"An important film revealing the human and environmental damage caused by daily training by the U.S. Navy." David Vine, Assoc Prof, Anthropology, American Univ.

The recent expansion of Navy training activities in the Northwest has many local residents concerned. Will more of our communities become collateral damage?

Community members on Whidbey Island, the San Juans, and the Olympic Peninsula are disturbed by an increase in noise caused by new EA-18G "Growler" jets based at Naval Air Station Whidbey (NAS)--and a significant proposed expansion of daily Growler test flights. On Whidbey, communities have been additionally impacted by water system pollution caused by chemicals (PFOA & PFOS) used for firefighting on NAS landing strips.

PLANE TRUTHS explores a variety of perspectives on these issues from farmers, current and retired military personnel, environmentalists and other citizens of the affected areas. Viewers will learn how the noise of the Growler jets has affected daily life and business operations in many communities, about the regional environmental impacts of expanded Growler flights and newly approved Navy training in Olympic National Forest, the potential economic ramifications of increased Navy activity and associated population growth, and the status of--and Navy response to--water system pollution on Whidbey Island.

As the ideology of perpetual war becomes ever more embedded in our economy, communities near US bases here and around the world face similar problems.

Other films by Mark Dworkin and Melissa Young are WEconomics: Italy, Shift Change, We Are Not Ghosts, Good Food, Argentina: Hope in Hard Times and Argentina: Turning Around, Net Loss, Another World is Possible, Not for Sale, Gene Blues, Islas Hermanas and Risky Business.



Grade Level: 7 - 9, College, Adults
US Release Date: 2018     Copyright Date: 2018
DVD ISBN: 1-948745-03-8

Reviews "Highly Recommended...This documentary shows how the opaque and secret activities of the military have had a corrosive impact on the environment, creating 'sacrifice zones' of communities that have become, essentially, collateral damage of the US military-industrial complex...Powerful documentary." Andrew Jenks, Educational Media Reviews Online "Plane Truths bores deeply into the 'war zone' created by a Navy training site amidst rural farms, marine reserves and Olympia National Park in the state of Washington. The film, which explores all sides of this human and ecological tragedy - justified in the name of national defense - is ideal for classroom instruction, debate and strategic community planning." Patricia Hynes, Professor Emerita of Environmental Health, Boston University, Director, Traprock Center for Peace and Justice "America's dirty secret is being exposed only through stories like Whidbey Island. Our addiction to the Pentagon is destroying communities. Plane Truths helps to uncover American-style-militarism and its devastating impact on ordinary citizens." Will Griffin, Veterans For Peace, The Peace Report "Plane Truths is brilliant...simmering...Coupeville is like literally hundreds of other places around the US and the world where military operations have polluted the community's water, assaulted its ears with deafening aircraft noises, and inserted war games into parks and onto beaches. Pentagon planners who launched the assault on Coupeville now face their anger and organized resistance." Catherine Lutz, Professor of Anthropology and International Studies, Brown University, Author, Homefront: A Military City and the American Twentieth Century "This film does a terrific job illustrating the conflict of interest between the military and the community. It would be a tremendous asset to a school library for an environmental science or sociology class to use." Mary Jane Davis, Science Books and Films "There is no easy resolution here. The navy appears to be reacting to some issues and ignoring others rather than actively working to reduce its regional environmental impact." David Conn, Library Journal "Plane Truths is a powerful and beautifully made film that I wish could be publicly screened at the volume of a Navy jet without the health damage such volume causes. World Beyond War will look forward to planning events around this film." David Swanson, Director, World Beyond War, Author, War Is A Lie and When the World Outlawed War