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Correspondence
Courses
It's the repeated folding and forging that makes a high quality sword what it is
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This Page |
| Intro to training courses, for all members |
| Info for Directors and Training Staff |
| Essentials for New Staff course |
| Essentials for ECOM & Training Staff course |
| FEMA Incident Command courses |
| Member's Responsibilities |
| Getting Courses graded |
| Participation Credit for Courses |
| Documenting Course Completion |
| Navy-Marine Corps MARS offers a variety of training courses to it's members free of charge. Some courses, such as the MARS Operator Course, are required for membership. Others are offered as a way for members to enhance their skills. |
| A variety of courses offered either directly by MARS, or in conjunction with other agencies, are listed in this training section. Some are listed under a specific training program such as Basic Procedures, or the NMO grades. Others are by agency, program, or course type. |
| Some of the courses offered include: |
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MARS Operator Course (MOC) |
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Courses necessary for the NMO grades |
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Essentials for New Staff course (required for new staff) |
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Essentials for ECOM & Training Staff course (required for ECOM and Training staff) |
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FEMA courses (4 are required before a member can be issued a DoD disaster ID card) |
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| It is the responsibility of each MARS member to follow the course testing instructions for that particular course. For example, FEMA courses are submitted on line. Follow their format and submit as they instruct. |
| Some courses are graded within the MARS program. Others are graded by the agency offering the course. |
| If within MARS the grading authority will send notification to you and your state director once you satisfactorily complete a course or segment of a course. If you do not pass the segment you submitted the grading authority will notify you and provide instructions on what to do next. |
| If the grading is done by a progam or agency outside MARS that program will have it's own proceses for notifying you of your successful completion and how to obtain a certificate or offical notice of satisfactory completion. |
| Be sure to forward a copy of any certificate or completion notice to your state director so he or she can put a copy in your state personnel file and forward a copy to the Area Director for your personnel file at area headquarters. |
| Members who taking courses whether issued and graded by MARS or a 3rd party, such as FEMA, check to insure the following are met before submitting: |
| A. are you entitled to take the course; |
| B. the correct course exam
answer sheet is used for each assignment; |
| C. you are taking it from
an authorized source; and, |
| D. each page of your answer sheet contains all the required information, such as: |
| i. your name; |
| ii. Your personal MARS call sign and state; |
| iii. The correct course title, version # (if applicable), and assignment #; |
| iv. Separate, but with the answer sheet, include a mailing address, e-mail address, or any other means by which the grading authority can contact you. |
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Contact your respective State training staff or State Director for any assistance needed with the course(s) being taken. |
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Proceed with the course in a timely manner and complete it within the time frame specified, if there is one, or in a manner consistent with good study habits. |
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When completed ensure that your State Director receives a copy of any course completion notifications. |
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| At present four FEMA courses are required before a MARS member is eligible to a DoD Disaster ID Card or to be deployed into the field during an actual event. Click on this link to proceed to the FEMA Incident Command courses information and to access the courses. |
| FEMA courses must be taken and graded on line by the FEMA training section. We have found that some agencies are teaching courses from older material. For this reason, if you take the course someplace else, such as through an OEM or local sheriff's office, you still need to take it on line for MARS recognition of course completion, but it should go fast. |
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| Each course, or series of courses, will contain instructions on how to get your course assignments and end of course tests graded. These procedures will vary depending on the course. |
| Be sure to read the grading procedures stated in each course's section. Sending answer sheets to the wrong place will only delay your grading. |
| If you take a course via another source, such as through a reserve or active duty command, and you wish NMC MARS to document that training in your record submit a copy of your letter or certificate of completion to your State Director. The certificate or letter of notification must contain all of the following: |
| A. the course title; |
| B. Assignments completed for this certificate or letter; and, |
| C. a statement of satisfactory completion of the course or assignment(s) by the grading official. |
| Don't forget to file a PARTREPOTHER report so you receive participation credit. |
| Remember, the course
work must be relevant to MARS in some way. For example,
completion of the BMC course for advancement is probably not very
relevant. On the other hand, basic small engine operations and
repair might be (generators). If in doubt, ask your State
Director whether you can have participation credit. Courses that are restricted can not be used for MARS credit. See Classified/Restricted Courses |
| Note that FEMA courses must be taken and graded on line by the FEMA training section. If you take the course someplace else, such as through an OEM, you still need to take it on line, but it should go fast. |
| is submitted using the procedures for PARTREPOTHER reporting. Report the time you actually spend studying the course, provided it does not overlap with other MARS participation credit (such as studying while also checked into a net). You may only take participation credit for course work you satisfactorily complete. |
| Documenting
course
completion |
| is done through your state director. If you have questions about participation credit or documentation of course completion contact your State Director. |
| The course completion certificate or letter must contain sufficient identifying information to be able to match it to your MARS personnel file. |
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for
Directors and training staff
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| There is specific information in the Intro for Training Staff section of this web site. If you are a training staff member, please read them carefully as much of what is contained there must be followed closely. |
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