European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 28, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday May 28, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 9 Iron age making Way for computer age a s photos by Tony Nauroth Roger Felix data or form spreadsheets of information a lot of soldiers look at the Wang As a fancy typewriter he said. Pan of the reason Tor that is because the hardware arrived before nil the software Knipp said. Training for operators has been limited to a two Day orientation in word processing and Basic operation for one operator per machine. Even though the Wang system is user Friendly As Newell describes it Knipp displayed 13 operator manuals ranging in size from less than a half Inch thick to More than an Inch thick. Computerization has even reached into training realms of the 1st amid div. Ten Palau computer systems have been used to forecast raining costs since 1983. By using Cost factors Sarel r has derived from training exercises 1st Armi div ran get a Good idea Haw much Money it will need to budget for raining said sgt. Alfred Lul termly who coordinate training Cost forecasts Tor the division. Hackers and amateurs playing around for Good ideas by Tony Nauroth Nuernberg Bureau  of the 1st army div in the words of division officials is in the birthing  in a sense die division in littered with computer babies soldiers getting the computer revolution off the ground in this test bed of computer illiterates. Some Are High ranters others Are just beginning 1 heir army careers. In some cases they showed up in inc office one Day and found a computer. Some had a two Day orientation class. All had free will to play around with it.". In effect the division said Here s a computer Lei s Sec what you can do with it.". Some soldiers embraced it and continue to come up with time saving paperwork reducing ideas. Others lire keeping it at 10-foot-pole Range pfc Laura Posten is a closet computer opera Tor. The company clerk with the 1st support in in dle Neim got her computer and immediately stashed it. In a Wall locker in her office. At first she approached it cautiously opened the doors gingerly and Sal with the keyboard on her Lap and he computer in he closet i did that for two weeks. Finally i hauled it out set it up on my desk and Oskco my first scr can to gel rid of my  she said her first sergeant likes the computer be cause he gets More work on t of  chief warrant officer Donald b. 1iolli Day says even though soldiers May be intimidated by computers they re in the army. Jut make them touch  Holliday is safety officer for the electronic warfare platoon in the 4th brigade in Katterbach. He s also a cobra helicopter Pilot. Holiday who has a degree in mathematics with a concentration in computer science from Ein Bry Riddle Aero nautical University in Florida said the Only Way to learn How to use a computer is through the fingertips. Drag that orderly room clerk Over to it and show him. Gadget freaks Are most Likely to take to computers. These Are people with big stereo systems with lots of knobs an them. Give them a computer. They la love it because it s inc ultimate Gadget. Holliday. Making the Gadget sing Back in the 20s my father used to take Model As apart and nut them Back together to Sec whal made them tick. That i where we arc now with software in the army. The next generation of troops in this division w ill mite i hat sufi War apart reassemble it and make in sing.". Holliday uses his Wang computer to figure weight loads and balance factors far helicopter loads you work with a big sleet of numbers with lots of room for human error he said. The computer makes a ii the calculations instantly. Rut you Don t gel a faster output you get a More error free  staff sgt  Fly Ming is n computer Workhorse. He uses the unit level logistics system to order repair parts and equipment for co b. 3rd support in in Bamburg his computer lakes care of everything in the warehouse. It s the  Fleming said his urls eliminated filing Cabin is and pm Down on Long hours of overtime. To Fleming his computer is a tootle Cwayna wrench Isit tool of Mechanic. Spec 4 Jacqueline schermorhorn is a tool user. She works for Fleming. It s just like a  she said. Would she Trade in in for a typewriter1 she shoots an icy look and says no Way under the manual system 1 worked Long hard hours. Wilh this i go Home at a civilized  pvt. 2 Roger Felix might be called a Bic private he s an acknowledged expert on the tac fire artillery backup computer system bugs that helps a Soldier drop rounds an a target tit super Speed compared to the old manual plotting system. The bugs is a hand held computer that backs up the larger Battery computer system when it in l work ing or if a ride do Lect goes through in during combat. The unit works from the inside of on my 13 armoured personnel Carrier. Felix came from Rural Maine by Way of the artillery school at fort Sill okla., where he Learned everything about the new computerized tacf1re elements. When he arrived at his unit be found himself in inc position of teacher. He said. Bugs can do this and bucs can do that " said sgt. David Campbell Fetu s no 6th in 14th Field arty in Birndorf. He can even balance his Check Book on it we just looked Al him and said huh " Fleming. Familiarity Breeds competence Post a. Closet computer operator Lutteroty said Usa eur is constantly gathering in formation to improve training Cost factors. With Lasi year As a Good base for factors Lutteroty said this year s training Cost estimates for 1st army div have been 95 percent to 100 percent Correct computers also help to train the division s battalion staffs. They Are used to present Battle scenarios in real time and include personnel and equipment losses weather terrain and fuel and ammunition depletion and resupply. Tank commanders and gunner also use computers to Sharpen their Battle skills. Unit conduct of fire trainers sit the tank Crew members inside an electronic Turret that displays a Battlefield in video graphics. They lire then challenged to spot enemy targets to fire on and to kill those targets before getting blasted themselves. Besides the special training simulators several individual automation systems arc used by i army div and other organizations in Europe adjutant general network run by a dec Mac com Puter. It ties 1st army div s adjutant general with 1st personnel come and is used to pass personnel information via telecommunication. Training ammunition management information system run by a Zenith computer. In is linked to 7th army training Center and is used to pass information on ammunition lots. Army communications Security commodity Logis tics and information system level 4 run by a Wang computer. The 141st signal in uses it in relation to communications Security. Technical control and analysis Center run by a Norden system. The 501st military intelligence tin uses it to process intelligence data. Another system is expected to be in operation late this year. The inspector general network will link All inspector general offices in Europe for passing information. Tomorrow the Shock of automation