Newsletter for the South Area Navy Marine Corp MARS Lloyd Colston, NNN0ASF8, editor

Volume I, Issue 1 January, 2004

Your First Issue

Welcome to the first issue of "Over the Horizon", the newsletter for the South Area Navy Marine-Corp MARS. During the past few months, your public affairs officers have been busy compiling news for YOU!

What's with the title? Sometimes we operate as member of the Military Affiliate Radio System as if we can only work line of sight. In other words, if we can't "see" them, we can't work them. Over the Horizon will work hard to show you other members of YOUR MARS family who are serving YOUR Nation, State, County, and Community. Over the Horizon will work hard at bringing YOU ideas that can be developed locally. Over the Horizon will work hard at showing you applications of what you are learning.

Remember the sailing ships of old? As they moved out of port and out of view, the MAST was the last part of the ship that was seen. That same MAST held the radio antenna. As the ship moved "over the horizon" that radio mast continued to prove, as the operators signaled land, that the ship still remained diligent to her mission. Over the Horizon will continue to show you that the MARS Ship of State is still afloat and active. As a bit of Journalism trivia, the words at the top of a newsletter are called the MASTHEAD. Therefore, our MAST is still Over the Horizon!

Who's going to do this? In a very real sense, YOU will. Tell your Public Affairs Officers what you are doing. Ask your State director who they are, if you don’t know. If you don't have one, then step up to that plate and fill in that blank.

Greetings from your Area Director! This is our first issue of "Over the Horizon," newsletter. Bravo Zulu to Lloyd Colston/NNN0ASF8 for taking the bull by the horns and making our newsletter possible.

Six months into the reorganization, and I’m still learning some lessons.

Some of issues that have come up are:

What is the operational chain of command?

What is the administrative chain of command?

These questions are a bit blurred when it comes to area and region chain of command. Hopefully this will help clear the air.

Region directors are responsible, under the area director, for operations in their assigned states. It is the responsibility of the region director and his staff to coordinate with the area staff to implement frequency assignments, ECOM drills, monitoring and supervising region networks, and assist state directors to accomplish their operational duties.

The state director is responsible to the region director for operations within their assigned state and to the area director for administrative issues.

The ECOM and Frequency Usage Report (FUR) are operational, and as such will follow this path for submission.

ECOM & FUR should be submitted:

From: State Directors.

To: respective AS6-2/AS7-2 or AS6-3/AS7-3

AS6-2/AS7-2 or AS6-3/AS7-3 will compile their region reports, and submit:

From: AS6-2/AS7-2 or AS6-3/AS7-3

To: ASF2 or ASF3

Info: respective region director for review

ASF2/ASF3 will compile the region reports and submit

From: ASF2/ASF3

To: ASF

Info: ASF1

ASF will review and approve the area report before submitting it to Chief MARS.

This is a bit simpler.

The state director is responsible to assist the MARS area director in program administration within the assigned state.

This includes membership files, quarterly, individual member participation, handling associated correspondence, MARS DOD ID request, tenure request, associate member request.

The Quarterly reports are administrative, and as such will follow this path for submission.

Quarterly reports should be submitted

From: State Directors.

To: ASF

Info: ASF1 and region director for review

ASF will compile reports and submit to Chief MARS.

Remember this is not all encompassing. Area, region and state director duties were taken out of NTP8(C). Remember the state director should always be the first step in the chain of command, i.e., resolve the issue at the lowest level possible.

Finally let me close by thanking everyone who sent items for inclusion in the South Area newsletter. "Bravo Zulu" keep up the good work. Be safe, and enjoy the holidays.

Chief Teeter

Region Six News

Louisiana

Louisiana NAVMARCORPS MARS nets are held on frequency NCF as follows:

6L1B 6:00 p.m. local time daily

6L2B 6:30 a.m. local time Monday-Friday

6L3B 8:00 a.m. local time Sunday

We have one Tango member who should be completing his training soon.

I attended the Tri-Service MARS forum at the Baton Rouge Hamfest in November. Several hams picked up MARS brochures from the MARS table.

Francis, NNN0GAU

New Mexico-West Texas

For over 10 years New Mexico Army, Air Force and Navy MARS has been meeting once a year for a Tri Service conference within the state of New Mexico. The ability to operate cooperatively was started years ago when all three branches of MARS handled a multitude of MARSGRAMS into a state with minimal population and many remote areas. The conferences were held in a different location that would be easily accessible to the majority of members and was hosted on a rotating basis each year.

NAVYMARS took their turn in 2003 to host the conference at Alamogordo, during the Alamogordo Hamfest.

A luncheon was held and presentations were given by the Army Staff members after an opening presentation by Frank, NNN0GBI/NNN0ASF-2 on "NAVYMARS. Before, Now and Future". The ability to recruit, train and retain members in the 21^st Century MARS family was discussed along with the changing roles of MARS from reactive to a proactive group. Having MARS members do some training with the FEMA training programs presented by their local Emergency Managers, as well as developing a working relationship within their geographical areas of state emergency management was discussed at some length also.

Army MARS staff members gave presentations on how Army MARS has changed and their expanded role in homeland defense since changes made after 9/11. Training programs that are in progress and the national training nets were presented. The requirement on increasing their membership through aggressive recruiting within the amateur radio community due to declining membership as debated as well.

New Mexico NAVYMARS has participated in three of the Army MARS exercises locally and nationally during the past year and a good working arrangement with them in. this area was discussed at length. Air Force MARS has a new state director and unfortunately he was unable to attend this year.

Members of both groups had a great luncheon and were able to have time to meet once more, renew friendships and discuss the year’s activities. Army MARS will host the conference for 2004

East Texas

Oklahoma

Region Seven News

As a result of the new MARS forum on Eham, Marty Woodward is the latest MARS member in Kansas!

Welcome Aboard, Marty!

Recently an antenna raising party was held at John’s NNN0VBZ. Because of his poor health, he is not able to do antenna work. Because of home repairs, his antenna system was damaged. Two members from Missouri MARS took on the project of designing and erecting a new system for John. They were Ron, NNN0AZM and Mike, NNN0ABO. Ron and Mike met at John’s house the day after Thanksgiving and put together a trap dipole for operation on 80 through 20 meters.

With his new antenna John is now able to renew contact with several friends around the country.