Most Sky Soldiers are familiar with the Signal Company's Military Affiliate Radio Station commonly referred to as MARS. The station is maintained and operated by Sergeant Tony Ward, St Louis, Mo. Ward, who operated the Brigade MARS station at Bien Hoa, designed and built a completely portable station in a conex for field use when the Brigade moved north. The conex and its antennas and generator can be disasembled within minutes and made ready for shipment to any of the Brigade's Base Camps.

First priority for the MARS calls goes to the Brigade's Combat Paratroopers and to the patients in Company B (Medical), 173d Support Battalion. "The main purpose of this MARS station is to serve the Combat Paratroopers," said the sergeant, "but we usually manage to accomodate every one else too." And what is the typical reaction of the Sky Soldiers to the new MARS station? "They love it," said Ward. "Most of them and their families can't believe it's possible but they soon find out the station is for real."

Sky Soldier  Volume I, Number 2 December 1967