PILOTS, FEARING COURT-MARTIAL, BLAME AIR FORCE'S 'GO PILLS'

The Airmen Dropped A Bomb Over Afghanistan That Mistakenly Killed Four
Canadians.

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.

Maj. Harry Schmidt and Maj. 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.

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.

Beck and Charles Gittins, Schmidt's lawyer, said the Air Force's
investigation is full of errors. Beck said 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.

The hearing, to be held at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, La.,
is expected to last two weeks. Afterward, a recommendation on whether to
court-martial the pilots will be delivered to Lt. Gen. Bruce Carlson,
commander of the 8th Air Force, who will make the final decision. The 8th
Air Force is based at Barksdale.