The Normandy Passage
Policies and Participant Protections
Plain language summaries of the legal documents you sign when you join a cohort.
This page gathers the key policies that govern The Normandy Passage. Here you can see how refunds and transfers work, how solo matching is handled, how we manage safety and medical risk, what the code of conduct requires, how we safeguard youth, and how we protect your data and likeness. The full signed documents in your packet are the binding versions. This page is your map, not a substitute for the forms you sign.
Refunds, Transfers and Credits
This is the plain language summary. The full Refunds, Transfers and Credits Policy is the binding version.
Refund Windows
Refunds are based on how far you are from your cohort start date when you cancel, and on whether you paid a deposit or the full amount at enrollment.
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Immediately after enrollment
You may cancel within the initial grace period defined in the Refunds, Transfers and Credits Policy. Within this window tuition is refundable under the terms listed there.
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Before the Balance Due date
Until the published Balance Due date for your cohort, you may cancel in line with the refund schedule for that run. A larger portion of tuition is refundable the earlier you cancel. The schedule on the policy shows the exact percentages.
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On and after the Balance Due date
On the Balance Due date, any remaining balance is charged automatically to the card you used at enrollment. After this date refund options narrow because DLA has committed fixed costs in France for your seat. In most cases tuition becomes non-refundable except where the policy allows a partial credit or transfer.
The Refunds, Transfers and Credits Policy for The Normandy Passage shows the exact dates and percentages for each cohort so you can see the numbers before you enroll.
Transfers, Credits & Waitlist
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Transferring to a later cohort
You may request to move your seat to a later cohort up to a clear cutoff before your original start date. When you act inside that window, your payments can be applied forward as described in the policy. After that point, transfer requests are treated as cancellations and follow the refund schedule.
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Credits instead of refunds
In some situations the policy allows a portion of what you have paid to be held as a credit toward a future cohort rather than refunded. The conditions and limits for credits are defined in the Refunds, Transfers and Credits Policy.
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If DLA cancels a cohort
If DLA cancels a cohort outright for operational reasons, you will be offered the choice of a full refund or a transfer/credit option as described in the policy. We do not keep your money and cancel your course.
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Waitlist behavior
If you move from the waitlist into a cohort, any payments you have already made apply to that seat. You do not pay a second deposit. If you turn down a waitlist offer, your options to transfer or cancel are governed by the Waitlist and Cohort Transfer Policy.
For exact timelines and percentages, read the full Refunds, Transfers and Credits Policy and the Waitlist and Cohort Transfer Policy before you enroll.
Participant Terms of Enrollment
This is a plain language overview. The signed Participant Terms of Enrollment are the binding version.
What you are agreeing to when you enroll
When you enroll in The Normandy Passage you enter into a formal agreement with D Day Leadership Academy. The Participant Terms of Enrollment set the ground rules for eligibility, fitness, conduct, payments, travel responsibilities, safety decisions and how the seven day program runs from start to finish. By signing, you confirm that you meet the age and fitness standards, that you understand the discipline model and historical rules, that you accept the payment and refund structure, and that you will comply with cadre direction in the field.
Key Program Conditions
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Eligibility
Youth participants are 14 to 24. All Solo and Committed Adult participants are 18 or older. Seats are limited and Solo adult seats remain pending until safely matched.
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Fitness and standards
You attest that you can meet the published movement and physical standards and will complete the preparation plan in good faith. You agree to disclose relevant medical issues and accept removal if safety requires it.
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Seven day sequence and discipline
The course follows a fixed seven day arc. Phones are secured, inspections are scored, watch is stood in tents and comfort is earned. DLA may adjust timing or routes for safety or permissions while preserving core outcomes.
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Historical ground rules
Museums are classrooms, cemeteries are sanctuaries and churches and memorial interiors are not training spaces. ABMC and local rules govern all activity on site.
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Payments and refunds
Deposit, balance, refund windows and transfers are governed by the Refunds, Transfers and Credits Policy which is incorporated into the Terms you sign.
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Travel, kit and safety
You are responsible for passports, visas, travel insurance and reaching the link up. DLA issues loaner kit and keep kit, expects reasonable care of gear and may remove or return participants for safety or serious breaches of standards.
Before you enroll, read the full Participant Terms of Enrollment included in your electronic packet.
Safety Risk and Medical Waiver
This is a plain language overview. The Assumption of Risk and Medical Waiver and related medical consent forms are the binding versions.
Nature of the program and risks
The Normandy Passage is a veteran led, field based leadership crucible, not a classroom seminar. You will move on uneven ground, carry load, stand watch in tents, cross roads, climb stairs, operate in crowds and weather, and live in close quarters. The Assumption of Risk and Medical Waiver explains that these hazards cannot be removed completely even with careful planning. By signing, you confirm you understand the nature of the course and accept the inherent risks of movement, fatigue, terrain, transport, public settings, food, kit and communicable illness on this ground.
Fitness, medical disclosure and emergency care
You must meet the published movement and Physical Standards Test baselines and complete honest preparation before arrival. You agree to disclose relevant conditions, injuries, medications and allergies and to update DLA if anything changes. The waiver and minor medical consent authorize cadre to deliver basic first aid, activate French emergency services and share safety critical information with responders. You remain responsible for medical and evacuation costs not covered by your insurance and must have coverage valid in France. Parents or guardians sign additional consents for minors, including transport, supervision, OTC medication choices and emergency care authorization.
Read the full Assumption of Risk and Medical Waiver and the Parent or Guardian Consent and Minor Medical Authorization in your electronic packet before you sign.
Code of Conduct and Participant Pledge
This is a plain language overview. The Code of Conduct and Participant Pledge you sign in the packet are the binding versions.
How you are expected to act
By signing the Code of Conduct and Participant Pledge you agree to live and train in a way that matches the ground and the mission of D Day Leadership Academy. You commit to show respect to cadre, staff, fellow participants, local partners and the communities that host you. You agree to follow directions promptly, maintain security of people and information, protect kit that is issued to you and uphold reverence at cemeteries, churches and memorials. You commit to zero harassment, bullying, discrimination or abuse and to language and behavior that would not embarrass you, your family or your school in public.
Authority and consequences
You recognize cadre authority in the field and accept that safety and ground rules are not negotiable. Alcohol, illegal drugs, weapons outside program control, vandalism, theft and serious disrespect for sacred sites or local communities are clear violations. DLA may restrict activities, remove phones, adjust sleeping arrangements or remove you from the course entirely if behavior or deception makes the program unsafe or incompatible with its values. Removal for conduct reasons is at the participant’s or family’s expense and follows the financial terms in the Refunds and Transfers Policy. Signing the pledge means you understand that this is a leadership course built on trust and that trust can be withdrawn if you break it.
Read the full Participant Code of Conduct and the Participant Pledge and Conduct Summary in your electronic packet before you sign.
Safeguarding and Background Checks
This is a plain language overview. The full safeguarding SOPs and background check policies in your packet are the binding versions.
Who works with your students
Every adult placed in a position of trust with youth at The Normandy Passage is screened and trained. Staff and cadre complete background checks, safeguarding attestation and role specific training before they are allowed to lead or supervise minors. References and prior work with youth are reviewed where applicable. No one “drops in” to work with participants without documentation and approval. Parents, guardians and schools know in advance who the key adults are and what roles they hold on the course.
How we supervise and respond
Safeguarding standards govern how adults and minors interact on the ground. One to one situations are limited, meetings happen in visible spaces and a clear reporting chain exists for concerns or boundary issues. Any allegation or suspicion of harm triggers a documented incident report, escalation to leadership and, where required, contact with appropriate authorities. Age and ID are verified at check in, and room, tent and transport assignments follow safeguarding rules. The goal is simple: students are never left guessing about their safety, and adults know exactly what is expected of them.
Full safeguarding details are provided in the Background Check and Safeguarding Policies, the Age Verification and ID Check SOP and the incident reporting procedures in your packet.
Privacy and Data Protection
This is a plain language overview. The Privacy Policy, GDPR Data Protection Notice and Data Retention and Deletion Policy are the binding versions.
What we collet and why
When you enroll in The Normandy Passage we collect only the information needed to run the course safely and lawfully. This includes contact details, age and identity information, medical disclosures relevant to the physical standards, emergency contacts, consent choices and payment data processed through our providers. For minors, we also collect parent or guardian details and consent records. On the website we collect standard usage data such as pages visited, basic device information and cookie data so we can secure the site and improve how it works. Every field in the packet is there for a specific safety, legal or communication reason, not curiosity.
How we protect, store & delete it
Personal data is stored in controlled systems with limited access based on role. We use it to deliver the program, manage safety and keep appropriate records, and do not sell participant data to third parties. Payment details are handled by established payment processors, not stored in plain form by DLA. Data is kept only as long as needed for legal, safeguarding and operational reasons, then deleted or anonymized under our retention schedule. You have rights to see, correct and, in some cases, request deletion of your data in line with applicable law. Full details, including how cookies and tracking tools are used on the site, are set out in the Privacy Policy and related GDPR notices.
For full details, read the Privacy Policy, the GDPR Data Protection Notice and the Data Retention and Deletion Policy linked from this page.
Media and Likeness Consent
This is a plain language overview. The signed Media and Likeness Consent forms in your packet are the binding versions.
How we may record and use media
The Normandy Passage is documented with photos, video and audio so participants and supporters can see the work on the ground and DLA can communicate its mission. Media and Likeness Consent forms explain that you may be photographed or filmed during training, movement, classroom time and ceremonies, and that selected images and footage may be used in DLA educational materials, reports, fundraising and outreach. We do not use your likeness in ways that conflict with the spirit of the program or misrepresent what happened on the course. Ceremonies and graveside moments are treated with special care.
Your choices and controls
The packet includes both granular and cover-all media consent options. Parents, guardians and adult participants can limit how identifiable images are used, opt out of certain uses or, in some cases, decline media participation beyond internal documentation. We explain how to raise concerns about specific images, how to request removal where appropriate and how we handle group shots where one person has restricted consent. Media is processed under the same privacy and data protection rules as other personal data. Your consent choices are recorded and shared with staff so they can be honored in the field and in later publications.
Full details are set out in the Media and Likeness Consent – Long Form and the Media and Likeness Consent – Short Form included in your electronic packet.
Solo 18 Plus Matching
This is a plain language overview. The Solo 18 plus Matching Policy in your packet is the binding version.
How solo matching works
Solo Adult seats in The Normandy Passage are 18 plus and always matched in pairs. When you enroll as a Solo Adult you agree to be matched with another vetted participant by age band, general maturity and course goals. DLA reviews your enrollment information, consent forms and any relevant background before confirming a match. Solo pairs train, move and are evaluated together just like family pairs. Until a match is confirmed, your seat is marked pending under the Solo 18 plus Matching Policy.
If a suitable match cannot be made
If DLA cannot confirm a safe and appropriate match for you in time for your chosen cohort, the policy explains your options. These may include moving your enrollment to a later cohort to allow more time to match, converting to a different seat type if a family member or partner joins you, or receiving a clean financial resolution if no match can be found. You will not be forced into a pairing that raises safety or safeguarding concerns, and you will not lose your payments because DLA could not safely complete the matching process. Solo matching sits alongside the Refunds, Transfers and Credits Policy and the safeguarding standards to protect both members of every solo pair.
Full details are set out in the Solo 18 plus Matching Policy included in your electronic packet.
Waitlist and Cohort Transfers
This is a plain language overview. The Waitlist and Cohort Transfer Policy in your packet is the binding version.
How the waitlist works
When a cohort is marked full you may choose to join the waitlist for that specific run. Waitlist spots are offered in order as seats open, usually because another participant cancels or transfers. When DLA offers you a waitlist seat you will be given a clear time window to accept. If you accept, your enrollment is processed under the same financial terms as other participants in that cohort. You do not pay a second deposit or higher tuition because you came from the waitlist. If you decline, you may remain on the waitlist for a later opening or request a different cohort in line with the policy.
Moving between cohorts
If you are already enrolled and need to move to a different cohort, the policy explains when and how this can be done. Inside the allowed transfer window you may request a move to another published run; when approved, your payments can be applied forward subject to any price differences. After that window closes, transfer requests are treated like cancellations and follow the refund schedule for your original cohort. If DLA changes dates or cancels a cohort for operational reasons, you will be offered either a full refund or a clear set of transfer and credit options. The goal is to balance fairness to families and participants with the fixed costs of running a small, intensive course in Normandy.
Full details are set out in the Waitlist and Cohort Transfer Policy and the Refunds, Transfers and Credits Policy included in your electronic packet.