Ares nets are very different in different areas.
We started a radio club for people who are interested in many different aspects of Amateur Radio, but are not interested in Ares or Emcom/Community service. We also have an Ares group comprised of club members and others who also have an interest in Public Service.
Our County EC has incorporated our Ares group into the County emergency plan. We are in a rural area and don't have hundreds of public servant's to draw from in an emergency, so we all have agreed to help wherever necessary.
This works well for our group. We have a very dedicated Ares EC who wants to get us all the training that is available; our group is a motivated group. All are agreeable to this.
If you want to be a part of an emergency radio group, why would you not take the time to do the four ICS on line training classes. ICS is now the standard for Emcom. More training, practical training will do nothing but improve the groups ability to handle emergency communications in the most efficient way possible.
Too many Ares groups do the boring once a week check in's and little else. It's no wonder people get tired of doing so little.
Long time operators may know what to do in an emergency, but where does that leave the new guys and gals who want to be a part of community service ? It also does not effect changes to the way emergency communications have changed.
If we are to be taken seriously in an emergency by local, state and the federal government, training and knowing how to interface with governmental agency's is a must. Otherwise we are looked at like a bunch of good ol boy CBers.
Times have changed and if those who want to be a part of Emcom want to be viewed as a valid part of Emcom, we must change also. Otherwise, rag chew, DX, do digital or whatever you enjoy and forget Emcom.
In today's world, Amateur radio is likely to be the only form of radio that may be available in the onset of a major disaster.
Almost all local agency's have gone to trunked systems that work fine in normal times, but will be the first thing to fail in a disaster.
Once the State and Feds finally get to the affected area, they will establish their own comms and then Amateur radio will be secondary. That's fine with me. Thing is, our group will be prepared to work with governmental agency's as needed. Our County EC thinks highly of our group and will use us as much as possible.
It's developing relationships with your local Emergency Coordinator that will make us a valid and useful part of Emcom.
Unless your group is willing to get the training and do actual on air exercises and work with the local County EC, then we will not be relevant.
The times have changed. If you're not willing to change also, maybe Emcom is not your cup of tea.
Having made the relationships with the agency's in our county, we will be an integral part of any emergency, in fact, they have made it known that they are counting on us, so we had better be up to the task. We hold joint exercises to ensure we are all on the same page. We are also included in all community events. Some of our members are also a part of our local SAR group, helping with communications so that those who can put on a pack and hump up it a mountain are not stuck at the staging area.
I'm sure some will hammer me for my views, and that's fine. If we are to be looked at as a service that contributes to the resolution of an emergency, we have to keep up with the times. If your not willing to do this, then maybe it's time to enjoy the other aspects of radio.
If we are needed and fail to live up to expectations, we will be irrelevant in the future. Never forget, we enjoy the radio spectrum we have because the government knows we are a necessity in times of emergency. If we fail at those times, they might just figure our spectrum is more valuable being sold for business use.
There are many groups who are doing things right. It's been shown time and time again that Amateur radio is important to emergency's and disasters. These are the groups who are keeping up with the times.
To the OP, hang in there and maybe you can convince some in your group to not worry about having the latest, most expensive gear, but learning to use what you have and get your group up to speed in todays emcom.
If the net control operator cannot be professional, maybe it's time he handed over the mic to someone else, but you too must be professional.
John