PILOTS PRESSURED TO TAKE AMPHETAMINES, LAWYER SAYS

NEW ORLEANS -- 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.

But Umbach's lawyer, David Beck, said he would show at a Jan. 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.

An 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.

"There have been decades of study on their efficacy and practicality," she
said. "The surgeon general worked very closely with commanders on this."

Beck and Charles W. Gittins, Schmidt's lawyer, said the Air Force's
investigation is full of errors. Beck said that the pilots were not told in
advance that allies were holding combat exercises and that Schmidt dropped
the bomb in self-defense after seeing gunfire on the ground.

"What happened was a terrible tragedy. You don't honor (the victims) by
wrongfully prosecuting these pilots," Beck said. "This is political
appeasement of Canadians who are angry."

Ferrau said Air Force officials would not comment on specifics of the case.

Air Force investigators concluded that Schmidt and Umbach should have left
the area when they saw gunfire to allow time to determine its source.
Remaining in the area led to the pilots' misperception that they were under
attack, the investigators said.

Schmidt and Umbach face charges of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated
assault and dereliction of duty.

If convicted of all charges, they face a maximum of 64 years in military
prison.