Deployed U.S. soldiers using the Blue Grass Army Depot as their connection to home now are able to use a system that is faster and less primitive than ones used in the past.
An automated directory attendant system is now being used for authorized “morale” calls, defined as 15-minute phone calls deployed soldiers are authorized to periodically make to loved ones.
“The integrated and automated communication infrastructure reduces costs for (the depot) and enables personnel who were manually transferring the calls daily to focus on other mission-critical communications,” said Jo Adail Stephenson, public affairs officer for the Blue Grass Army Depot.
The Amcom Smart Speech Morale Call system was installed in late March and already is making for smoother operations, said Col. Richard Mason, Blue Grass Army Depot Commander. Amcom Software Inc. is based in Minneapolis.
“It enables us to streamline our communications operations and, at the same time, to more efficiently handle the volume of these important calls,” he said.
The system has the ability to process an average of about 150 calls per day and up to 1,000 to 1,500 weekly.
Soldiers dial their designated Army base phone number, then he or she will be prompted to speak the number he or she wants to dial. The system connects the soldier and the call is timed and disconnected after 15 minutes, according to information at www.amcomsoft.com.
If the system fails to understand because of a bad connection, the caller will be sent to an operator.
“It’s beneficial to those using the system because it accelerates the speed of answering calls while reducing both call abandonment and hold time,” Stephenson said.
Murray Meizlish, telecommunications site manager for Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield based in Georgia, explains in a story posted at amcomsoft.com, the reason soldiers can get more use out of the new system.
“Soldiers overseas typically use tactical telephones,” he said. “The keypads on these phones don’t generate tones that can be recognized by standard touchtone systems. That means that soldiers had to call into a board, be forwarded to the states, get transferred to an operator, then finally get connected for their morale call.”
Contact Stephenson at 1-859-779-6221 with questions or for more information about the new “Morale Call” automated system.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.
Local News
Phone home
Contacting family now easier for deployed soldiers
- Local News
-
-
‘She wasn’t just a teacher’ : Lambert retires after 43 years at Berea
Scroll to the bottom of the story to read "Love for Lambert: Berea graduates share memories of their teacher," as well as a list of other Berea retirees this year.
Writer’s Note: Brenda Lambert is the reason I write articles today (Class of 2000).
Years ago, a little blonde-haired girl from Rockcastle County gathered her friends to “play school” in a 10-by-10 foot playhouse her father built.
Even at 12 years old, Brenda Lambert knew she wanted to be a teacher one day.
“I always felt like an old person trapped in a young person's body,” said Lambert, who is retiring after 43 years of service to Berea Community School. -
Special Olympics return for 18th year at EKU
Next weekend, the Special Olympics Kentucky State Summer Games return to Eastern Kentucky University campus. This is the 18th consecutive year EKU has hosted the event.
The games will be Friday through June 2. About 1,300 athletes will compete this year. -
Assault charges reduced, dismissed by grand jury
Two men arrested in connection with serious assaults had their charges reduced, and in one case dismissed, by a Madison grand jury.
Jerry Wayne Edington, 34, of Berea Road, was charged Jan. 19 with second-degree assault after an altercation at the Blue Moon bar on East Irvine Street, according to a Richmond police report. -
Dump of the Day
The Dump of the Day is a recurring series the newspaper publishes to highlight illegal trash piles and push local governments to cite perpetrators and get illegal dumps cleaned up. See Page A7 in Sunday's paper to read a copy of the city’s ordinance related to trash pickup.
-
Paradise Cove open through Labor Day
Opening day of Paradise Cove Family Aquatic Center coincided with a spike in temperatures Friday which reached 90 degrees. The facility, located in Richmond’s Lake Reba Park, will be open through Sept. 3. Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday.
-
Dump of the Day
An old mattress, a car seat and other debris sit Friday afternoon on North Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets where it was first spotted Thursday. The “Dump of the Day” is a recurring series the Richmond Register publishes to highlight illegal trash piles and push local governments to cite perpetrators and get illegal dumps cleaned up. See Sunday’s Richmond Register to read a copy of the city’s ordinance related to trash pickup.
-
Undefeated academic team brings pride to Madison Middle School
Madison Middle School 6th and 7th grade academic teams have been undefeated for the last two years.
The 8th grade team also has done well, having some students qualify to compete at the state level. -
Woman fends off burglar with knife
A Berea woman used a kitchen knife to fend off an alleged burglar early Wednesday morning, and police say they were able to catch the man in the act.
-
Man is indicted on additional sex charge involving teen in 1998
A man already accused of sex abuse in November 2011 has been indicted on a charge of first-degree rape involving a child in 1998.
Charles W. Peyton, 63, of East Irvine Street, was indicted Wednesday by a Madison grand jury. He used “forcible compulsion” to have sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl between March 1 and May 1 in 1998, according to the indictment. -
Woman fends off burglar with knife
A Berea woman used a kitchen knife to fend off an alleged burglar early Wednesday morning, and police say they were able to catch the man in the act.
Officers responded to a call in the 1000 block of Scaffold Cane Road about a man trying to break into a home, according to a release from BPD Public Information Officer Jake Reed. - More Local News Headlines
-
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
