Skywatch: Chief of Pediatric Neurology at UVM Medical Talks F-35 and Children

The noise of the F-35 is a poison to the development of the brains of children

In the latest episode of Skywatch, a TV and online program that focuses on grounding the F-35, Peter Bingham, MD discusses the effect of hundreds of 115-decibel F-35 training flights per month on the heath and cognitive development of children in the flight path with Winooski artist Richard Joseph and with CancelF35.substack.com reporter James Marc Leas.

Dr. Bingham is the Chief of the Pediatric Neurology Division at UVM Medical Center and a professor at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. He is a graduate of Harvard College and the Columbia College of Physicians & Surgeons, and trained at the University of Pennsylvania. His clinical work spans the range of pediatric neurological conditions. He is the author or co-author of more than 65 medical research papers.

Richard Joseph is an artist living and working in the flight path of the F-35 in Winooski Vermont. He has long been involved in the campaign against the F-35. He has particularly been interested in the effect of military jet noise on the hearing, learning, and cognitive development of children. Richard graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in philosophy and from the Art Institute of Chicago with a Master of Fine Arts. His paintings have been exhibited in galleries and museums in the US, Europe, and Latin America, and are represented in the permanent collections of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco.

Most exquisite part of the brain

The auditory processor is the most exquisite part of the brain: no other part of the brain processes information as rapidly as it does.

Language and reading skills live in the auditory brain; we rely on this rapid signaling within brain networks to read and to understand what people are saying. Noise is not just a temporary nuisance: repeated exposure to high-decibel noise interferes with those brain networks long after the noise has gone away.  In children this part of the developing brain is particularly fragile precisely because it is attuning to these very rapid acoustic stimuli.

Noise exposure is comparable to lead poisoning

Epidemiological studies show that the brains of children (and adults) who live close to airports are taking a hit. This awareness is very similar to where we were about 60 years ago when people were beginning to realize the consequences for learning and development of children exposed to lead in their home environment.

We’ve known for decades that children exposed to noise have poorer test results, poorer reading and poorer self control. And later in life, careful epidemiological studies on millions of people show that dementia, as well as heart disease, are also closely linked to noise exposure. Part of that strong evidence is what shows up as a kind of noise-dose-response: the higher the decibels, the greater the health problems in people exposed.

The F-35 is exposing people to well over 90 decibels. The brains of children are particularly vulnerable because they are developing. Medical studies leave no doubt that children living in high-noise areas are paying for that through a decrease in their cognitive skills. Children will live with the consequences of noise-induced setbacks for the rest of their lives.

Protect children

There are critical periods of development in humans, just as there are in other mammals. Those are periods when we as a society in principle want to do what we can to support those rapid-learning periods. It’s all about experience. We put a lot into creating good experiences for children. The brain is sensitive to, and doesn't grow as well, in the face of adverse experiences. Because it is so loud, repeated exposure to the F-35 should be counted as an adverse experience.

Your city council can put a stop to the F-35 training

Your local government has the authority to put a stop to the F-35 training to protect children in your city or town. As described in the article, “Your City Council or Selectboard has the power to ban the F-35 training at BTV,” the State of Vermont adopted a law delegating the power to regulate the use and operation of vehicles of every kind to cities, towns, and villages to promote the public health, safety, welfare, and convenience.

The noise of military aircraft is not regulated by the FAA. The constitution assigns control over national guard training to the states. As the state delegated its authority, the city councils of Burlington, Winooski, and South Burlington are empowered to adopt noise ordinances to promote public health—and protect children. So can the select boards of Williston, Shelburne, Charlotte, Richmond, and Essex. State national guard discipline already requires separation between such military operations and populated areas to protect civilians—discipline commanders and the Inspector General are not enforcing. By passing ordinances the local governments will be helping the Vermont Air National Guard to enforce its own rules.

What is needed first is just this one thing: to actually make the children a priority.

Skywatch is a monthly TV and online news program on Burlington’s Town Meeting TV that focuses on grounding the F-35 here and everywhere. Links to all episodes of the Skywatch series are posted at https://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/series/skywatch. To be automatically notified of new episodes as soon as each is uploaded, send an email to the Town Meeting TV channel coordinator at maketv@cctv.org and mention Skywatch.

Write or call your public servants and demand an immediate halt to F-35 training in cities.

Governor Phil Scott 802-828-3333 Chief of Staff <Jason.Gibbs@vermont.gov>

Vermont National Guard's Complaint Line: 802-660-5379 (Note: the Vermont Guard told a reporter that it received over 1400 noise complaints. But the Guard won’t release what people said).

Submit your report & complaint to the still active Fall 2021-Continuing Now online F-35 Report & Complaint Form: https://tinyurl.com/5d89ckj9

See all the graphs and in-your-own words statements on the F-35 Spring-Summer 2021 Report & Complaint Form (513 responses): https://tinyurl.com/3svacfvx.

See links to the graphs and in-your-own words statements on all four versions of the F-35 Report & Complaint Form since Spring 2020, with a total of 1670 responses from 658 different people plus 77 more so far on the form that remains active now.

Senator Bernie Sanders 800-339-9834 <Senator@sanders.senate.gov>

Senator Peter Welch 888-605-7270 Chief of Staff <patrick.satalin@mail.house.gov>

Rep. Becca Balint <RepBeccaBalint@mail.house.gov>

Burlington City Council <citycouncil@burlingtonvt.gov>

Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger <mayor@burlingtonvt.gov>

Winooski Mayor Kristine Lott <klott@winooskivt.org>

S. Burlington City Council Chair Helen Riehle <hriehle@sburl.com>

Williston Selectboard Chair Terry Macaig <macaig@msn.com>

VT Senate President Philip Baruth <Philip.Baruth@uvm.edu>

VT House Speaker Jill Krowinski <jkrowinski@leg.state.vt.us>

Attorney General Charity Clark <Charity.Clark@vermont.gov>

States Attorney Sarah George <Sarah.fair.george@gmail.com>

Vermont’s Federal Prosecutor <usavt.contactus1@usdoj.gov>

Adjutant General Brig Gen Gregory C Knight <gregory.c.knight.mil@mail.mil>

Major J Scott Detweiler <john.s.detweiler.mil@mail.mil>

Wing Commander Col Dan Finnegan <daniel.finnegan@mail.mil>

Vermont National Guard Inspector General Lt. Col. Edward J Soychak <edward.soychak@us.af.mil>

US Air Force Inspector General Lt. Col. Pamela D. Koppelmann <pamela.d.koppelmann.mil@mail.mil>

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall <Frank.Kendall@us.af.mil>