Army Mars

ARMY MARS

Please advise if you have any Questions,
David N2RSN - Amateur
AAT0AQ - Army MARS

THE MARS CORNER
By
Lorraine S. Matthew/AAA9PR
[email protected]

People Power! Much has been written in these pages and in most
other documents about the MARS programs and the results of
MARS operations. What is often lost is the fact that for every radio,
every computer, every document, every operation, there is a
person...collectively, people. Close to 10,000 people from every
walk of life have chosen to devote much of their time and many of
their assets to the three service MARS programs.

Is there a "typical" MARS member? I am often asked if a MARS
member had to have once been a member of the armed services.
No. That is not a necessary qualification. Many MARS members
are veterans and were, at first, introduced to the MARS program
from overseas assignments. Some became MARS operators at
those locations while others were happy to use the services to the
military personnel that MARS had (and still has) to offer.
Remembering the contribution that MARS made in their lives, many
of these veterans have joined the MARS programs.

The only factors that all MARS members have in common is the
requirement that each one be an F.C.C. licensed Amateur Radio
Operator and be able to operate on military frequencies. They also
have a desire to serve their country and their fellow human beings.
All other factors are as unique as the person is himself or herself.

As a non-veteran member, the desire to serve my country in some
way led me to MARS membership as soon I received my first F.C.C.
license. As I look back on those early days in my MARS career, I
think my "service" might have been a disadvantage to my state
MARS program. Boy! Was I green!

The willingness of the MARS organizations to take on people at all
levels of radio competence is one of the great assets to the MARS
applicant. No matter what level his or her license or experience
might be, the new MARS member is welcome to operate on all the
available modes. Nowhere else can a new Ham gain this type of
experience. Members are most willing to help and the learning by
doing on the nets is the fastest way to learn. I would not be the
accomplished operator and traffic handler that I am today without
having had my MARS membership and experience. There is still
much that I don't know; but there is always a MARS member who is
willing to help and to teach me what I need to know. That is the key
to MARS operations in all areas.

One major program which has truly become interservice is the
Helping Hands program which originated in Army MARS but
includes members, helping and being helped, from all the services.
It is nothing uncommon for a mix of Army, Air Force, and Navy
personnel to be in on a project to help get a member on the air and
functioning. Major assistance in such states as Michigan, Virginia,
Alabama, West Virginia, and several others have given us very
valuable MARS members. I have worked with one gentleman who
is blind and runs one of the best digital message centers that I have
ever worked. I could cite specific people and have given this much
thought; but I don't want to have them singled out as being atypical
MARS members.

The Helping Hands program is not limited to the physically
challenged in terms of health. It is also available to any MARS
member who needs help for temporary health reasons or for any
other reason causing a hardship. As a reasonably new widow, I
would qualify because of the fact that my husband used to do all the
muscle work in keeping the station on the air. I am fortunate to have
radio friends and an active radio club whose members help me
when I need it.

The staffers responsible for the Helping Hands program are Cindy
Rogers/AAA9HH and her husband, Jim/AAA9TC. They are,
themselves, physically challenged and have long been assisting
Hams to stay active and to be able to operate. They have simply
and most effectively extended their expertise to the MARS services
as well. They emphasize the training of those operators who want
to help because this is not an area into which a person just wades in
and then tries to figure out how best to help. They refer those who
need the help to those who want to give the help. They also, very
often, steer the challenged one to appropriate software and
equipment that might solve that person's problem. They are fine
teachers.

People helping people was reflected in the remarks of the FEMA
representative, Mr. Paul Reid, when he participated in the Chief's
Command Net on 10 March 2000. His remarks reflected the
widespread participation of MARS members in the FEMA National
Emergency Coordination Nets that are tested quarterly.
" First of all, I would like to thank the Army MARS membership for
their continuing support of the National Emergency Coordination
Net, or NECN as it is commonly
known. As you know, the NECN is the command-and-control backup for the
Federal Response Plan. The Federal Response Plan is the plan
approved by the White House that all Federal agencies follow when
responding to a disaster.

In order to ensure that the NECN is ready to support the Federal
Response Plan, it is tested each quarter. The June exercise,
scheduled to coincide with the start of hurricane season is open to
check in by each Federal station desiring to participate. The
remaining three exercises limit MARS and Civil Air Patrol check-ins
to net control stations. This is done to make it easier for the other
Federal stations to check in as most perform this as an additional
duty and must return to their other duties as soon as possible.

During this past exercise, Army MARS had 538 stations participating,
with 50 of those being direct check-ins.

During an actual emergency, the activation messages that the FEMA
Communications Center sends out will contain instructions
governing check-ins. Generally speaking, we are looking for check
-ins from stations in the immediate affected areas, plus net control
stations from adjoining states. We do not need lists of stations you
have below the net control stations, but those stations may be
needed to help distribute traffic. If the activation is for a hurricane in
Florida, we do not need the net control station from California or
other distant states to check in. During many emergencies, we will
designate working frequencies and have the most critical stations
move to those frequencies. These working frequencies are
generally between 3 to 17 MHz.

In conclusion, I want to again thank the Army MARS members for
their hard work and dedication and ask for their continued support."

Mr. Reid can be assured that MARS will continue to support the
FEMA efforts when an emergency or disaster occurs. By serving
FEMA and other relief organizations, MARS members are also
servings friends and neighbors.

Army MARS continues to serve...Proud, Professional, and Ready.