PROGRAM FAQs

(click on a question link for the response)
  1.  I'm brand new to protocol.  Should I attend a course now or wait until I've been in the job awhile?
  2.  How do I register and pay for a course?

  3.  What branches of service or government do the courses cover?
  4.  I've worked in protocol for several years.  What advantage would it be for me to attend a course?

  5.  I don't work in a protocol office but I have to do protocol for my office or my boss. Can I benefit from attending a
       course?  
  6. Who attends the courses?
  7.  Do you offer a discount for groups or for attending more than one course?
  8.  What does the course fee cover?
  9.  What happens if I miss part of the course?
10.  Is there any refund for cancellations or early departures?
11.  What are the hours, dress, and what should I bring?
12.  When I make a lodging reservation, will my credit card be charged before the class?
13.  Should I have a rental car?
 

I'm brand new to protocol. Should I attend a course now or wait until I've been in the job a while?
 Our courses are intended to provide a range of training in the field of military and government protocol while including topics more experienced protocol specialists can benefit from.  We recommend that someone new to the protocol business first attend the TIPS007, Combined Phase I & II Military and Government Protocol & Event Management. This program provides a basic level of knowledge of military and government protocol procedures.  TIPS003, Phase III (advanced) Military and Government Protocol & Event Management, focuses on visitor and guest relations, and advanced issues in other topics like precedence, ceremonies, and working with hotels, clubs, and caterers. The fourth level, TIPS009, Phase IV/Advanced is recommended for anyone who is presently a protocol office supervisor or who is interested in advanced protocol issues. The courses can be attended in any order.


How do I register and pay for a course? 
Registering for a course is easy. Go to our main website page and click on a class date/locatrion and then click on the "Register" button. You can also call or fax us at 1-321-331-1177 / 1-407-282-5325 fax. Prior to registering, obtain approval from your agency to attend. This is usually done, for DoD personnel, on a DD Form 1556 (click here to see completion instructions) (Blank DD Form 1556), and for others by purchase order. Virtually everyone who attends one of our courses does so in a TDY/TAD/training capacity with the course fee paid by the person's agency or service. Payment can be made by cash, check (agency or personal), invoice, VISA, Master Card, or American Express including GPC, IMPAC, and Gov't travel cards.  Typically, this process looks like this:

  • Register for the course online (click here) or by calling 1-321-331-1177

  • Initiate DD Form 1556 or other training requirement document and submit for approval

  • After approval, a copy is usual mailed or faxed to JMAR Management & Training

  • Make your travel arrangements

  • Attend the course

  • Payment is made at the class by cash, check or credit card, or . .

  • We submit our invoice to the paying agency after completion of the course

THE FEE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PAID IN ADVANCE OF THE CLASS

What branches of service or government do the courses cover?
 Our courses cover protocol and event management procedures and policies of all the services including the Coast Guard. They equally apply to non-DoD federal agencies.  Our groups typically include Army, Navy, and Air Force employees (active, Reserve and National Guard), and frequently members of the Coast Guard and Marine Corps.  Participants also come from federal agencies like NASA, the FBI, and DoD contractors.

 

I've worked in protocol for several years.  What advantage would it be for me to attend a course?
 The primary reasons experienced protocol specialists attend the courses are to (1) refresh themselves on basic protocol procedures; (2) learn different techniques associated with various protocol functions; and (3) meet other protocol professionals and discuss protocol policy, procedures, staffing, and professional development. We have many such employees attend three or more courses for the latter purpose alone. 

 I don't work in a protocol office but I have to do protocol for my office or my boss. Can I benefit from attending a course?  
 Yes. You represent a large group of our course participants . . about 50% of those who attend our courses do not work in a protocol office, but are secretaries, public affairs specialists, action officers, administrative officers or NCOs who must perform some protocol duties within their office or agency.  They benefit from the courses in the same way protocol specialists do. 

 Who attends the courses?    
 More than 4,500 people have attended our program since 1990. They range from those brand new to the protocol field to employees with ten or more years experience. Classes average about half civilian employees and half military personnel with grades ranging from O-6 to E-4 and GS13 to GS5. About half the participants work in protocol offices with the other half working in positions such as administrative officer, secretary, action officer and the like who must do protocol for their office. Of the military personnel who attend about half are from the regular components and half from the Reserve and National Guard. Members of every service have attended the courses as well as employees of DoD, JCS, embassies, DoD contractors, NASA, the FBI, the CIA, NSA, the Virginia Military Institute, the University of Illinois, visitor and convention bureaus, The NATO School, and the German Air Force.

Do you offer a discount for groups or for attending more than one course?
Yes.  If two persons from the same agency register at the same time and for the same class, the first person will pay the regular fee and the second will receive half off the regular fee.  If more than two register, additional persons will receive $100 off the regular fee.  If registration does not occur at the same time, the person registering later will receive a $100 discount off the regular fee. Additionally, individuals who attend a second or subsequent course receive a $25 discount for each course previously attended. If you have attended one course previously, you will receive a $25 discount; two courses get a $50 discount; three courses, a $75 discount.

What does the course fee cover?
The fee covers the class, a CD containing our book, Protocol and Event Management Guide which includes Practical Protocol for the Military & Government, The Flag Guide, the Military Dining Guide, and the Ceremonies Guide. The CD also includes a wide range of military and government protocol-related publications, two dozen pieces of military ceremonial music, and several event checklists. Participants also receive our Slide Guide containing all course slides, our booklet, Practical Protocol Lite, all handouts, a certificate of completion, transcript, class photo, and class list. Though not part of the course fee, all courses include a complimentary ice breaker and break service, and a complimentary luncheon. The fee does not cover lodging, other meals, or transportation to or from the training site.  Participants are responsible for making their own lodging and travel arrangements.  The Phase III course includes additional features. 

 

What happens if I miss part of the class?
As happens at almost every class, a few individuals will miss part of the class.  This usually occurs, through no fault of their own, on the last day due to an early flight departure.  Departures on the last day will not invalidate a person’s attendance at a course.  Effective December 1, 2003, JMAR Management & Training's policy on missed class sessions is as follows:  

 

     a. if a participant misses no more than one full day of the class, prior to issuance of the certificate of completion and transcript, the participant must certify that they have (1)  read any chapters of Practical Protocol for the Military & Government (on the CD everyone receives at each course) pertinent to the missed topics or session and (2) reviewed all course slides pertinent to missed topics or sessions.  Once the certification is received by JMAR Management & Training, the appropriate certificate of completion and transcript will be prepared and forwarded to the individual. This policy also applies to participants who miss other portions of a class, as long as not more than one full day is missed (examples: a person who is not present on the first day due to flight complications or scheduling; a person who misses part of one day due to illness; or a person who must miss several hours of a course due to emergency job requirements).

     b. If a participant misses more than one day’s session of a course, a certificate of completion and transcript will not be issued; however, the individual can attend the same course at any future date at 1/2 the regular course fee providing a refund of the previous course fee was not made.  In all cases, each person who attends our courses will receive the class photo (if they did not depart prior to the class photo being taken) and class list.  

 

Is there any refund for cancellations or early departures?
 

Cancellation prior to a class
A person scheduled to attend one of our courses can cancel their attendance any time without penalty.  If cancellation is not made prior to the course and the individual does not show up the first morning, their registration is cancelled and there is no penalty or charge. If the course fee has been pre-paid, it will be refunded.

 

Early departure from the class
If a participant must depart early, regardless of reason, the following refund policies will apply:

 

     (1) Departure prior to noon of the second day of the course:  if the course fee has been paid, a full refund will be made.  If the fee has not yet been paid, there will be no charge or billing. Attendance at future courses will be at the regular course fee (discounts for previous attendance will not apply). 

     (2)  Departure prior to the beginning of the third day:  if the course fee has been paid, a refund of 1/2 of the course fee will be made.  If the fee has not yet been paid, it will be billed at 1/2 the regular fee (discounts for previous attendance will not apply for future courses).

     (3) Departure after the beginning of the third day: there is no refund of course fees already paid.  If not yet paid, the course fee will be billed at the full amount,  however, the individual may attend any future class of the same course at 1/2 the regular course fee (discounts for previous attendance will not apply).

 

What are the hours, dress, and what should I bring?
 

Times:  Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30, 4:00 or 4:30 p.m. depending on the specific course.  Ending times on the last day range from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., again depending on the course.

Dress:  Civilian clothes - very casual; jeans, sweatshirts, etc. are perfectly acceptable as are slacks, dresses, and the like: be comfortable. Uniforms are not required nor recommended.  We do recommend a light sweater, jacket or sweatshirt for all classroom sessions as the air conditioning in hotels can be cold.

 

Arrival:  Schedule your arrival for the day prior to the class as it begins at 8:30 a.m.

 

Ice breaker:  The complimentary ice breaker is  held on the afternoon of the first day of the course. Dress is the same as for the course above.

 

What to bring:  You don't need to bring any materials.  We provide all course materials including writing pads and pens.

 

Lunches:  All classes feature a complimentary luncheon.  On the other days you are free to do whatever you wish during this time; usually 1-1/2 hours.

 

Breaks:  There are two 10-minute breaks each morning and two each afternoon.

 

Departure: Depending on the ending time of the specific course, please try to plan your return flight home to allow you to stay until the end. Sometimes, however, some participants must leave early to catch their flights.
 

When I make a lodging reservation, will my credit card be charged before the class?
 No.  Please review the following information to understand how your lodging reservation is handled (the following applies to courses held in Orlando, Florida, at the Holiday Inn Orlando International Airport, the training site. Policies may vary at other hotels or for courses held at other locations):

 

Regular reservations (what you would use for a personal trip or vacation, etc.)

     (1) Reservations can be guaranteed for late arrival (usually after 6 p.m. ) using a credit card. While a reservation usually does not have to be guaranteed, it is subject to cancellation if you do not check in by the established time (usually 4 or 6 p.m.).  When a room is guaranteed on a credit card, it will be held all night.  
 

     (2)  If not using the reservation, it must be cancelled by the deadline established by the hotel.  That deadline can be as late as  4 or 6 p.m. on the scheduled arrival date, or as early as 24 to 48 hours prior to arrival at some locations. Each hotel sets its own deadline for cancellations.  If you do not cancel by the established deadline, your credit card is subject to a charge equal to one night’s lodging.  
 

     (3) Your credit card is subject to being ‘pre-authorized’* (industry-standard practice), but no charges are usually made against your card until you check out.  
 

     (4) At checkout, you can use a different credit card from the one you used to make your reservation.

 

Group reservations for meetings including The Holiday Inn Orlando International Airport

     (1) Group reservations for the class require a credit card guarantee.
 

     (2) If you must cancel your group reservation, you may do so as long as you cancel at least 48
    hours prior to your arrival date; otherwise, you are subject to a charge equal to one night’s
    lodging.


     (3) Your credit card is subject to being ‘pre-authorized,’* but no charges will be made against your
     card until you check out.


     (4) Your reservation under the course block entitles you to the hotel’s full breakfast buffet each
     day as part of your lodging rate (equal to the established government per diem rate for lodging).


     (5) At checkout, you can use a different credit card from the one you used to make your reservation.

 

* the term 'pre-authorized' can mean one of two things: (1) your card is checked to verify an available balance and that the card, itself, is valid, or (2) an amount equal to the estimated costs is blocked on your credit card account. For example,  if you make a reservation for 3 nights at a hotel and the daily rate is $80, the hotel may have $240 (3 x $80) blocked on your credit card account so that it is reserved and can not be used before the reservation date.  If you cancel your reservation, the $240 is then unblocked within a few business days. In this example, if your available credit is $1,000, you can only actually spend $760 ($1,000 less the blocked amount of $240).

 

A final note on hotel reservations
For our Orlando classes, reservations made through a third-party service such as Expedia.com or a travel agency may not qualify for the hotel's daily full breakfast buffet, even if the daily rate is the same. Such reservations also may be 'final' and not subject to cancellation. If you make a reservation through one of these third-party sources, please review the reservation conditions and restrictions before you finalize the reservation.

 

Should I have a rental car?    
That depends on the location. In general we recommend participants have a rental car to get to and from the airport, however, our primary training site in Orlando, the Holiday Inn Orlando International Airport, is located adjacent to the airport and has complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport. At other sites, it will depend on the distance between the course site and airport and availability of alternative transportation (shuttle, taxis, etc.)  Call us and inquire about other specific course sites at 1-321-331-1177.