European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 9, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday december 9,1992 the stars and stripes b Page 3officials hang up ets phone name by Effie Bathen staff writer communications officials Are telling phone users in Europe to get in line and use the Correct name for the military a worldwide Telephone system. A say Dan not ets a and end the confusion. That a the message officials Are sending to try to end a common misconception that some military telephones need different dealing instructions. The Telephone numbers Are the same under both systems but some people Are confused when they hear ets instead of Dan said col. Joseph Guirreri commander of the defense information systems Agency a european Headquarters in Vaihinger near Stuttgart Germany. A people can to Tell whether they re dealing on the old or the new system. They All look the same a Guirreri said. A they wonder a do i have to use some special dealing code a a ets is the abbreviation for european Telephone system the military communications system that has been significantly updated in the last two years disa officials said. That system had evolved from at least three other military Telephone systems Over several years. Dan stands for defense switched network a system that includes modern switching equipment and that will eventually mean a uniform seven digit dealing system Guirreri said. Some users will be Able to Call anywhere in the world if they have proper authorization. Such Calls will require additional codes. The term Dan should have replaced the term ets when the Agency was told to switch from existing military Telephone systems in october 1989. But ets remains in common usage. Dan has been used in the United kingdom Spain Turkey and the Continental United states for about two years but the term ets often has been used for . Government telephones in Germany officials said. The Auto on automatic voice network system was replaced by Dan in the Early 1980s. The last Auto on switching system in Germany a at Lan Gelkopf a was turned off sept. 10, 1991. That left three of an original 10 switches in Europe two in Italy and one in Greece. They were to be phased out by the end of this year. Currently about two thirds of european military communities Are using new or adapted equipment and the rest will come on line in the next couple of years Guirreri said. The objective is total integration with two other systems in the Pacific and the Continental United states. Satellite microwave fiber optic and computer technologies of the Dan system have nearly replaced electro mechanical systems that Date to the creation of Auto on in july 1961. The goal is faster Call completion. Officials have already heard from Many system users that Calls Are going through More easily without using special priority phones said Guirreri. So called a precedence dealing which preempted routine Calls will now be done by computers. Many army air Force and Navy callers can also use features such As Call forwarding or automatic Call Back. The forwarding feature allows a Call to be diverted to another phone. The Call Back feature alerts a party called that a caller was trying to reach him. Those who have questions about Telephone features should Contact the military signal or communications unit in their area Guirreri  become kids again at party for orphans at Munster army depot pfc. Linda Cook left of he co 15th Ord in and spec. Kim Rheinhardt Center and pvt. 2 Michael Zoller. Both of 504th Sig co mingle with youngsters from the orphanage in Aschaffenbur Germany. By Ron Mckinney staff writer Munster Germany a the fun at the Munster army depot Christmas party was designed for 48 German orphans but someone forgot to Tell that to the two dozen Host soldiers from the 15th Ord in. It was an afternoon of fun and games at the depots recreation Center for or Hans and soldiers alike As children looking for playmates had to look no farther than the closest american in the Green camouflage uniform. One of the most popular orphans was i hey were always looking Forward to the annual Christmas party. It s a very pleasant break of the daily  sister Rufina 3-year-old Tommy who played hard enough that the Young troopers had to take him on tag team style. A a he a got too much Energy a said spec. Stephen Gose a 20-year-old chaplains assistant. A a it a fun though to spend Lime with All those Little kids especially the ones with All this Energy. They run you  with Tommy the language Barrier was no problem. Gose simply pointed out an army buddy and ordered a get  and the toddler went on the attack shrieking with laughter. A you done to need to communicate a Gose said. A a he a just a Little kid. All he wants is someone to play with  pvt. Christy Degarmore a 19-year-old administrative clerk said it was just a matter of tickling the toddler. Tommy offered Little defense. A i got a whole Bunch of giggling a she said. A a it a fun. I miss kids. I baby sit for my lieutenant whenever i get  not All the children were As playful As Tommy she said. Many decided to take in the English version of Beauty and the beast playing on big screen television. Others played pin the Tail on the Donkey Yahtzee or coloured drawings. And that included the soldiers. A in a 10 years old today a said spec. Kim Reinhardt a telecommunications specialist who a on other Days a is 29 years old. A this is wonderful a said Reinhardt Only moments after pinning the donkeys Tail somewhere in the Vicinity of its head. A i always wanted to Start a family and this is pushing me toward  Klaus a 9-year-old German orphan said the party was a Surprise to him. Without exchanging a word he directed the activities of the pin the Tail on the Donkey game taking much pleasure in spinning the player. A it was a great afternoon a he said through a translator. Sister Rufina the head nun at the As Schaffenburg orphanage said the or change has had a working relationship with the american military since 1949, when soldiers would bring extra food from the mess Hall to the orphanage each Day. And for the last dozen years the 9th engr in in Aschaffenbur has hosted a Christmas party for the orphans. A they were always looking Forward to the annual Christmas party. Its a very pleasant break of the daily routine a sister Rufina said through a translator. But those ties appeared to be in jeopardy when the 9th engr in was inactivated this year. That a when the 15th Ord in stepped in. A there was a void there and we thought we could step in and do it a said maj. Paul Heiney the battalions executive officer. Heiney said he had no problems in getting soldiers to Volunteer to help with the children who ranged in age from 18 months to 16 years. During the Christmas tree lighting ceremony on the compounds Parade grounds a few Christmas carols were Sung in English and German. It. Col. Gary j. Motsek the 15th Ord in commander then presented the orphanage with a Check for 2,100 German Marks which he said was raised through a bake Sale and donations from germans and americans at the depot