The opportunity you offer is amazing, and I enter the contest in hopes of being selected for the award of tuition to attend your course. After retirement from a 23-year career in the United States Navy, I began working as a contractor for NATO, having now been here for over ten years. I spent two years of administrative duties in the beginning; and subsequently over eight years in the Protocol Office at Headquarters, Supreme Allied Command Transformation – all the while learning about NATO and other international joint endeavours. Protocol and etiquette are incredibly interesting - each day brings new challenges; and therefore new opportunities to learn and excel. Our office deals with different Nations, international organizations, and societies. The world has different protocols, sometimes we call it law, and sometimes we call it rules, traditions, or etiquette. Every Nation’s protocols are different, so the challenge is being capable of global operation, while not following one particular Nation, and not offending others. Successful protocol professionals must be intelligent, knowledgeable, savvy, empathetic, thick-skinned, informed on current events and situations, insightful, quick-thinkers, and prepared for anything. Protocol professionals have to be prepared to consider strategic elements; and quickly change to mundane tasks. Knowing what to do in any given situation makes or breaks any event you are working. People are the biggest variable in every situation; in the corporate business world, international politics, and the global community - it is crucial to have a standard to follow when dealing with people. My degree is in Sociology and I have 34 years of diverse experience in leading, managing, and following. Studying people and societies, and why they do what they do has become what I consider one of my strengths. While I do already have knowledge about international protocol, I would very much like to add more; and gain the professional credibility that recognition from your school as a certified Corporate Etiquette and International Protocol Consultant would garner. I would hope to be able to give valuable feedback and share my experiences with my colleagues and instructors in the course; and build a world-wide network. Again, I thank you for making this opportunity available, and appreciate your consideration of my essay.