniques necessary for gathering usable data.
* Bruce Behringer, Vice President of ETSU for the Division of Health Sciences, gave two presentations; one discussed social determinants of health problems in mountainous regions and one on his experience in Kurdistan as part of Healthcare Partnerships in Northern Iraq.
(These last two speakers, though very interesting, did not seem to have any material of direct relevance to DU-related health problems.)
* Bill Hampton, Vietnam veteran, retired Tennessee State Trooper, member of VFW and Rolling Thunder (veterans’ group working on MIA-POW issue) discussed effects of Agent Orange on Vietnam veterans and his experience with the slowness of government agencies to take responsibility and provide help.

3. Probably the most valuable part of our learning and information gathering experience was provided by local activists with whom we had on-going interaction during the delegation experience.
* Linda Modica, National Chair Radiation Committee, Sierra Club, Master of Ceremonies for the conference, local coordinator of activism on DU issues and Aerojet Ordnance Tennessee’s operation.
* John Paul Hasko, former employee of Aerojet Ordnance, researcher, and national speaker on DU since 1994. Local supporter of CPT delegations and contact person.
* Jim Dahlman, Instructor in Journalism, Milligan College, religion columnist for the Johnson City Press. Wrote an article about the delegation and met with us to discuss how to get our message to the media.
* Rev. Ken Edwards, Local Church of the Brethren pastor and friend of the project. Present at most of our actions.
* Rev. Vincent Dial, Pastor of Bethel Christian Church, a resource on local religious and cultural climate and how ordinary Christians relate to this issue.
* Leila S. Al-Imad, Ph.D., Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, ETSU. Made her lecture hall available for the conference and attended several meetings with the delegation.
Through these people and others we are developing valuable alliances with Sierra Club, Tennessee Green Progressives and Concerned Citizens, as well as simply caring individuals who brought food and otherwise provided encouragement and support.

III. Witness and Empowerment Activism:

Armed with our growing knowledge provided by the people and events listed above, and guided by friends such as Linda Modica and John Paul Hasko, our delegation planned and executed several public actions designed to raise awareness about the production of DU munitions in this neighborhood and to empower on-going local activism, and our nationwide activism.
On two successive days (Tuesday and Wednesday) we located ourselves across the road from the Aerojet Ordnance plant with signs and banners and an informational leaflet, which we handed out to passing motorists. We were pleasantly surprised by the extensive and friendly reception our leaflets received from many of the folks in cars passing by.

On both days we released helium-filled balloons bearing the following message:

"Peace be with you,
This balloon was released on May 22, 2007 across the road from Aerojet Ordnance Tennessee, company that makes weapons from nuclear waste left over from the uranium enrichment process. These munitions are used in Afghanistan and Iraq where our troops breathe their poisonous radioactive dust.
America’s own soldiers and their families, along with Iraqi and Afghani families,
are suffering from above normal incidences of birth defects, as well as the symptoms
of heavy metal and radiation poisoning.
If you received this balloon, you may have breathed pollutants emitted by Aerojet Ordnance,
1367 Old State Route 34, Jonesborough, TN 37659, USA.
Please help us learn the reach of Aerojet’s air emissions by mailing the balloon back to us at the following address. Feel free to write to Aerojet and your public officials too.
Thank you, in advance, for mailing back this balloon and including your return address."

The address of Democracy Now Tri-Cities was provided and about 450 balloons were released to follow the wind currents. Our presence at the plant was not only to do the balloon action but to continue the effort, begun months ago by the Stop DU Campaign Team, to initiate dialogue with the plant management. To that end, we set up a press conference on the second of the two balloon release days to which Kel Smalley, General Manager of Aerojet Ordnance Tennessee was invited. He did not respond to our invitation so we set up an empty chair with a sign bearing the radioactive symbol. One reporter attended the press conference and Cliff Kindy and Linda Modica answered questions posed by that reporter and members of the delegation.
Designated members of our delegation approached the office of Aerojet on both days of the balloon release to deliver a written invitation to the Manager after verbal (phone and email) invitations were ignored, and to ask for their printed leaflet. We were not admitted and Sheriff’s deputies were called. Bill Durland, designated police liaison, dealt in a professional manner with the Sheriffs, who were friendly. We also launched a virtual balloon release on Thursday by sending the balloon message and a picture of our action to a collection of email lists and addresses provided by delegation members.

In addition to the balloon release and attendant witnesses, we engaged in several other actions. One was to visit the United Steel Workers’ Union Hall in Erwin, Tennessee across from the Nuclear Fuel Services plant there. It had been expected that union officials would meet with us but that did not happen. The union is in negotiations at this time, and appeared to be wary of public contact. We did have an opportunity to see the extensive nuclear fuel production plant from across the road and to have an informal discussion with a union member who happened to be at the hall when we arrived. This man stated that he was proud of his work at the plant. Five delegation members chose to return to Aerojet instead of traveling to the Union Hall in Erwin. They held banners and signs across the road from Gate A while some workers were leaving at the end of their word day and continued to hand out leaflets to passing motorists.

On Friday, most of our delegation, along with Linda Modica, visited the local offices of this Tennessee District’s three congressional representatives to deliver copies of Dr. Miraki’s book, Afghanistan After Democracy along with the Conference Resolution (appended to this Report) and three DVDs about DU. While this was happening, other delegation members walked through downtown Jonesborough to post and distribute flyers about our up-coming community meeting to be held Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday morning delegation members, along with local activists, visited the U.S. Armed Forces Center in Gray, Tennessee to open dialogue with recruiters about how they convey sensitive information about health risks to potential recruits. The center was closed so we held a moving prayer circle to ask blessings, protection, and enlightenment for those who work there and potential recruits. Then we went to Johnson City to see if the recruiting center there was open. We found the chief Marine recruiter at his desk. Three CPTers and Linda Modica entered and talked with him. Ron Forthofer explained who we are and our concerns for U.S. military, emphasizing that recruits should be made aware of the dangers facing them. Ron Friesen spoke personally about his concern for his step grandson who is considering joining the marines. The recruiter was presented with a stack of our DU brochures and he said he would share the information with his staff and potential recruits and would also deliver them to the Armed Forces Center in Gray. He said he had never heard of DU. Some other members of the delegation stood out at the street side with signs after which we all pigged out on Indian food.

On Saturday afternoon, our final public action was to host a Community Meeting at which results of a health survey, done in the community surrounding Aerojet Ordnance in January were shared. Attendance at the meeting was disappointing, probably attributable to the fact that it is a holiday weekend. (Four local supporters attended.) That survey did not uncover data of useful significance for the DU project, but was a helpful initial exercise. Delegation members and local attenders shared ideas about how to proceed. Cliff also shared information about “super fund” sites around the country and the pattern they may indicate. Finally, Gretchen led a discussion on economic conversion.

This delegation’s experience also included all the usual CPT activities such as a thorough orientation by the delegation leaders, daily worship, attendance at local Churches on Sunday providing us with additional contacts with local supporters, many carefully facilitated planning meetings and, of course, regular “check-ins.”