TIPS (as provided by the AFSAT IMSO Manager on the dates indicated):

Travel and Living Allowance (TLA) Funding (15 Sep 04)

Some IMS TLA is funded by foreign governments. Please verify information on their invitational travel orders (ITOs), i.e., for most IMET students -- US pays; for most FMS students -- their country pays; for FMFP funded FMS cases, US pays; for CTFP funded cases, US pays.

Labeling Retainable Instructional Materials (RIM)

When sending out Retainable Instructional Materials (RIM) please do NOT address it to "ODC Commander". RIM should have an outer label addressed with the SAO's address and include the IMS's WCN and ITO number (not IMS's name). The IMS's name and a copy of ITO should be inside the box.

Student Training Lines on Invitational Travel Orders (ITOs) (16 Aug 04)

Do not promise to change ITOs or classes without AFSAT coordinated approval. EXAMPLE: A student is currently at DLI for language training with a follow-on training line to the NCO Academy at Kirtland AFB. Do not change their follow-on training from Kirtland to the Hickam NCO Academy without notifying and receiving approval from AFSAT. Changing locations without approval may cause:

a. Prices charged to country to change (living allowances & tickets).
b. Confusion & frustration to schoolhouses, country, AFSAT, and student.
c. The losing school to scramble for an extra student, and the gaining school to bump a student to a later class.

Airport Codes (13 Aug 04)

The incoming and outgoing SAOs from Jamaica visited SATFA (AFSAT's army counterpart) recently. The outgoing SAO said that one thing that would help SAOs with arrival information would be for IMSOs to state in the IMSO Web Student Arrival/Departure information both the name of the airport at which students should arrive and also the airport code. For example, Ft. Leonard Wood has the statement Students arriving by air should be ticketed to Forney Airfield, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri (Airport code: TBN). Please add the airport code to your administrative information immediately.

Training Schoolhouse Instructor Supervisors/Training Managers (19 Jul 04)

It's important to have a good working relationship with schoolhouse instructor supervisors and training managers. The instructors have daily contact with IMSs and in most cases are the first to know about academic, personal problems, etc. For training managers, they know if the course changes its prerequisites, length, any vacant slots in previous classes in case needed, etc., all of which can eventually affect IMSs. Brief your instructors and managers so they are aware of the Security Assistance Training Program (SATP) objectives and what IMSO responsibilities are. This should help you in the long run.

Duress Words (14 Jun 04)

When taking students to public places on a DoDIP event trip, you may want to have a duress word in case there is a situation where a student or an escort finds a need for everyone to report to the bus (or alternate meeting location) due to safety, security, or accountability reasons.