"Dwight Stewart" wrote in message
.. .

It's not just a matter of national defense, Len. The pool of trained
operators concept also applies to civil defense, public service, and so
on.
As such, the concept is just as valid today.

True, but the paradigm has changed. When CW was the ONLY, or
even the DOMINANT mode of communication via radio, the need for
a pool of (CW) trained operators was legitimate.

That is no longer the case. Trained ops, yes, but trained in what is
actually USED in modern day emergency communications, which is
overwhelmingly voice (VHF/UHF and HF SSB, and data modes).

Carl - wk3c