U.S. Fighter Pilots on Speed August 7, 2002
News Summary
While the federal government wages a war on methamphetamine on the ground, military aviators are routinely given speed to keep them alert on long missions. Now, some are asking if there's a link between drug use and a series of "friendly fire" incidents in Afghanistan.The Toronto Star reported Aug. 1 that pilots in Afghanistan are routinely given 10 mg of dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) in situations where fatigue could impair their performance. When they return from missions, doctors give the pilots sedatives like zolpidem (Ambien) or temazepam (Restoril) so they can sleep.
John Pike, a defense analyst with Globalsecurity.org, said that drug use could be linked to a friendly fire incident in April, when Illinois National Guard Maj. Harry Schmidt accidentally dropped a 500-pound laser-guided bomb on a group of Canadian soldiers, killing four. "Better bombing through chemistry ... This was certainly one of my first thoughts after the Canadian friendly fire accident," said Pike. "The initial depiction made it seem as if the pilot was behaving in an unusually aggressive fashion."
A lawyer for Schmidt said he did not know if the pilot was using amphetamines when the incident occurred.
According to Air Force documents, at least 60 percent of pilots in Operation Desert Storm were given 5 mg of speed for combat missions. In Afghanistan, the dosage has been doubled. Pilots can self-administer the drugs, which have been approved for use by pilots in the U.S. military since 1960.
Experts, however, say Dexedrine has a high potential for abuse and addiction, and that amphetamines can cause hallucinations and paranoia.
Pilots are asked to sign a consent form before taking the drugs. But the form states that if they don't sign, their commanders may consider them unfit to fly.
Editor's note: Excerpts from and a PDF copy of the flight surgeons manual regarding use of amphetamines are posted at http://www.thememoryhole.org/mil/pilot-speed.htm.
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