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In continuing efforts to provide Health, Morale and Welfare support to deployed European theater personnel, U.S. Army, Europe and 5th Signal Command are upgrading the way deployed personnel make morale telephone calls to family members in Germany, Italy and Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.)
The new system will allow deployed personnel from USAREUR units (Soldiers, Department of the Army civilians and U.S. government contractors) to make two 15-minute calls per week to family members without operator intervention. Previously, personnel were authorized only one 15-minute call per week.
Beginning Wednesday, USAREUR will turn on the new Unit Morale-Call PIN Issuing Resource-Europe, or UMPIRE, at https://umpire.hqusareur.army.mil. This Web-based system will be accessible by deployed and rear detachment unit Telephone Control Officers to request unique individual PIN numbers for deployed personnel. TCOs must have TCO appointment orders on file with the USAREUR TCO. TCOs will be able to request PINs for each deploying person in their organization for a period beginning one month before a deployment to three months after the planned end of the deployment. The system will enable TCOs to save PIN lists as Excel files, and print out cards for each deployed person, listing his or her unique PIN and the telephone number to call to process the call.
Deployed personnel will use their PIN to access the Army in Europe Automated Attendants, the system available for morale calls 24 hours a day, every day. This automated attendant capability will allow PIN-equipped callers to connect to DSN and private telephones in the Army in Europe region.
USAREUR policy does not allow the use of government cell phones to place or receive morale calls.
USAREUR information officials said the primary reason for the new system is to ensure all authorized USAREUR deployed personnel have full, fair and equal access to morale telephone calls. At the same time, officials say, the system will save money by reducing abuse of the system, and will ensure USAREUR compliance with Department of Defense policy.
The system will phase in over a 60-day period, from Wednesday to April 17, to give all unit TCOs time to request, receive and distribute PINs and instruct personnel in their use. April 17, all deployed USAREUR personnel must have a PIN in order to make a morale call.
All USAREUR personnel should contact their unit TCO for further information. (Courtesy of U.S. Army Europe)
