The following was my attempt to inform DoD at an elevated level of what I believe the impact of the termination of NMC-MARS will have on members and what is left of the program.
Hopefully it will have some desireable results.
73 to all,
Lee
W. Lee McVey, P.E. Ret.
3 Squires Glenn Lane
Leeds, AL 35094-4564
XXX-XXX-XXXX
May 15, 2015
The Honorable Robert O. Work
Deputy Secretary of Defense
1400 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1400
Subject: Termination of Navy-Marine Corps Military Auxiliary Radio Service (NMC-MARS)
Dear Secretary Work:
I learned just yesterday of the 30 September 2015 planned termination of the NMC-MARS program. Throughout my more than 53 years of being an amateur radio operator, I have been an observer and participant in two of the three current MARS programs: Air Force and Army MARS. Although through the years the mission of MARS has changed somewhat, it is largely a volunteer organization. As I’m sure you know, morale is the fuel to operate volunteer organizations. It is what encourages folks to want to belong, to contribute, and serve. Up until now, a major part of that morale fuel was the linkage to the identity of each military branch of MARS and to those who serve or have served.
As of late the missions have changed for the tri-service programs from service to those who serve in the military to more one of service to federal, state and local government agencies in the form of a second level of communications, should primary means fail. In that role, the identity of each of the MARS programs has become blurred. And, the real need for individual branch identity has diminished a great deal. And, it has encouraged internal MARS program competition, which is never a good thing for an organization.
There are many fine, dedicated individuals in the NMC-MARS program that have been told that they should re-apply to one of the two remaining programs. I suspect you might know what that has done or will do to the morale of those who have spent many years in the NMC-MARS program. To add to the discouragement, an unnamed MARS spokesperson has bragged via a media announcement that the Strategic Command has chosen Army MARS as its official supplemental communications pathway. The individual went on to say that Air Force MARS has begun efforts to align itself more directly with Army MARS.(footnoted) This, in spite of the fact that Air Force MARS has a vital radio link with operational aircraft, many of which are Strat Com assets.(footnoted)
Secretary Work, I think that there is a pathway that could be taken by the Department of Defense that would help preserve the proud legacy of NMC-MARS and the morale of those who have served. That is to say, end all of the individual service component programs and combine them all into one Department of Defense MARS program. One preferably based at a location demonstrating tri-service commitment, such as at the Pentagon.
Over the years, there has not been what I would call a balanced commitment of resources to each of the MARS programs. By that I mean that each service has budgeted differing levels of support to their MARS programs. While I do not have data to back up this assertion, it is all too apparent. I have observed what appears to be a much higher staffing level of Army MARS at its Fort Huachuca, AZ headquarters than the other service programs at their respective headquarters. Army’s paid staffing over the years has included several Akima Corporation contract personnel that have been involved in its day to day operations. I have also observed much of what I would call sales activity by virtue of public media releases from the Army program offering communications services to outside entities. MARS is supposed to be almost entirely a volunteer program. As such, it is unfair to allow one branch to use paid staff while the others have to rely almost solely on volunteers to operate.
In its service role to those who serve, NMC-MARS has had many fine accomplishments. None of those were mentioned in the official public announcement of its termination. From my recollections, thousands upon thousands of messages and telephone patches via radio from ships at sea and shore installations during the Vietnam War and later. Also, more recently, NMC-MARS played a key role in the Haitian earthquake disaster recovery. It would be a shame to close the program without at least acknowledging its proud past of serving Sailors and Marines and those in need worldwide.
I would hope that you will consider what I have suggested as I believe that in doing an overall consolidation, you will keep the majority of program participants aboard. If ‘the die is cast’ into what is left becoming a clone of the Army program, as it were, you will likely lose most of what is left of MARS volunteer members across the entire program.
Respectfully,
W. Lee McVey, P.E. Ret.
Amateur Radio Extra Class Licensee W6EM
Life Senior Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers
Member, Radio Club of America