Warren...I finely found the thread you were talking about....man what a bunch of chatter.
Let me see...MSG, is that USAMP as in Military Police?
This is MSG Bronson, Spectrum Manager, US Army Signal Corps.
I really hate to pit MOS against MOS, but with fresh retirement orders in hand...what the hell.
What did you think MARS was about? What were YOUR expectations? When I went to PLDC they taught us how to research topics in FMs, TMs and ARs. When I found out about MARS early in my Signal career....SCORE!
1. Last minute tasking, no assigned frequencies...one call to State MARS Director and G2G. Just radio silence during the regular scheduled training net. I promise. With crypto in our radios....several comments about 'static'....ooops. Good training for the MARS ops! Work through it...'send all after....over' (for the poster that is an alpha sierra sierra you can kilo mike alpha, let me pull down my Viet greens...er BDUs...er DCUs...er ACUs) Did you ever serve, Sir? And I use that term loosely.
MARS, I will not limit to Army as I have leveraged all three services in my career, is the Swiss Army knife of COMMS for COMMANDERS to press into service if they know how. That is if they are advised by someone who can think.
MARSGRAMS, EMCOMM, Weather Spotting....is any of that in the front of AR 25-6? Mission Statement? Purpose?
Old FM 22-100 'Principles'? Deploy your Unit with it's means. Use of available systems. Seek self improvement.
Let me digress and not pick MSG, although I feel he did not smell the coffee. My opinion as he has his.
Have any of you researched the Purpose and Mission Statement of MARS? It has changed a little. MARGRAMS were a 'training' tool, not the base purpose of MARS.
For the longest time I used to recite that MARS was a service (communications) to provide adjunct communications for the Commander. That is, the back up, to the back up, way down on the PACE plan...but there for the Commander to leverage and have C2.
For those advanced 'Radio Experts' out there, try downloading the NITA Redbook.
Control F> MARS, SHARES and scroll through the Footnotes.
Half of the Folks that discuss 'authoritatively' about radio topics don't even know this Publication exists. Seek self improvement...if not, and you want to run your mouth....make sure your feet are clean.
Here is how I leverage Army MARS.....TODAY.
2. Two Combatant Commands under the Stafford Act are REQUIRED to have Defense Coordination Officers that will 'process' requests from State or US Possession(s) governments before asking the Commander (NORTHCOM and PACOM) to utilize Title 10 assets (active duty; pick a service and I apologize the CG doesn't count as they are now DHS). DCO/DCEs work close with FEMA. My Unit has the DCO as an assigned 'Directorate'. Guess what is their PACE plan? MARS radios, PACTOR modems, NET Plans and two Signal Soldiers that have been trained. Guess what Spectrum Manager has frequency requests poised addressed to the NTIA and FCC if assignments are not available in the affected area? (Do not confuse this with HA/DR which is when we assist other countries; USAID)
Did you know that the Army has more watercraft than the Navy?
3. Guess who has the MARS NETPLAN information putzing around the Pacific?
Yes, I admit...waaaayyyy down in the PACE Plan....but use of available systems.
4. In the past...(ok, dating myself)...PRC-127s using the AF MARS repeater at McChord AFB to relay convoy stats to the Battalion HQs on Ft. Lewis when we went to Yakima Firing Center via I-90.
We tried to use the pay phone at the gas station, but other customers got bent that we were always on it.
'Prepper' gibberish and 45 antennas on the 'Whacker Mobile' not required. I am not trying to impress anyone. There is just so much misinformation and misconception about MARS.
If any of you want to pick up on any topic other than being a hateful Troll, please>
n2obm@hotmail.com