[KL7AA] Military Auxiliary Radio System - MARS

[KL7YK]

For those unaware of the recent changes to the MARS Program, Navy-Marine 
MARS has ordered their program to close down 30 Sept this year.
Any members in the Navy-Marine Program wishing to transfer to AF or Army 
have been encouraged to do so before then.

As a result the Army MARS Program in Alaska has been reinvigorated. With 
Alaska Navy MARS Operators transferring to Army MARS the Alaska Army 
MARS program is resuming after a 3 year virtual shutdown.

Myself and KL7JFT Don Bush up in Palmer have both returned to the Army 
program with several others following us shortly.

The Army and AF have stated they are in it for the long haul and will 
not follow the Navy in the shutdown of Navy-Marine Corps MARS. The 
reasons for the shutdown are varied but the lack of Dept of the Navy 
desire to continue funding the program was a major consideration.  This 
is in no way a reflection of the efforts by the Navy MARS Operators to 
continue providing communications support to the Navy and others.  Its 
simply not something the Navy wants to be involved with now.

So with that said the Army and AF are actively seeking Navy MARS 
Operators to join one of those programs.  Here in Alaska there is not AF 
MARS, but Army MARS is rebuilding.

If you have an interest in becoming involved with MARS please check out 
the AF and Army MARS information online.  I have build a small webpage 
to provide a quick view of the Army Program.

It's at http://kl7yk.us/ARMYMARS/Index.htm

Don and I will be happy to assist anyone seeking information.


Ron Keech, KL7YK
Army MARS, Alaska

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
http://www.avast.com