[QCWA] The death of NAVMARCORMARS

[Norm Gertz]

        DE NNN0ASA 040
      R 162200Z MAY 2009
      FM CHNAVMARCORMARS WILLIAMSBURG VA
      TO ALNAVMARCORMARS
      INFO ZEN/CHIEF ARMY MARS FT HUACHUCA AZ
      ZEN/CHIEF AIR FORCE MARS SCOTT AFB IL
      BT

      UNCLAS

      SUBJ: CHNAVMARCORMARS BCST 03-09

      A. DOD DIRECTIVE 4650.2 DTD 26 JAN 1998
      B. DOD INSTRUCTION 4650.02 (PROPOSED) NOTAL

      1. COMMANDER, NAVAL NETWORK WARFARE COMMAND (NNWC) HAS DECIDED TO
      'SUNSET' THE MARS MISSION WITHIN NAVY AS OF 30 SEP 2009. NNWC HAS
      REQUESTED ALL MILITARY BILLETS AND MY CIVILIAN POSITION BE DELETED
      AND UNFUNDED AFTER THAT DATE. OPNAV HAS NOT YET APPROVED THIS
      REQUEST.

      2. ALL THREE MARS SERVICES HAVE OPERATED UNDER THE MANDATE OF REF A,
      WHICH IS STILL VALID. REF B IS A PROPOSED UPDATE TO REF A AND IS IN
      THE PROCESS OF BEING COORDINATED BETWEEN DOD AND THE THREE SERVICES.
      REF B INCREASES THE SERVICES REQUIREMENT TO SUPPORT THE MARS
      PROGRAMS WITHIN THEIR SERVICE. ARMY AND AIR FORCE HAVE AGREED TO THE CHANGES
      BUT NAVY (OPNAV) HAS ASKED TO BE LET OUT OF THIS REQUIREMENT. THIS
      NEGOTIATION IS STILL IN PROCESS AND WE DO NOT KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE
      RESOLVED.

      3. AS A CONSEQUENCE OF NNWC DECISION TO 'SUNSET' THE MARS MISSION, I
      AM FORCED TO INITIATE ACTION TO CLOSE DOWN NAVY-MARINE CORPS
      OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES BY 30 SEP 2009. ACCORDINGLY:
        A. AREA DIRECTORS WILL TRANSFER ALL MEMBERSHIP RECORDS TO HQ NLT
      THAN 31 JUL 2009. WHEN RECORDS HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED, STATE
      DIRECTORS WILL SEND ALL MEMBERSHIP RELATED MATTERS DIRECTLY TO CHNAVMARCORMARS VICE THE AREA DIRECTOR.

        B. AREA DIRECTORS WILL CLOSE DOWN THEIR OFFICES AND TURN IN ALL
      EQUIPMENT TO DRMO NOT LATER THAN 30 SEP 2009.

        C. NONE OF THE EQUIPMENT AT THE AREA DIRECTORS STATIONS WILL BE
      ALLOWED TO BE TRANSFERRED TO ANY MEMBERS. THE EQUIPMENT MAY BE
      TRANSFERRED TO OTHER OFFICIAL NAVY ORGANIZATIONS (LIKE MWR OR
      SPECIAL SERVICES) TO HELP EQUIP OR START UP MILITARY RECREATION STATIONS.
      THESE TRANSFERS WILL BE APPROVED BY HQ ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.

      4. IF NAVY'S REQUEST TO BE DELETED FROM REF B IS NOT APPROVED, THERE
      WILL BE A NAVY-MARINE CORPS MARS PROGRAM BUT IT WILL NOT HAVE AREA
      DIRECTORS (THEY WILL HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRED). ALL MEMBERSHIP
      CORRESPONDENCE WILL BE HANDLED BETWEEN THE STATE DIRECTOR AND CHIEF,
      NAVMARCORMARS DIRECTLY. AREA DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND AREA STAFF
      POSITIONS WILL BE RETAINED TO COORDINATE FREQUENCY MATTERS, TRAINING, ETC..
      ALL OPERATIONAL MATTERS WILL BE HANDLED BY STATE AND REGION DIRECTORS.

      5. I WILL INFORM YOU AS SOON AS I FIND OUT THE FINAL RESOLUTION OF
      NAVY'S REQUEST TO 'SUNSET' NAVY-MARINE CORPS MARS.

      BT
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