Pubdate: Fri, 03 Jan 2003 Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU) Copyright: 2003 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc. Contact: http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274 Author: Sean Gordon PILLS IMPAIRED U.S. PILOTS, LAWYER SAYS Defence For Friendly Fire Case. Air Force Coerced Both Men To Take Amphetamines; 'It's Not Voluntary,' He Says The U.S. pilots involved in a friendly fire incident that killed four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan were forced to take amphetamine pills that clouded their judgment, a lawyer for one of the airmen says. Major Harry Schmidt and Major William Umbach will face a military panel on Jan. 13 to determine if they are to be court-martialed for dropping a laser-guided bomb on a battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry troops outside Kandahar just after midnight on April 17 of last year. The Canadians had been conducting a night-time live-fire exercise at a disused Al-Qa'ida training centre. Schmidt's lawyer now says the air force coerced his client and Major Umbach into taking so-called "go pills" that night. "It certainly affects perceptions, and could cause a pilot to focus on one task at the expense of another," Charles Gittens said in an interview. The air force issued a statement saying the use of dextroamphetamine pills is closely monitored by doctors, and they are used sparingly as a "fatigue management" measure to keep pilots alert on long missions. "During contingency and combat operations, aircrew members are often required to perform their duties for extended periods without rest," the statement read. "When authorized, (go pills) are only used with the aircrew member's informed consent, after appropriate ground testing for adverse effects, and their use is completely voluntary at the discretion of the aircrew member." Gittens criticized the air force for administering the pills, accusing the government of not bothering to investigate the potential side effects from their use. "They have not yet conducted any trials on combat pilots using night-vision goggles, as these men were. The only study they've done is in simulators with helicopter pilots," he said. "You're already putting these pilots in combat situations where they're under maximum stress, and now you're giving them pills on top of that?" Gittens also said that contrary to air force claims, the pilots don't have the choice of refusing the pills, because they are asked to sign a release before taking them. Refusing to do so, he said, results in a pilot being grounded. "It's not voluntary. You don't have to be a rocket scientist or a military law expert to know that," he said. Gittens said the impairment argument will form the centrepiece of his defence of Schmidt. A preliminary investigation conducted jointly by U.S. and Canadian military officials found the two pilots had erred substantially in dropping the bombs, and had displayed "poor airmanship" and disregard for instructions. Umbach and Schmidt had been on patrol for six hours when they saw muzzle flashes on the ground. Believing they were under enemy attack, Schmidt radioed an airborne control centre and asked for permission to respond. Despite being told to wait, Schmidt dived toward the flashes and dropped the 450-kilogram bomb, which landed on a machine-gun position, killing Sgt. Marc Leger, Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, Pte. Richard Green and Pte. Nathan Smith. Gittens and fellow lawyer David Beck, who represents Umbach, said the two Illinois-based reservists have been fingered as scapegoats by military officials who refuse to own up to their responsibility. Gittens said air-force officers should shoulder most of the blame, because they did not pass on crucial information about the Canadian training exercise. The two pilots will appear before a military panel on Jan. 13 at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, after which a recommendation will be made on whether they should be court-martialed. Each currently faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and dereliction of duty. If convicted, the maximum penalty is 64 years in a military stockade. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart