European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 21, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine getting through to Santa via Mars Story and photo by Joe Mapother Bromer Haven bureaus hat o  .illi.-. W a. Gaii ii we t Gerry priv I.R. Noil   Ansini Rodney Ioctl i y \lw3-1 Yirai Olej West Hugnin . R ii  a  mams Mithun  Alf Imti l radio system of Tho 2nd Armbri if to Iri Gai Klett this Lime of year port of Godfrey s 1 to   a Calls through his Short wave to Santa i 111. Civil Niy r an full in Omo Olaf . 1 can i  the names of the children who want to talk in Santa the left phone is Conr froth on Golfrey s Sno Ukler on the owner end hundreds of Miles South of Garls Leidt a kid has called on ets and inked to talk la Santa Godfrey or  up Lla rail u Ltd and to inn a hand on la.  hsi1 Looi i o. Moon oooo. Moo oooo " san i traditional greeting kudos in and out am nil a Backry Rounel hum int to Gor Turcy moan poor atmospherics "tin1 in Santa our at Iho North Polo Over " a smile crosses Godfrey s Jcu a to listens to it conversation patched Iran Telephone to radio and Hack again the Low of which is controlled by his i Hugh in the mice i. Linn "ova1 15 an important Vorry to Godfrey As is inc concept Mars there Are 2 1 Active wars Community Stalions run by Trio army in Europe the at Force fun about nine and the Navy on. In Rota. Spain the Community so alms Are backed by a network of Aff Shatos largely Ham radio operators working from their Homes. Mars is an auxiliary communications system for Iho military that offers Sec members a free Means of calling Home either through a phone Patch or by a radio dispatched written message those messages in turn offer real life training Lor Mars operators. A Knock Al Godfrey s door signals tha arrival of sgt Cesario Sobielo who needs to Contact an Agency located Al fort Eustis a Godfrey picks up the Mike and begins making the connection. The word comes Back no Calls to a uses until 1soo Central european time. A look at one of a Hall dozen stocks on the Iva i confirms sole of s impression it wit be a while. Below the line of clocks Godfrey has Hung some of the Catling cards Lom Stalions he has contacted from this Homo Ham radio there is a card irom the Canadian contingent serving in the israeli occupied Golan hog hts with a u n observer Loce several cards carry 3 Moscow Udd ass a huge vol map is speckled k ill Mars Call letters Gar Stedl is Aem list. Soldo leaves bul he it be Bach and be Wilrey will to there Godfrey works a seven Day week. Wedl Days he is in the Lalion for 7am until 7  weekends he works from 1 pm until 7pm Hig Only leave in Marc than three years at Garls Ludt was a 30-Day emergency Home leave he worked task Christmas and new years although he will not do so this year you have to be accessible to the Soldier and the Only Way to be accessible to the Soldier is to be Sheie when the Soldier wants  Godfrey said on the plus Side being bound to the station Means no Field duty Godfrey spends so Many hot a in Tho Uii lion thai i1 Boss. U s Arm european come Mars director Whan he s not helping kids Contact the North pole during yuletide mails Man Rodney Godfrey right of Garl Stett Germany is helping people like Cesario solely who Hud to reach an Agency at fort Eustis a Charles Mcclellan. Worries about it Godfrey is the Type of individual who to the  is the local Telephone Call  Mado from the be arcs Mahs All Lialo at to if a stateside phone company has offered free use of. Lines to Dahs it is a Complex system and Gomire is its Furo  i training Allicer he has the experience Godfrey was still n Calhoun county High Hen m 1969. He was introduced to Amateur radio . Bya retired Navy Man. George Ayers. Together ten patched phone Calls irom servicemen in Vietnam a lot of those Guys were homesick scared Tho just wanted to talk to somebody they  " a Shim Jon it ii continue to Thio &3r Arnonl i i Godfrey monday. Decembers. 1967 there 15 no Nuch thing As an army mos Job classify Calion Lor Mars  Godfrey is  As a fire support specie ill fur Tillory ii look the Recruiter a while to get Phil Lorn or h my head i Kepi looking Lor me fire truck. Godfrey quipped Aller an it Iii lint Al fort Sill Ohrt Gnu Flor.  at a Rel Cal in Itic summer of 1dr-1 i to found tin a " Sla run or the Lucius d Clay Ca-,.-m had born min operation for on link Lar in.  in or Cou i .-., a the nation Tor id hit f Tirol flit r i. I Al t it a Loli us   Mali in 117 m re i1 rv -.  Ami  no i i cd ii try into i  rni.rl. I ir to. " . A ill \ fir a i Ali i i .1 -. I i i i v.,i-,.i. I in.,.  ii. I it. 1 t ,. Ivel i h Ai. " -. A a .-11-. I1 ". I "1, a  i Tir the Linolfi the Gar Stedl station i. A i. A r. Olu , Miller n r t i in r--.,i --.iir. I. I.r.-. .1  thel.ii  .1 a  Lur t  Iii i a i  ure Lut a Ihm t l Lic St a in iria i tar a Gawriil cd u i Urci fail go fru ail i plans to soil and i to chair i in1. Oll re in to .1 31  Himli Fiu jul ii a  Ih r Siuri  l cir1 Rue. Cd lion tr. I Arv let to he  the stars and stripes Page 13