[PVRCNC] Another issue

[Irv [K3IRV] McWherter]

I receive this email from Jerry Jones Area 4 ARES Coordinator.  It is yet
another issue with the ARRL making significant changes without conferring
with the members in the field.

I'm not saying I always agree with everything Tom Brown N4TAB does in/with
NC AUXCOMM, but he does not deserve to be treated in this manner.

Additionally, I have met the ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike
Corey, KI1U, and he is one of the very few younger people at HQ.  To me he
does not seem to be the type to move out in this manner.

>From Tom Brown N4TAB:

Hi, folks.

Last week, I received the following quoted message from the ARRL HQ Field
Services Coordinator. It is a legitimate email.

AFAIK, not one single person in the NC leadership group or the Roanoke
Division was contacted by anyone about this. It lists "approval by a peer
review group". AFAIK, that is a blatant misrepresentation. We are one of
the top groups in the Nation and were NOT contacted.

Frankly, I am simply amazed by this.

I suggest that you do as I have done: raise this matter to the attention of
the NC SM and to the Roanoke Division Director and Vice Director and ask
for clarification:

NC SM Karl Bowman w4chx at arrl.org
Roanoke Division Director Dr. Jim Boehner n2zz at arrl.org
Roanoke Division Vice Director Bill Morine n2cop at arrl.org

Please don't set this aside - do it now. Push it out to your team, please.

Thanks and 73.

Tom

-- 

Tom Brown N4TAB/NCS887

NC COML Type III AHIMT NC0004

Voting Member NC SIEC NGO-AUXCOMM

NC AUXCOMM Coordinator

NC RACES Officer

NC ARES SEC

FirstNetNC Outreach Liaison, Emergency Management/NGO

n4tab at earthlink.net

919-971-3100 (c)



*Changes Coming to the Amateur Radio Emergency Service*



The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) has been the public service
communications program of the ARRL since 1935. Over the program’s eight
decades it has occasionally undergone updates to make sure it meets the
needs of partners at all levels, adjusts to changes in the Amateur Radio
Service, and incorporate lessons learned from emergency and disaster
activations. However, the last major update to ARES occurred more than 40
years ago, and it is quite clear that a lot has changed since then.

So, two years ago, the ARRL board of directors created the Public Service
Enhancement Working Group to study the ARRL’s public service offerings and
recommend changes and improvements. The working group focused on many areas
including training, volunteer management, field organization positions, and
mission – all areas of concern brought to the board and staff’s attention
from those in the field. The recommendations were vetted through a peer
review group of field organization volunteers and readied for
implementation.

In the months ahead, you will receive information on enhancements coming to
the ARES program, including:

·  A new national mission statement for ARES

·  New national training requirements and local training resources for ARES

·  Updated field organization job descriptions

·  Improved ARES operating guidelines

·  New ARES group benefits

·  A new volunteer management system – *ARES Connect*

The first step in the next evolution of ARES is group identification.
Currently there is no way to identify ARES groups or their associated
volunteers with a searchable unique designator, which makes reporting and
accountability difficult. Beginning January 1, 2018 ARES groups will need
to sign up for their unique ARES identification number. This number will be
utilized by the *ARES Connect* system and provide ARES groups with unique
benefits (think club affiliation, but for ARES!).

Once ARES groups receive their identification numbers they will be eligible
for benefits including:

·  ARES book sets (great for the EOC or Red Cross radio room)

·  New ham referral

·  Early access to the annual ARES Report

·  Email forwarding, which will provide ARES groups that have a club
callsign with a uniform "call sign at arrl.net"

·  More to come!

Groups that will need an ARES identification number include local level
(city/county/district) and section level. Information about the ARES
identification application process will be sent out the week before the
application system opens.

If you have any questions, please contact ARRL Emergency Preparedness
Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, ki1u at arrl.org

 73, Irv - K3IRV

-- 
*Semper Fortis*