Established as Navy MARS in 1962
From NAVPERS 10898A Naval Communications (1964) -
The Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) provides a source of trained operators having a potential for emergency communications in support of the military services. Basically, Navy MARS was established to train amateur radio operators in Navy communication procedures.
The Army and Air Force each have their MARS, and with the Navy now form a tri-service MARS. The operators maintain an affiliation with the service of their choice and provide a backlog of competent personnel for use in local disasters or a general emergency.
Navy MARS operators ordinarily operate from their own amateur stations using Navy-assigned calls. They handle personal or semiofficial message traffic of a morale nature that does not qualify for regular transmission over Navy circuits.
The end of Navy-Marine Corps MARS - May 2015
DE NNNØASA ØØ1 R 122Ø3ØZ MAY 2Ø15 FM CHNAVMARCORMARS WILLIAMSBURG VA TO ALNAVMARCORMARS INFO ZEN/CHIEF ARMY MARS FT HUACHUCA AZ ZEN/CHIEF AIR FORCE MARS SCOTT AFB IL BT UNCLAS SUBJ/TRANSITION OF NAVY MARINE CORPS MARS (MILITARY AUXILIARY RADIO SYSTEM PROGRAM// REF/A/PHONECON/NCTAMS LANT/NAVIDFOR/FCC-C1ØF/STRATCOM/Ø8 MAY 2Ø15// REF/B/DODI 465Ø.2/MILITARY AUXILIARY RADIO SYSTEM (MARS)// REF/C/DODD 3Ø25.18/DEFENSE SUPPORT OF CIVIL AUTHORITIES// RMKS/1. IAW REF A, NAVAL COMPUTER AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS AREA MASTER STATION ATLANTIC (NCTAMS LANT) INTENDS TO WORK WITH U.S. ARMY MARS AND U.S. AIR FORCE MARS IN TRANSITIONING THE NAVY MARINE CORPS MARS (NAVMARCORMARS) PROGRAM BY 3Ø SEP 2Ø15. THE INTENT OF THE TRANSITION IS TO BEST ALIGN THE PROGRAM TO SUPPORT NATIONAL MISSION REQUIREMENTS. 2. EVALUATION OF THE NAVMARCORMARS PROGRAM BY FLEET CYBER COMMAND (FCC)/COMMANDER 1ØTH FLEET (C1ØF), NAVAL INFORMATION DOMINATION FORCES (NAVIDFOR), AND NCTAMS LANT DETERMINED THAT THERE ARE NO U.S. NAVY SERVICE UNIQUE REQUIREMENTS. 3. NCTAMS LANT WILL WORK WITH OTHER U.S. NAVY, U.S. ARMY, U.S. AIR FORCE, U.S. STRATEGIC COMMAND, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY REPRESENTATIVES, AND NAVMARCORMARS VOLUNTEERS TO DEVELOP A TRANSITION PLAN FOR NAVMARCORMARS MEMBERS WHICH MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS OF REF B AND REF C. 4. CURRENT NAVMARCORMARS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS AND CLUBS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS TO U.S. ARMY MARS OR U.S. AIR FORCE MARS PROGRAMS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. U.S. ARMY MARS MEMBERSHIP CAN BE REQUESTED AT HTTP://WWW.USARMYMARS.ORG/RESOURCES/APPLICATIONS-AND-FORMS AND U.S. AIR FORCE MARS MEMBERSHIPS INFORMATION CAN BE REQUESTED VIA E-MAIL TO 38CYRS.SCM.MARS@US.AF.MIL. 5. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED SEPCOR FOR MARS STATIONS UNDER MILITARY AUSPICES, AGENCY STATIONS, AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS WHO ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE DHS SHARED RESOURCES (SHARES) HF RADIO PROGRAM. 6. AT A MINIMUM, FUTURE NOTICES WILL BE PROVIDED VIA CHIEF, NAVMARCORMARS MESSAGE. OTHER MEDIA WILL BE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THE TRANSITION COMMUNICATIONS PLAN. 7. THE U.S. NAVY GREATLY APPRECIATES THE THOUSANDS OF MARS VOLUNTEERS, PAST AND PRESENT, WHO HAVE BEEN INTEGRAL TO THE SUCCESS OF MARS. NCTAMS LANT WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED OF TRANSITION EFFORTS AND REQUESTS YOUR ASSISTANCE TO HELP START THIS NEW CHAPTER IN MARS OPERATIONS. 8. NCTAMS LANT POC: BO LINDFORS, COMM 757-443-9Ø55, DSN 312-646-9Ø55, BO.LINDFORS@NAVY.MIL AND CHRIS JENSEN, COMM: 757-443-9Ø63, DSN: 312-646-9Ø63, CHRISTOPHER.J.JENSE1@NAVY.MIL. 9. FCC/C1ØF POC: MICHAEL KEGLEY, COMM: 3Ø1-688-2387, MICHAEL.KEGLEY@NAVY.MIL. 1Ø. U.S. ARMY MARS POC: PAUL ENGLISH, COMM: 254-947-3141, PAUL.A.ENGLISH.CIV@MAIL.MIL. 11. U.S. AIR FORCE MARS POC: DAVID STAPCHUK, COMM: 618-229-5964, DAVID.STAPCHUK.2@US.AF.MIL. 12. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.// BT NNNN