The MARS Mission is:

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.

MARS IS "OFFICIAL"

The Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) is an official Department of Defense and Department of the Army sponsored communications system. Therefore, it has official status, is assigned missions and functions, and authorized the use of assigned military radio frequencies.

Army MARS is directed and managed by the Department of the Army through the United States Army Signal Command and is a world-wide organization. It is comprised of both military and civilian personnel. In fact, the majority are civilian volunteers. Each volunteer Army MARS member is required to hold a valid Amateur Radio license from the Federal Communications Commission. These volunteers are under no service obligation, but must meet a 12-hour per calendar quarter minimum participation requirement. A volunteer may resign from Army MARS at any time without difficulty or prejudice by simply submitting a written resignation.

Benefits of MARS Membership

Add to the enjoyment of your amateur radio hobby through the expanded horizon of MARS.

Become part of the Army, Navy-MarineCorps, or Air Force MARS worldwide communications system. There are MARS stations in Japan, Korea, the Trust Territories, Phillipines, Hawaii, Panama, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Central America, Alaska, Germany, Africa, and the continental United States.

Increase your communications skills and capabilities. Selected correspondence courses in communications-electronics subjects are available free to MARS members from their respective affiliated service after completion of six months active membership.

Operate on specially assigned military radio frequencies in voice, teletype, and packet modes of communications.

Join a group of dedicated fellow radio amateurs participating in meaningful public service.

Affiliate with the service branch of your choice and become part of the professional military communications family.

Gain a feeling of being associated with a military mission and contributing to the welfare and preparedness of the nation.

Participate in regulated, disciplined radio nets with structured lines of organization and very specific operating rules.

Participate in the MARS Excess/Surplus Equipment Program after 6 months active membership. Issue of Government excess/surplus equipment is based on availability, of equipment, and possible assigned mission of individual activity. The granting of MARS membership to an individual or activity does not in itself convey an automatic right or entitlement of the recipient to receive or demand MARS property.

History

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. In 2010 the name was again changed to the Military Auxiliary Radio System.

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