Navy-Marine Corps Military Auxiliary Radio System
(MARS)

Rest in Peace Capt. Bo Lindfors, Chief Navy-Marine Corps MARS
Taps 15 Sep 2015, 0100 Eastern Time.

 

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM Chief MARS 122030Z MAY 2015 to view a copy click here
Chief MARS message 031955Z SEP 2015 “NMC MARS UPDATE” is printed below this next paragraph

Effective 2359Z 30 Sep 2015 Navy-Marine Corps MARS will be disbanded.
This web site will close down sometime during the day of the 30th.
Select link above to read the full initial message from Chief MARS

R 031955Z SEP 2015
FM CHNAVMARCORMARS WILLIAMSBURG VA
TO ALNAVMARCORMARS
INFO ZEN/CHIEF ARMY MARS FT HUACHUCA AZ
ZEN/CHIEF AIR FORCE MARS SCOTT AFB IL
BT
UNCLAS
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON THE NAVY-MARINE CORPS MARS (NMCM) PROGRAM

1. SINCE THE NAVY ANNOUNCED THE TRANSITION OF THE NMCM PROGRAM IN MAY
2015, MORE THAN 430 NMCM MEMBERS HAVE TRANSFERRED TO EITHER THE ARMY
OR AIR FORCE MARS PROGRAMS. WE WANT TO THANK THOSE MEMBERS FOR
CHOOSING TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THROUGH THE
MARS PROGRAM. YOUR DEDICATION AND WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE TO
VOLUNTEER YOUR TALENT, TIME AND EXPERTISE IS APPRECIATED.

2. THE NMCM PROGRAM WILL OFFICIALLY SUNSET AT 2359Z ON 30 SEP 2015.
NMCM MEMBERS WHO INTEND TO TRANSFER TO THE ARMY OR AIR FORCE MARS
PROGRAMS, BUT HAVE NOT YET DONE SO, ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN THEIR
TRANSITION IN ORDER TO RETAIN FULL MARS MEMBER STATUS AND NOT HAVE TO
RESTART TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE A BREAK IN SERVICE.

3. THE BELOW INFORMATION WILL ASSIST NMCM MEMBERS IN THE TRANSFER
PROCESS:

A. NMCM MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING WHO REQUEST TO TRANSFER TO ANOTHER
MARS SERVICE TRANSFER AS A FULL MEMBER. NMCM MEMBERS IN TRAINING
STATUS WILL CONTINUE TRAINING IN EITHER THE ARMY OR AIR FORCE MARS.
NMCM VOLUNTEER LEADERS MAY CONTINUE TO USE THEIR NMCM BILLET CALL
SIGNS UNTIL THE SUNSET OF THE PROGRAM.

B. TRANSFERRING NMCM MEMBERS WHO SERVED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY’S SHARED RESOURCES (SHARES) HF RADIO PROGRAM WILL REMAIN A
SHARES MEMBER BUT MUST RESUBMIT A SHARES FORM 1 ONCE YOUR NEW MARS
CALL SIGN IS RECEIVED IN ORDER TO UPDATE THE SHARES PROGRAM OFFICE
WITH YOUR NEW MARS CALL SIGN. THE SHARES FORM 1 MUST BE ROUTED
THROUGH YOUR NEW MARS SERVICE POC. THE SHARES FORM 1 IS AVAILABLE AT
IN THE “SHARES FORMS” SECTION OF HTTP://WWW.DHS.GOV/SHARES.

C. NMCM MEMBERS WHO OPERATE WINLINK RMS STATIONS MUST CHANGE OVER TO
THEIR NEW MARS CALL SIGN AND CHANGE THE RMS OPERATING FREQUENCIES IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE GAINING MARS SERVICE.

D. THERE IS NO PLAN TO CHANGE THE OFFICIAL MARS PATCH. ARMY AND AIR
FORCE MARS WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALL MILITARY SERVICES.

E. NMCM MEMBERS WHO OPERATE VHF REPEATERS, DIGIPEATERS, ETC., MUST
INFORM THE GAINING MARS SERVICE TO ENSURE SPECTRUM AUTHORIZATIONS ARE
AVAILABLE AND TO CONFIRM THE SYSTEMS ARE NARROW BAND COMPLIANT.

4. OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM NMCM TO ARMY OR AIR FORCE
MARS AS EASY AND SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE. CURRENT ARMY AND AIR FORCE
MARS MEMBERS SHOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION TO NMCM MEMBERS WHEN
REQUESTED BUT THE FINAL TRANSFER DECISION IS A PERSONAL ONE THAT ONLY
THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBER CAN MAKE.

5. NMCM MEMBERS DESIRING TO TRANSFER SHOULD CONTACT:

ARMY MARS:
PAUL ENGLISH, ARMY MARS PROGRAM MANAGER
EMAIL: PAUL.A.ENGLISH.CIV AT MAIL.MIL
TEL: 254-947-3141

DAVID MCGINNIS, ARMY MARS OPS OFFICER
EMAIL: DAVID.K.MCGINNIS.CTR AT MAIL.MIL
TEL: 520-538-7933
APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE ON-LINE AT:
HTTP://WWW.NETCOM.ARMY.MIL/MARS

AIR FORCE MARS:
CONTACT THE AF MARS DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR THE REGION/STATE COINCIDENT
TO YOUR LOCATION FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO JOIN AF MARS. YOU CAN ALSO
E-MAIL COMPLETED APPLICATIONS TO THE AF MARS DIVISION DIRECTOR.
REGIONS 1,2,3, E-MAIL NORTH EAST DIVISION DIRECTOR :
AFN3NE@MARSREGIONONE.ORG
REGION 4, E-MAIL SOUTH EAST DIVISION DIRECTOR:
AFN4SE@MARSREGIONONE.ORG REGIONS 5 AND 7, E-MAIL NORTH CENTRAL
DIVISION DIRECTOR:
AFN7NC@MARSREGIONONE.ORG
REGION 6, E-MAIL SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISION DIRECTOR:
AFN6SC@MARSREGIONONE.ORG
REGIONS 8 AND 10, E-MAIL NORTH WEST DIVISION DIRECTOR:
AFN0NW@MARSREGIONONE.ORG
REGION 9, E-MAIL SOUTH WEST DIVISION DIRECTOR:
AFN9SW@MARSREGIONONE.ORG

NAVY POINT OF CONTACT:
CHRIS JENSEN, ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, NCTAMS LANT
EMAIL: CHRISTOPHER.J.JENSE1@NAVY.MIL
TEL: 757-443-9063

6. WE HIGHLY VALUE THE MANY YEARS OF DEDICATION, COMMITMENT AND
VOLUNTEER SERVICE ALL NMCM MEMBERS WILLINGLY PROVIDED AND ENCOURAGE
YOU TO CONSIDER CONTINUING TO SERVE IN EITHER THE ARMY OR AIR FORCE
MARS PROGRAMS.
BT
NNNN

Read one man’s story. Since the advent of MARS, and especially during the
Vietnam era, many have given their time to aid in passing MARSGRAMS and
making phone patches from service members to their family and friends.