RE: [CPEO-MEF] Depleted uranium: a killer disaster? by TRAVIS DUNN

[loc@icx.net]

Readers of this list need to know that Rokke's allegations have been
extensively discussed and discredited by health physics experts on the
RadSafe list.  Some of their comments are copied below.

--Susan Gawarecki

_From Prof. Otto Raabe, PhD, CHP, Center for Health & the Environment,
UC
Davis:
November 26, 2002

Last night I went to hear Doug Rokke's performance at the Davis
Community Church concerning the "poisoning of whole nations by the use
of DU munitions by the U.S. military". In his talk Rokke made numerous
technical errors concerning uranium toxicology and health physics
including saying that a beta dose to the skin of 300 mrem exceeded the
standard for whole body exposure. I strongly objected to his
misrepresentation of the DU toxicology facts during the comment period.

<snip>

He credited himself at every turn with being highly principled while
always casting the U.S. military as nefarious and cold-blooded. He
claimed he was fired by the government because of his dedication to
health and safety.

Much of his talk involved references to toxic chemicals released by our
military action in the Gulf War, contaminated food provided by the
Saudis, and claimed poisoning of people by DU dust. He said he was a
"health physicist" and implied that he had a Ph.D. in physics by
reference to being in his "physics lab" while working on his doctorate.
Actually, his doctorate is in "Education Methodology", which I got him
to admit during the questioning. He is certainly not a qualified health
physicist.

<snip>

Rokke said that in the Gulf War he was the "Director of the Army
Depleted Uranium Project," and that virtually everyone who worked on the

project was sick from exposure to DU. The diseases and ailments that he
claimed for DU conflict with 50 years of research on DU toxicology and
with the findings of the Department Defence who are carefully evaluating

military personnel who were exposed to high levels of airborne DU
aerosols. See http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/du_ii

Unfortunately, the audience of about 100 people were enthralled with
Rokke
and angry with me for objecting to his erroneous statements and
misrepresentation, but I think it was important to cast some doubt on
this charlatans's proclamations.

***

_From Prof. Otto Raabe, PhD, CHP, Center for Health & the Environment,
UC
Davis:
December 20, 2002

After having heard his talk when Rokke was here in Davis earlier last
month, I can't laugh because it was sad to see him enthrall his audience

with a steady supply of half-truths, misrepresentations, and factual
errors. Although Rokke claims to be a "health physicist" and implies
that he has a doctorate in Physics, he is actually trained in "education

methodology", seems to know only a little about health physics, and is
currently a substitute teacher at a middle school in Illinois. He was
never "head of the Pentagon's Depleted Uranium Project on Gulf War
Casualties and Depleted Uranium", although he apparently worked as a
military liaison to the contractor hired by the DOD to do DU cleanup.

***

_From Ed Battle, PhD:
Dec. 21

Otto has it exactly right about Doug Rokke; (His PhD is Ed and his BS is

Physics). I had him called to active duty to help run my DU education
project at the US Army Chemical School on Fort McClellan (at that time).

That is a long way from the Pentagon, as the Chem. Sch. is under the
Army's TRADOC Command. Boy, did I come to regret hiring him for
that!!!!! When I retired, he was hired and rather quickly (6 months)
fired.

--
.....................................................
Susan L. Gawarecki, Ph.D., Executive Director
Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee
102 Robertsville Road, Suite B, Oak Ridge, TN 37830
Toll free 888-770-3073 ~ www.local-oversight.org
.....................................................

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