Individual Membership: A privately owned VHF and/or HF radio station, licensed by the FCC and/or host authority, operated by an individual who is a member of and licensed by Army MARS.

Club Membership: A radio station licensed in MARS that is established, operated, and maintained by volunteers under the auspices of a properly constituted military and/or civilian amateur radio club.

Military Unit Membership: Military unit MARS stations are operated and maintained under the auspices of a military command, and are authorized on the table of distribution and allowances/table of organization and equipment (TDA/TOE). Military station categories include active Army, Reserves, National Guard, and Corps of Engineers.

Auxiliary Membership: Auxiliary membership is designated for non-operators who perform a support function. Below is an outline of this type membership:

What is the Auxiliary Membership Program?
1. A valuable support arm of Army MARS.
2. Volunteers providing widely varied assistance.
3. Entry-level membership program encourages transition to full MARS membership.
4. A way to maximize available manpower resources and enhance state programs across the country.

Who may join as an Auxiliary Member?
1. Any person that meets all the individual MARS membership requirements, with the exception of an amateur radio license, which is not mandatory.
2. Licensed amateur radio operators unable to meet minimum normal participation requirements.
3. Individual MARS members unable to meet minimum participation requirements but wishing to remain in the MARS program in a support capacity.

Typical Auxiliary Members:
1. Usually an auxiliary member is a friend, spouse or other family relative of the supported member(s).
2. A typical auxiliary member is well motivated.
3. Familiar with some or most aspects of the Army MARS program.
4. 35% of auxiliary members now hold a valid amateur radio operators license.
5. 10-15% of auxiliary members are likely to transition to full individual MARS membership.

Auxiliary Member Tasks:
1.   Equipment repair and maintenance
2.   Antenna design and construction
3.   Clerical assistance; editorial support for newsletters and documentation
4.   Handling MARS licensing/host nation reciprocal Amateur licensing
5.   Technical expertise; testing of propagation, systems and hardware
6.   Identifying new local servicepersons to offer Marsgram support
7.   Liaison with amateur community; giving MARS presentations
8.   Regional and state MARS meeting coordination
9.   Monitoring emergency and exercise nets
10. Creating "ANY SERVICE PERSON" Marsgrams for input
11. Interfacing with local telecom authorities on radio operation matters
12. Website and database management; researching the WWW for information.
13. Morale-related activities, e.g., managing the flower fund.
14. Providing Helping Hands-related support.
15. Assisting MARS members who may be ill or otherwise incapacitated.

Benefits Provided by the Army MARS Auxiliary Membership:
1. Enhanced readiness and proficiency levels of state programs by accomplishing a myriad of time-consuming tasks.
2. Provides a resource pool of future individual MARS members.
3. Provides an atmosphere that encourages and facilitates development of new amateur radio operators.
4. Helps retain MARS members who might otherwise leave the program.

How to Sign Up a New Auxiliary Member:
1. Assist the applicant in filling out blocks 1 and 2 of the standard application for Membership to Army MARS
2. Applicant sends two copies of completed form to their local State MARS Director.
3. The State MARS Director will approve or disapprove the application.
4. The State MARS Director forwards the application to the MARS Membership Administrator for final processing.