About the United State Army Military Affiliate Radio System

MARS is a Department of Defense sponsored program, established as a separately managed and operated program by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The program consists of licensed amateur radio operators who are interested in military communications on a local, national, and international basis as an adjunct to normal communications.

MARS has a long and proud history of providing world-wide auxiliary emergency communications during times of need. The combined three service MARS programs (Army, Air Force, and Navy-Marine Corps) volunteer force of over 5,000 dedicated and skilled amateur radio operators is the backbone of the MARS program. The benefit of MARS membership is enjoying an amateur radio hobby through the ever-expanding horizon of MARS. Our affiliate members' continued unselfish support of our mission keeps Army MARS Proud, Professional, and Ready.

• To provide Department of Defense sponsored emergency communications on a local, national, and international basis as an adjunct to normal communications.

• To provide auxiliary communications for military, civil and/or disaster officials during periods of emergency.
  
• To assist in effecting normal communications under emergency conditions.

 

In November, 1925, the Army Amateur Radio System (AARS) was initiated by a few dedicated pioneers in the United States Army Signal Corps led by Capt. Thomas C. Rives. His original intention was to enlist the talents of volunteer Amateur Radio operators as a source to train soldiers in the then new technology of radio as well as pursuing radio research and development to improve radio equipment within the Army. His efforts were very successful.

This organization continued until the United States entry into World War II, at which time radio Amateurs were denied the use of the air. Therefore, the activities of AARS, as it was known, were suspended until 1946 when, once again, AARS was allowed to go back on the air. During the years 1925 through 1942, the AARS functioned more or less as an extra curricular activity of the U. S. Army Signal Corps, its scope being necessarily limited by the meager budget of the pre-World War II depression years. The best available figures indicate that as of the 7th of December, 1941, there were approximately 60,000 FCC licensed Amateurs within the United States and its possessions. Some 5600 of those Amateurs were members of the AARS. About 20% of the pre-World War II AARS members eventually entered the service of their country either in the Army or in a civilian capacity. The U. S. Army recognized the great importance of reactivating the AARS to train vitally needed communications personnel at a relatively inexpensive direct cost to the U.S. government. Therefore, in 1946, the AARS was reactivated and functioned as such until the creation of the Military Amateur Radio System in 1948, later renamed the Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) with Army MARS and the newly formed Air Force MARS reflecting the creation of the Air Force as a separate service. In early 1963, the Navy-Marine Corps MARS was established.

MARS has grown in all of the services throughout the world. It relies on civilian and military MARS members to be available in case of emergency or disaster to provide communications support. At such times, MARS needs all of the support it can provide. Amateur Radio, collectively with MARS, has made its mark in American history. Each year provides new evidence of the important role it plays in the service of the nation.

A little bit more about MARS...

MARS has a long and proud history of providing world-wide auxiliary emergency communications during times of need. In order to maintain operator proficiency and ensure network and system integrity and effectiveness during emergencies, the MARS program provides morale messaging services for members of the Armed Forces stationed around the world. 

Depending upon location and availability of equipment, MARS also offers service members the opportunity to place free phone calls home from overseas, from military aircraft, and from ships. This is accomplished by connecting phone lines to radio equipment with the radio link acting as the long-distance carrier. This process is called, "phone-patching."

Washington State Army MARS stands Proud, Professional, and Ready.