FROM THE ARRL WEBSITE

QUOTE

MARS to Assist TSA "When All Else Fails"

Amateur Radio operators who are members of the Military Affiliate Radio
System (MARS) will provide back-up communication for the US
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) under a formal agreement
announced in July by Army MARS Chief Kathy Harrison, AAA9A. Protecting
airports during the hurricane season will be the immediate focus, she
said, adding that the new MARS-TSA collaboration "is likely to expand
to other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) areas" in the future.

"This is an extensive area and will require member support across the
continental United States," Harrison said in a broadcast announcement
to Army MARS participants. "We will need many volunteers to man teams
assigned to specific geographical areas, starting with airports
throughout the hurricane corridor." She called for "physically capable"
Amateur Radio operators to volunteer for the assignment.

The first airport emergency support teams will be located at four
airports in the Florida hurricane belt: Miami, Ft Myers, Jacksonville
and Pensacola, Harrison said. She added that recruiting will
immediately follow for nine additional potential hurricane targets from
Washington, DC to Houston. In a later phase -- but as soon as possible
-- additional teams will be recruited for other hurricane locations
including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and after that, the
remainder of the continental US.

The emergency support teams -- each consisting of four members of MARS
-- are being assembled under joint sponsorship of MARS and the TSA,
with deployment assignments determined by the TSA when and if the
government's communication systems fail. "Volunteers should be within a
reasonable traveling distance to the airport. It will be their
responsibility to get to the site when activated," said Harrison.

The Memorandum of Understanding, which is already in place, calls for
using MARS networks, personnel and equipment to maintain communication
during the first 72 hours of incidents involving aircraft, mass transit
and pipelines. Seventy-two hours is considered the maximum time needed
for federal response organizations to deploy internal emergency
communication systems.

The MoU spells out the most extensive MARS support mission since the
development of the Essential Elements of Information (EEI), which date
to the 1994 Northridge earthquake that devastated parts of California's
San Fernando Valley. EEIs are alerts to the Pentagon of a natural
disaster or other incident that might require a federal response.

In a memo to MARS personnel, Harrison included the following points:

The Navy-Marine Corps and Air Force MARS organizations are included in
the call for volunteers, via their separate chains of command.

Army MARS state directors will be responsible for formation of the
joint teams.

All deployments will be by team, each with a combination of equipment
and operator capabilities and members ready to work 12-hour shifts.
Some locations may ultimately require more than one team.

Required equipment for each team will include HF and VHF radios with
voice and digital capability, Pactor/Airmail digital messaging, phone
patching and emergency power.

Some locations may have TSA radio gear and emergency power supply to
augment the hams' personal equipment.
A particular MARS responsibility will be to provide communication
interoperability with local, state and national networks, such as the
Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) and Shared Resources
(SHARES). A separate web of national and regional HF radio networks,
SHARES links federal agencies under the DHS's National Communications
System (NCS), of which MARS already is a primary participant.

The pact calls for a reliable back-up solution "to ensure the
continuity of TSA's command and control function during the first 72
hours following any incident interfering with normal communications
channels and to provide local, regional and nationwide TSA
communications during that time." The existing Army MARS emergency
communication network offers such a solution immediately and at no
additional cost to the TSA, the MoU points out.

Under the MoU, the TSA agrees to provide MARS volunteers with access to
its facilities and space for radio equipment. It further agrees to
integrate MARS capabilities into its emergency planning and exercises.
The Army's commitment includes providing "volunteer MARS radio
operators, equipment, and use of the MARS radio networks" and
developing "alert procedures and a communications support plan" that
"will identify specific frequencies, call signs, and radio operator
level duties." Harrison stressed that the decision to volunteer rests
with the individual. "The Army has no liability over a member who
reports to a disaster site; members will be responsible to TSA
personnel."

Harrison told the Army MARS membership that she's "very excited" about
the new agreement. "This will be a fast-moving recruitment/development
action, and I request your support in filling these teams."

The chiefs of Air Force and Navy-Marine Corps MARS also are onboard
with the new agreement and have messaged their respective memberships
to signify their participation and cooperation with Army MARS. Air
Force MARS Chief Don Poquette, AGA3C/KE9XB, has pledged his members'
support. "AF MARS will assist to accomplish this mission," he said,
pending working out logistical details.

Harrison says she and her headquarters staff met recently with TSA and
DHS representatives to formalize the details of the cooperative
arrangement. She said MARS area coordinators will provide specific
requirements to state MARS directors to recruit members and equipment
capabilities to support TSA.

Signing the MoU on behalf of the Army was Col Mary Beth Shively, chief
of staff, Network Enterprise Technology Command/Ninth Army Signal
Command. James Schear, general Manager, Operational Plans and Programs,
endorsed it for the TSA. Headquartered at Ft Huachuca, Arizona, the
Ninth Army Signal Command oversees the Army MARS mission. -- Bill
Sexton, N1IN

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