Not sure how they ever got into the EMCOMM thing as its not part of their Mission. There is one small blurb that says if requested they could help, not go out and issue callsigns to Hospitals (someone posted that in another thread) and make contracts to serve Agencies outside the military.
So, eHam is a repository of everything there is to possibly know?
I'm sure the forum's sponsors are pleased at the potential to challenge Google and the NSA!
You might find it interesting to poke around in other places to check on the possibility of finding an actual current/recent mission statement.
The Military ( not National Guard ) has no duty to respond to Domestic Disasters unless activated by the President,
So, you agree that sometimes, under extreme conditions, the military can be called on to have a domestic disaster response mission, yes?
Unlimited resources , well the 82nd Airborne can pack up and be any where in the world in 18 hrs, so Yes ..
So, Sequestration didn't have an impact on the military? DoD planners have no concerns about the impact of changes in future federal budgets? Active duty troops are never released after injury because the cost of rehabilitation back to active duty capability is too high?
One might wonder whether an entity that has to live within budget constraints might find some potential value in a volunteer resource.
I think you are grasping at straws when it comes to evolving, where would they fit in?
I'm going to leave that as an exercise for the reader.
That being said....look, in my day job, I'm in insurance. Part of my specialty is working with the insurance needs for government entities. Risk management, disaster planning, and the relationship between professionals and volunteers are of interest to me both professionally and recreationally as a ham.
There can be value in having a group of volunteers available to help out when demand is great and professionals are otherwise committed. The challenge is in establishing the proper relationship between professionals and volunteers, the two-way communication when it comes to expectations and capabilities, the evolution of that relationship as needs and resources change, etc.
That situation evolves, and it's a big challenge for groups like ARES, RACES, MARS....the whole array of volunteer communications alphabet soup groups. Frankly, its a challenge where it's extremely difficult to succeed over the long term.
Are MARS members and AMARS/AFMARS in general really up for that challenge? The folks who are in a position to see the big picture probably aren't in a position to say, given the current federal philosophy of not sharing information (even unclassified information) when there is no need to do so.
However, considering the possibilities of what could be possible, and what could make sense is a favorite pastime of mine. And I'm sure there are some masochists out there who really enjoy trying to make possibilities into reality.
