'Friendly fire' pilots: Air Force pushes 'go pills'

Lawyers say amphetamines led to accidental killing

Thursday, January 2, 2003 Posted: 9:44 AM EST (1444 GMT)
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (AP) -- A lawyer for one of two U.S. pilots who released a bomb over southern Afghanistan in April, accidentally killing four Canadian soldiers, says the Air Force had pressured the pilots to take amphetamines that may have impaired their judgment during the mission.

Majs. Harry Schmidt and William Umbach face a possible court-martial for dropping the laser-guided bomb near Kandahar on April 17. An Air Force investigation determined the pilots "demonstrated poor airmanship" and ignored standard procedure by not making sure there were no allied troops in the area.

Air Force: Pills are 'fatigue management tool'

But Umbach's lawyer, David Beck, said he would show at a January 13 hearing on whether to court-martial the pilots that the Air Force routinely pressures pilots to take dexamphetamine, a prescription drug also known as "go pills." He said the drug can impair judgment and is not recommended for people operating heavy equipment.

Beck said the Air Force prevents pilots from flying if they refuse to take the pills.

Air Force spokeswoman Lt. Jennifer Ferrau acknowledged the pills are used as a "fatigue management tool" to help pilots stay alert through long missions. But she said that use of the pills is voluntary, and that their effects have been thoroughly tested.