from The ARRL letter:
MARS Communications Exercise to Involve Amateur Radio Community
Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) volunteers will take part in the Department of Defense (DOD) Communications Exercise 20-4, starting on October 3 and concluding on October 26. The MARS focus is interoperability with ARRL and the amateur radio community.
“Throughout the month of October, MARS members will interoperate with various amateur radio organizations that will be conducting their annual simulated emergency tests with state, county, and local emergency management personnel,” said MARS Chief Paul English, 
WD8DBY. “MARS members will send a DOD-approved message to the amateur radio organizations recognizing this cooperative interoperability effort.”
MARS members will also train with the ARRL National Traffic System (NTS) and Radio Relay International (RRI) to send ICS 213 general messages to numerous amateur radio leaders across the US.
“This exercise will culminate with MARS Auxiliarists sending a number of summary messages in support of a larger DOD communications exercise taking place October 20 - 26,” English added. Throughout the month of October, MARS stations will operate on 60 meters, and WWV/WWVH will broadcast messages to the amateur radio community. English assures no disruption to communications throughout the month-long series of training events.
Dave,
We just finished a Webinar this evening with the NTS on how they want use to convert our ACP-127 format into Radio Gram format. During this up come exercise you will heard MARS operators on their net dropping off and picking up traffic to be moved throughout their national system.
I’m also in the processing working out the final details with both SATERN digital and voice net. Region 6 Army MARS operators will be working in and out of their nets with ICS-213 request forms.
To be honest will everyone all Region 6 Army MARS members that recently participated in Joes (digital drill 2) had a great time and enjoyed the interaction between North/South Texas ARES.
The week of October 19-25 will be the main week of MARS/AMATEURS interaction on 60 meters and/or what time frame your local SET exercises will be.
We are looking forward to a great and fun exercise with all the Amateur community. If anyone has any questions on how to interact with MARS please feel free to drop me a line.
73,
Ken Miller
AAA6R3
Region 6 Army MARS Operational Officer
713-826-1049
Hello Ken,
Are you the contact for the STX section for this event?
Jeffery A Walter – KE5FGA
ARRL STX SEC
RACES 16-201-U
281-467-8595 Cell
(attachments)
Hello Ken,
Are you the contact for the STX section for this event?
Jeffery A Walter – KE5FGA
ARRL STX SEC
RACES 16-201-U
281-467-8595 Cell
Hello Ken,
Are you the contact for the STX section for this event?
Jeffery A Walter – KE5FGA
ARRL STX SEC
RACES 16-201-U
281-467-8595 Cell