Military Continues Morse Code Ban

There have been recent reports that MARS, the ham radio auxillary for military communications, has allowed the use of Morse Code on military frequencies. That turns out not to be the case. Here's a message from the Chief of Army MARS asserting that the ban is still in place.

DE AAA9A NR 047
R 181740Z AUG 97 
FM CHIEF ARMY MARS/AAA9A AZ
TO ALL ARMY MARS MEMBERS AND STATIONS
BT
SUBJECT. CAM 45-97 (CW BAN WITHIN DOD MARS)
REF ARRL LETTER VOL. 16, NO. 32, AUGUST 15, 1997
1. AN ARTICLE HAS APPEARED IN THE ABOVE REFERENCE CONCERNING CW 
OPERATION WITHIN MARS. THIS ARTICLE IS INACCURATE. 
2. AS SPECIFIED IN THE 28 JUNE 1995 LETTER SIGNED BY THEN ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE EMMETT PAIGE, AND EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 1996 
"THE CW MODE OF COMMUNICATIONS WILL NO LONGER BE USED ON ANY 
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) MARS CIRCUITS, NETWORKS, OR FREQUENCIES.
THEREFORE, CW IS TO BE RETIRED FROM USE WITHIN THE DOD MARS."
3. IT HAS BEEN VERIFIED THAT THIS POLICY IS STILL IN EFFECT AND WILL
BE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.  THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE TO THIS POLICY.
SGD CHIEF ARMY MARS 
BT