AF4BA Joins AFMARS
- 26 September 2023
- K4SBE - Sierra
During our September 12, 2023 club meeting at First Christian Church, 306 College Street, Carrollton, GA., we had an awesome presentation from Tony, AF4BA, on \Air Force Military Auxiliary Radio System.
First, let me tell you just a little bit about AF4BA. In 2020, he started getting involved with Amateur Radio and decided this complex but yet simple communication style really interested him. In the same year, AF4BA joined WGARS with just a Technician barely in his pocket. He pressed on, asking questions, learning, digging for information, attends meetings regularly, helping out at events where is could and always participating, Tony is now the club’s Net Manager. Pressing on, he obtained his “General”, in a very short time, and then he made that “Extra” all his! Congratulations AF4BA.
During the presentation, Tony told us he was looking around for even greater challenges and things to do within Amateur Radio. AF4BA heard about Air Force Military Auxiliary Radio System - AFMARS - and decided to look into it and see what it was all about. The organization’s mission and motto statements were enough to hook him. In part, their mission statement says, …..…provides contingency communication support on behalf of the men and women of the Department of Defense….... however and wherever required. And, their motto is: “Proud, Professional, and Ready.”
AFMARS formation was in November 1925, 98 years ago. The organization serves worldwide and has 10 AFMARS Regions. This organization has a long history of providing worldwide auxiliary emergency communication during times of need. The States of Georgia and Alabama are in region IV.
MARS (Air Force & Army) has several thousand dedicated volunteers which includes skilled Amateur Radio Operators. These volunteers make up the backbone of MARS. Because AFMARS is a dynamic volunteer organization with the mission of supporting multiple agencies and organizations through the Department of Defense, all individual civilian MARS volunteers must meet minimum eligibility requirements for membership. In March 2023, AF4BA joined AFMARS, becoming part of the 43rd Communication Group, Wing 4 Region. He completed his required training in just a few weeks.
At the presentation, Tony went over the extensive training provided, time commitment required to be an active member, the fifty question exam that must be passed to join, possible modification to ones radio, their windows only software platform and the organization’s affiliation and coordination with SHARES, APRS & RACE. Six months is the time allowed to complete the volunteer training. AF4BA also presented multiple divisions, groups and sub-groups within AFMARS that members could participate in after completing training and passing the exam. Tony told the group, “there is a place for everyone in this organization”.
AF4BA says that his joining and participating in AFMARS has been one of the most rewarding things he has done within Amateur Radio and that all of his prior learning helped him through the training process. AF4BA passed out information on MARS, an application, fielded numerous questions and invited everyone to take a look at AFMARS and consider joining.
Of course, AF4BA is looking forward to continuing his participation, growth and learning within AFMARS and to experiencing new adventures within Amateur Radio.
K4SBE, 73
