Why did the first person start this thread. Last time I checked, we still have freedom of choice in the US of A. If you think MARS is useless then find something else to do with your time. On the other hand, these posts sure bring out the trolls.
Art
For the very same reason you mention, is probably why the OP posted it. He probably isn't far off in his assessment as far as I am concerned. There needs to be opposing views for people to make informed decisions about whether they should join or not.
I was a member of Army MARS for a very short period. I was still on active duty at the time and was about a year out from my retirement. I did all of the Training including all the FEMA stuff which really had no bearing on current Military procedures or requirements. The radio procedures felt very antiquated to me, and if they ever happened to be on an official Military net no one would know what the heck they were saying. Not that it would ever happen as most military communications are encrypted using a hardware encryption algorithm. Phone patches and Mars Grams are all but forgotten with the only exception being an occasional phone patch for an Air Force Flight crew.
I couldn't participate in many of the nets as they were at times when I was at work or traveling to and from, it seemed to be geared more to the convenience of the retired group that seemed to make up the majority of members.
Today's MARS program is swaying more to the disaster relief and EMCOMM side of things and doesn't appear to be much different than the ARES programs already in place, with the exception being its a national/federal type entity, which really gives it no more or less credibility.
Technology has changed, MARS is still trying to cling to the past which there is no need. When I wanted to call home from Iraq during my last tour ( 2006/2007 )I just dialed on my Iraqi Cell Phone which worked fine for the most part. The times I was on a big base I could just do Skype via Satellite Internet.
Creating a solution for a problem that doesn't exist is just that.
Anyway thats my take on it, if someone wants to get involved so be it, if they don't that's fine too, but to call someone a troll because they have opposing views of its usefulness just makes it look that much worse.
73
Craig, W1MSG
I Guess I'm a Troll too !