Working Together

Amateur Radio. MARS, REACT, CAP, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Satern, Salvation Army

Motivation for Interoperability

• At Communications Assets Survey and Mapping (CASM) committee meeting it became apparent that the gov’t wanted to deal with one entity, not many • Created an Auxiliary Communications Service for the NCR Plan

Way Forward

• • • • • Contact all groups and invite to the table Amateur Radio is common denominator – Have ARRL establish MOU with all group’s national headquarters Develop a contact plan Develop a liaison plan Develop and run joint exercises under NIMS

Memorandum of Understanding

• • National HQ to HQ Local MOU: – Agreement to work together – Capabilities of both parties – Organization of both parties – Realistic operational plans and policies

ARRL Has MOUs With:

• • • • • • REACT Civil Air Patrol NWS DHS-Citizen Corps Salvation Army APCO-International • • • • • National Communications Sys Nat’l Assoc of Radio and Comm Engrs Soc of B’cast Engrs QCWA US Power Squadron

ARRL – MARS MOU

• Rec’d draft back from Army MARS • Minor modifications to be made • Back to MARS HQ • Harold Kramer COO handling it for ARRL

ARRL has MARS Station

• Joe Cacia, NJ1Q W1AW Station Manager • MARS station AAN1ARL • Was on for Inaugural

Tactical Communications Interoperability Plan Being Updated at CoG • Creating Auxiliary Communication Service Amateur Radio MARS REACT CAP Coast Guard Auxiliary Satern Salvation Army

TCIP Con’t

• Secure Military Database – Contact information – Repeater Information

Benefits

• Interoperability can also provide larger groups for: – Sharing technical information – Populating classroom courses – Antenna and zoning legislation efforts – Joint exercises

Additional Benefits

• More eyes and ears can provide: – Increased situational awareness to each entity’s served agency – Increased situational awareness to the field from the agencies