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The Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) is a Department of Defense sponsored program, established as separately managed and operated programs by the Army, Navy-Marine Corps and Air Force.
MARS
members are
volunteer licensed amateur radio operators who are interested in
providing auxiliary or emergency communications to local, national and international emergency and safety organizations, as an adjunct to
normal communications.
The primary concept of MARS is to meet the requirements of training for any communications emergency. To this end, organization,
methods and facilities must be adequate to meet any
emergency requirements and must be flexible in order to provide for
rapid expansion. Normal methods must be such that only minor changes
will be required
when shifting to an emergency status.
History of Army MARS Program
In November, 1925, the Army Amateur Radio System (AARS) was initiated
by a few dedicated pioneers in the United States Army Signal Corps led
by Capt. Thomas C. Rives. His original intention was to enlist the
talents of volunteer Amateur Radio operators as a source to train
Soldiers in the then new technology of radio as well as pursuing radio
research and development to improve radio equipment within the Army.
His efforts were very successful.
This organization continued until the United States entry into World
War II, at which time radio Amateurs were denied the use of the air.
Therefore, the activities of AARS, as it was known, were suspended
until 1946 when, once again, AARS was allowed to go back on the air.
During the years 1925 through 1942, the AARS functioned more or less as
an extra curricular activity of the U. S. Army Signal Corps, its scope
being necessarily limited by the meager budget of the pre-World War II
depression years. The best available figures indicate that as of the
7th of December, 1941, there were approximately 60,000 FCC licensed
Amateurs within the United States and its possessions. Some 5600 of
those Amateurs were members of the AARS. About 20% of the pre-World War
II AARS members eventually entered the service of their country either
in the Army or in a civilian capacity. The U. S. Army recognized the
great importance of reactivating the AARS to train vitally needed
communications personnel at a relatively inexpensive direct cost to the
U.S. government. Therefore, in 1946, the AARS was reactivated and
functioned as such until the creation of the Military Amateur Radio
System in 1948, later renamed the Military Affiliate Radio System
(MARS) with Army MARS and the newly formed Air Force MARS reflecting
the creation of the Air Force as a separate service. In early 1963, the
Navy-Marine Corps MARS was established.
MARS has grown in all of the services throughout the world. It relies
on civilian and military MARS members to be available in case of
emergency or disaster to provide communications support. At such times,
MARS needs all of the support it can provide. Amateur Radio,
collectively with MARS, has made its mark in American history. Each
year provides new evidence of the important role it plays in the
service of the nation.
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