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FROM THE FIELD

This process recorded the hand’s geometry on the magnetic strip of the ATM card.
When the soldier wanted to withdraw funds, they would insert their card into the ATM,
place their hand on handprint device and the device would compare the handprint with
the information on the card. We learned that, after enrollment, a soldier’s hand would
expand because of exercise, natural body cycles, or application of fingernail polish. A
swollen hand would often result in a rejection because the current readings exceeded
the stored value’s variance parameters, resulting in a trip to the Finance Office to get
paid.

The Soldier Support Center (SSC) Finance Office at Fort Harrison (Indianapolis, IN) agreed to participate in

the test. The ACOA(FM), USAFAC and the SSC Finance Office shared space in Building 1 (known now as

the Major General Emmett J. Bean Federal Center). This colocation facilitated the many policy, disbursing
and banking operations changes necessary for the test. The Finance Office became “the financial

institution” responsible for the ATMs and handprint devices. The SSC’s school building (Gates-Lord

Hall/Bldg. 400) hosted the ATMs. Trainees were the primary participants, but many permanent party

personnel also volunteered. Overall, about 600 soldiers participated in the project.

By this time, news about the ATM Project began to appear in various newspapers, magazines, and

television stations. The earliest article appeared in The Army Times. During the next nine months (the live
test did not begin until July 1984) no less than 11 additional articles appeared. The articles focused on the

use of ATMs for soldier pay but there was also interest in the use of biometrics for access to the ATMs.

I received more

skepticism, angst,
and humor during

the ATM project

than I received

over the travelers
checks and
government credit
cards combined. A

few of the “good natured” notes, drawings, and cartoons about the Grace Commission and using ATMs on
the battlefield are depicted here.

The Indianapolis News (May 29, 1984); The Indianapolis Star (June 6, 1984); American Banker (August,

1984); Government Computer News (September, 1984); Forbes Magazine (September 10, 1984);

Government Data Systems (September/October, 1984); Transition Magazine (November, 1984); and the

U.S. News and World Report (December 17, 1984).

A particularly stressful period of time occurred during the project when I received

this anonymous sketch doubting the efficacy of the ATM project. Perhaps it was

during that time when safety and mobility concerns could best the resolved by

putting an ATM and hand geometry devices in a M-60 tank!
Yes, the rumors were true. Wit h the help of the Finance
Officer at Ft. Knox, KY, I took a Treasury official and the

Orkand project manager by automobile from Ft. Harrison to
Ft. Knox to actually show them why the suggestion did not

deserve the light of day.

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