NAVY: NO TO "GO PILLS"

NAVY: NO TO "GO PILLS"
While the U.S. Air Force encourages -- maybe even orders -- some of its pilots to take amphetamine "go pills," Navy fliers rely almost exclusively on coffee or a Jolt cola to stay awake. According to the Virginian-Pilot, Navy pilots have only used the pills three times in the two years they have been allowed to do so. And now, the Navy is tightening controls on the drugs even further.
Amphetamines have been blamed for clouding the judgment of two American Air Force pilots who mistakenly bombed a group of Canadian soldiers near Kandahar, Afghanistan. Four were killed and eight were wounded in the incident.
The Air Force has a long history with "go pills." During a Gulf War survey, 58 percent of Air Force pilots said they took the stimulants occasionally, and 17 percent said they were regular users.