Policies + FAQ
QUESTIONS / OVERVIEW
WHAT IS THE MDFI PAYMENT / CANCELLATION POLICY?
– Payment at Registration / Government Purchasers
– Refund / Transfer Policy / Late For Class
– Alumni Discount
– Register on Alumni Central / Old Alumni Codes
– Stacking Promo Codes with Alumni Discount
WHAT IS THE HOSTED CLASS DEPOSIT / PAYMENT POLICY?
– Hosted courses such as Dark Angel Medical, Greenside, etc.
– Promo Codes
– Refund / Transfer Policy
WHAT IS REQUIRED TO TRAIN WITH MDFI?
– Prerequisites / CPL
– Responsible Gun Handling / Zero Tolerance
– U.S. Citizen / Green Cards
– Foundation Qualifier
– Jump Into Advanced Classes
IS MY GEAR GOOD TO USE FOR CLASS?
– “Train With What You Carry”
– Prohibited Gear
– Holsters / Belts / Pocket Carry, Ankle Carry, AIWB, etc.
– Long Guns (Rifles & Shotguns) / AR15 and Similar “Pistols”
– .22 Firearm Policy
WHAT IF MDFI MUST CANCEL A CLASS?
WILL YOU ELABORATE ON THE EGO-FREE ZONE?
HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M REGISTERED FOR A CLASS?
CAN I REQUEST A CERTIFICATE OF TRAINING AFTER MY CLASS?
CAN MINORS TRAIN WITH MDFI?
– Under 18 years of age
– Between 18 – 21 years of age and do not have a CPL
WHAT IS THE MDFI PAYMENT / CANCELLATION POLICY?
PAYMENT AT REGISTRATION:
MDFI conducts its business through the filling of class spots and though we do realize that unavoidable conflicts sometimes arise, we have had to place into effect the following policy due to no call / no shows. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause but students failure to show up for classes costs MDFI a great deal of money per year. We also have to schedule our instructor(s) travel and lodging based on the number of students registered for each class as well as our range/venue coordination. So backing out last minute messes up schedules on our end as well. We require each student to accept that they have read this policy to complete every registration: To ensure that all who sign up for a class with us understand our policies, students are required to check a box stating that they have read these policies – (Quite simply, by registering for a class, you are shaking our hand saying you agree and accept the deal we have made you. We will live up to our part of the deal and we expect you to do the same.)
A NON-REFUNDABLE full tuition is required to register for every class. Though tuition is NON-REFUNDABLE, it is TRANSFERABLE (only once, see details below). Class tuition is only good for the calendar year. Unused class tuition DOES NOT carry over to the next year. There MAY be additional Range/Venue Fees associated with a class cost. Please read the ticket information in full when signing up.
REGARDING BEING LATE FOR A CLASS:
We know things happen in life that can make someone late to class. That being said, it is the student’s responsibility to plan ahead to make sure that they are in place when their course is set to start. At MDFI, ALL STUDENTS MUST BE PRESENT for our Safety/Control Standards and Medical Briefing that takes place shortly after class start. THOSE WHO ARE NOT PRESENT FOR THESE BRIEFINGS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE FIREARMS AT OUR CLASSES. This is non-negotiable in every sense of the word. Paying students that miss these briefings may attend class as observers only.
MDFI CLASS TRANSFERS:
If you contact us OUTSIDE 30 DAYS before a class start, we will transfer your class tuition/deposit to another course of your choice within the calendar year. We will move a class tuition only ONCE (no exceptions). Please make sure you can attend a class before you register.
If you contact us WITHIN 30 DAYS from class start with a desire to cancel, tuition/deposit is forfeit. You are more than welcome to gift / give / sell your spot to someone who has the required prerequisites. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SHOW FOR CLASS/HAVE A QUALIFIED PERSON SHOW IN YOUR STEAD. When you register for an MDFI class, you make an agreement with us that you will be at class and we will have a spot waiting for you. We will always live up to the agreement we made. If you do not show up for class, your spot was still there but you were not. As such, there are no refunds issued because you could not live up to the agreement regardless of the reason.
MDFI GOVERNMENT PURCHASERS:
MDFI works with both individuals, companies, and government agencies. That being said, we know that the payment process for .gov agencies can be a pain for all involved. If you are making an agency registration(s), we highly recommend using a credit card vs check. If you should require an invoice for multiple registrations, please email us at info@trainmdfi.com and we’d be happy to provide that for you. If you want guaranteed spots, please contact us for private agency training courses (we do that too!).
Unfortunately, due to FAR too many agencies taking spots in classes then failing to pay when their people do not show up – class spots are not guaranteed until payment arrives and our classes fill fast.
ALUMNI CENTRAL ACCOUNTS/DISCOUNTS:
To receive your MDFI Alumni Discount, you MUST be logged in to your Alumni Central account at time of registration, and then you will see an ‘Alumni Tuition’ or ‘Alumni Deposit’ ticket option. This is the only way to receive you discount (note: if you register with an Alumni Deposit you will receive you discount via the balance due at class). If you register with a regular Deposit/Tuition you forfeit your discount as it cannot be changed at a later time. Changing things after the fact wastes a lot of our time and our credit card processor doesn’t refund our processing fees for refunds – so this is non-negotiable. Please make sure you register for your Alumni account and use that to receive your discount.
WHERE DO I USE MY ALUMNI CODE?
As of Oct 1, 2018, we have updated our website and registration system and no longer require a specific code for each alumni member to receive their discount. Click the link above to register for your Alumni account where you will be approved as an Alumni Member by one of our cadre and from there you’ll automatically receive your alumni discount on all eligible classes. If you have any further issues, please email us and we’d be happy to help you with this change. We truly believe this new registration system is an improvement and offers many great features for our alumni members.
STACKING PROMO CODES:
When registering as an Alumni (and thus receiving your Alumni Discount), any additional promo codes are invalid unless specifically authorized by MDFI.
WHAT IS THE HOSTED CLASS DEPOSIT / PAYMENT POLICY?
MDFI brings in other schools and educators from all over the country to share their knowledge with others. Snagging a spot and then not showing up not only costs MDFI and the Hosted School funds, but it takes a seat away from a student who could have been there. To make sure that we are not wasting finite spots in classes that may happen every few years or so, this is our policy on NON-MDFI RAN CLASSES:
All seats are reserved with a deposit. Once you register and pay, you have a spot. All remaining tuition and venue/range fees are due at the start of the class paid via cash or check. All monies are NON-REFUNDABLE and NON-TRANSFERABLE to any other class. You MAY transfer your seat in the class to another person by emailing us with the replacement persons name and contact information.
IF YOU PAY A DEPOSIT AND FAIL TO SHOW TO CLASS: You WILL be invoiced for the remaining balance. It is the student’s responsibility to give away, sell, or gift their spot and deposit to another person who then owes the balance at class. FAILURE TO PAY AN OUTSTANDING BALANCE WILL RESULT IN NEVER BEING ABLE TO ATTEND A MDFI HOSTED OR MDFI CLASS AGAIN UNTIL BALANCE IS PAID.
NOTE: Most promo codes are for MDFI-taught classes, not hosted classes such as Dark Angel Medical, Greenside Training, etc. Promo codes are not valid towards hosted classes unless specifically noted.
This policy is in place to ensure that our guests who travel a long way to teach with us are properly compensated for their time and travel.
If a Hosted Class is cancelled prior to the class start, all registered students will receive a refund in full.
WHAT IS REQUIRED TO TRAIN WITH MDFI?
All of our course prerequisites can be found in each course description located in the courses section. At a minimum, all students must show up to class with a valid State-Issued Concealed Carry License (CPL/CCW/LTC/Etc), Law Enforcement Credentials, Active Military I.D. or a sworn and notarized statement that states the shooter is in good standing (email us for more on this option).
You must be willing to be a member of a team. We do not tolerate behavior that does not represent responsibly-armed citizens well. We include all Americans regardless of race, creed, skin color, sex, heritage, and any other descriptor. We also support the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for every American that is protected by their inalienable right to self-defense as guaranteed by the Second Amendment.
You will be treated as an adult at all MDFI classes unless you act like a child. We do not train children, specifically adults who act like children. Join us for a good time to learn as part of a team. If you lack emotional control or cannot laugh (even at yourself) every now and then, MDFI might not be the place for you.
YOU MUST BE A U.S. CITIZEN OR PERMANENT RESIDENT (GREEN CARD HOLDER) TO TRAIN WITH MDFI
Si bien no necesita hablar inglés con fluidez para tomar una clase de MDFI, DEBE tener una comprensión completa del idioma inglés para asistir a CUALQUIER clase de armas de fuego.
(While you do not need to speak English fluently to take an MDFI class, you MUST have a complete understanding of the English language to attend ANY firearms classes.)
MDFI also requires that all shooters KNOW, UNDERSTAND and APPLY the 4 Life-Rules of Responsible Gun Handling PRIOR to attending any course. We only teach responsible Americans and all students will be held to that standard. There is absolutely zero tolerance at our classes (and around us at any time for that matter) for anyone to be irresponsible with firearms and there are no excuses that we will accept as to why someone might be irresponsible and uncontrolled with a firearm. PERIOD. Violations of these rules at anytime will result in a student being removed from class and without refund of tuition. Rest easy – The MDFI Cadre will cover ALL control standards, expectations, and consequences or failure at the start of EVERY MDFI course so their are no doubts as to course standards.
The 4 Life-Rules of Responsible Gun Handling are:
- I WILL TREAT ALL FIREARMS AS IF THEY ARE LOADED
- I WILL NOT POINT MY FIREARM AT ANYTHING I AM NOT WILLING TO DESTROY
- I WILL KEEP MY FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER AND OUTSIDE THE TRIGGER GUARD UNTIL I AM READY TO FIRE
- I WILL KNOW MY TARGET, ITS BACKGROUND AND ITS FOREGROUND
MDFI requires that students have the PHYSICAL STRENGTH to safely hold, carry, and manipulate their firearm WITHOUT assistance. (Quite simply, if you have a rifle you can’t lift, or a handgun you cannot pull the slide back on, do not come to class until you can.)
FOR ALL ADVANCED/ SPECIALTY LIVE-FIRE MDFI CLASSES, students will be required to pass the MDFI Foundation Qualifier of the firearm they are using at the beginning of class. (These skills are taught in all MDFI Foundation classes) Failure to pass will result in one remediation attempt. If the remediation qualifier is not passed, the student WILL be dismissed from class. Tuition will be forfeit. You need to make sure that you have the skillset to attend PRIOR to the day off. MDFI Qualification Target and Qualifier instructions are available for download in the “Student Resources” tab under “Targets” (instructions are on page 2).
JUMP INTO ADVANCED CLASSES
“I have trained at XYZ company and would like to jump into MDFI’s “Advanced and Specialty” firearms classes even though I have not taken the required prerequisite courses. Can I do that?”
Unfortunately, No. This is not to tell you that your previous training was not worth it but at MDFI we do things quite differently than other companies. This policy is for two primary reasons: 1. We have incredibly high control standards when it comes to firearms handling that is sadly not shared by many other training companies. As you move up in course tier with MDFI, the standards never change but the level of required control does. We will make sure that all students on the line with you have put in the required work to make every MDFI class as safe as humanly possible 2. Our curriculum is designed to build on the lessons from the tiers before and in order to get the most from your time with us, you will want to take courses in order. (we promise you are not “stepping back” and will get skillset benefit regardless of your shooting experience.)
COURSE EQUIPMENT:
“SHOULD I TRAIN WITH WHAT I CARRY?”
Yes. Let us say that again… YES. We have seen students show up to an all-day handgun class with a full-sized semi-auto and then take it off at the end of the day and put a J-frame revolver on to make the trip home.
We know that there are some disadvantages to shooting, carrying, manipulating some firearms out there, but if you trust your life to it, train with it.
You may find that the gun you have chosen for your defense and the defense of your loved ones is problematic, heavy, hard to shoot, or you just plain don’t like it etc etc…this is the time to wring it out.
“IS THERE ANY GEAR THAT IS PROHIBITED AT MDFI?”
There is – but not much. We want our students to “train with what they use” so we try to be very open to what shows up in our classes. That being said, there are some safety-specific calls that we have made for our students and cadre and are non-negotiable. If you have ANY questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email us for more.
HOLSTERS:
MDFI requires that students use a holster made for the SPECIFIC FIREARM MODEL (Not a generic-fit floppy “Uncle Mikes” type holster) that will retain the weapon through all types of activities. We allow passive or active retention holsters however if your holster works through active retention, (a thumb-strap or other method) you will be required to use that feature when holstering your weapon on the line. Here are some other gear/holster criteria for training with us:
- Shoulder Holsters, Holsters on plate carriers/chest rig mounted, Cross Draw Holsters and Small of the Back Holsters are NOT allowed.
- Approved holsters are OWB (Outside the Waistband) or IWB (Inside the Waistband) worn on the strong side or AIWB (Appendix Carry) that allow for one-handed drawing AND holstering of the firearm. (Holsters that require a user to pinch them open to holster a firearm or require the user to grab the holster with their support hand while drawing are NOT allowed).
Your holster MUST be mounted to a BELT that is mounted to YOUR PANTS with belt loops. You may not clip a holster to a pair of sweat pants/Athletic shorts and come to class. This is a VERY bad idea in class and in life. Yes, we know that a lot of people carry this way. You can do that, just not in a MDFI class. You can set yourself up to carry as close to the way you normally do while meeting our holster/belt/pants requirement and then take what you learn in class and practice 100% as you normally carry on your own time. The allowed exception to this is Law Enforcement style duty/”Battle Belts” OR the PHLster Enigma system, but the holster must be still hard-mounted to those belts.
- AIWB carry is just fine. If you carry this way, have a quality holster and understand the gravity of the consequence of failure if you are unsafe drawing or holstering the handgun.
- Pocket carry, ankle carry, and other holster exceptions can be approved in a written request to MDFI via email and a copy of that email must be brought to class. (As a note: Only MDFI Alumni who have trained with us before will be given these allowances.)
Regarding SERPAs or Like-Holsters: If you use a holster with a trigger-finger release retention system, it is YOUR responsibility to ensure your trigger finger stays out of the trigger guard until you are ready to fire. We think these holsters are a bad idea, and most often they are cheap and poorly made. As long as the holster safely retains your firearm while worn strong-side we allow it. As a grown adult, it is your decision and responsibility to utilize the retention system safely and you will be held accountable for your actions and gear choices. Choose wisely.
Your holster MUST completely cover the trigger/trigger guard of your firearm when holstered.
Your holster MUST allow you to get a full firing grip on the handgun WHILE IT IS IN THE HOLSTER. If your holster makes you “pluck” the gun up with a few fingers before getting a proper grip on it then it is not allowed. (And is a REALLY bad idea to use for concealed carry too.) There are lots of holsters out there for sale that carry really well but are worthless when it comes to the presentation of a handgun. Choose wisely.
LONG GUNS (Rifles & Shotguns):
Long Guns MUST have a manual safety and a trigger that has not been modified by anyone other than a certified gunsmith. (Drop in a purchased Geissele trigger: OK. You playing with a Dremmel to make your trigger lighter after watching a YouTube video: NOT OK.)
Binary Triggers and Registered Full Auto Guns ARE NOT ALLOWED. Not saying they aren’t cool, but it’s a no-go for our classes.
AR15 and Similar “Pistols” may be used in our Long Gun classes. They may NOT be used in our handgun classes. We are not the ATF, it is your responsibility to make sure your blaster is on the up and up with all silly state, federal, local laws etc.
.22 FIREARMS:
We know that sometimes all you can find to shoot is .22 ammo OR you choose to carry/own a .22. If you wish to use a .22 handgun or a rifle/rifle conversion in .22 you are more than welcome to. PLEASE NOTE: Unfortunately these firearms are generally more prone to stoppages than centerfire guns and we WILL NOT hold up a class if your firearm cannot make it through the class due to constant issues.
SPECIFIC COURSES:
Make sure you check each course page for any specific gear requirements
If you have any gear questions, don’t be afraid to email us. As long as your gear meets our requirements, don’t be afraid to bring what ya’ got. We will work with you to get the most out of it.
WHAT IF MDFI MUST CANCEL A CLASS?
We do everything possible to never cancel a scheduled class but on the rare occasion, it does happen. All correspondence regarding class changes, update, or cancellations will be sent to the email address you provide at registration. Please ensure emails from info@trainmdfi.com will not be sent to a junk/spam filter.
If MDFI cancels a class PRIOR TO THE DAY OF CLASS for any reason or class is CANCELLED THE DAY OF CLASS PRIOR TO CLASS START due to environmental issues (lightning, etc), all students will get credit for monies paid that DOES NOT EXPIRE and can be transferred to any class they choose anytime in the future. If the cadre must stop a class that is IN PROGRESS for safety reasons due to weather conditions, etc, MDFI will take needed actions on a case-by-case basis.
PLEASE NOTE: We train in most weather conditions. Just because its’s cold, snowing, muddy, rainy, hot, muggy, etc we do not stop classes. Only when conditions exist that pose a threat to student safety will we cancel for the environment.
WILL YOU ELABORATE ON THE EGO-FREE ZONE?
Heck yes. Our training courses are EGO-FREE at all times. This means that we do not tolerate any one putting down another student for their performance. You are at our class to improve YOUR skills, not race the other students. This is not to say that our classes are stress-free, as we work to push our students that are ready to take on more. We want all of our students to leave our classes having built on their competence and confidence with the discipline they trained with.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M REGISTERED FOR A CLASS?
When you are successfully registered for a class, you will receive two emails from MDFI. One as a payment receipt and one as your confirmation to include the class details. If you do not receive these emails, please check your Spam / Junk mail. If you still do not have the email confirmations, please send us a note at info@trainmdfi.com. Often a typo in your email address at registration sign up will cause delivery issues and it’s important we have your contact info correct so that you receive all class communications.
CAN I REQUEST A CERTIFICATE OF TRAINING AFTER MY CLASS?
Yes, most certainly. We will issue a certificate for up to 2 years after a class date. Please send us an email with your full name, class and class date, we will then verify with our records and email you a PDF certificate.
CAN MINORS TRAIN WITH MDFI?
Absolutely, as long as certain criteria are met.
Those between the age of 15 and 18 may participate in MDFI classes as long as their parent or legal guardian is also taking the class. If a minor is under 15 years of age, permission must be granted by MDFI (on a case by case basis) and then they can take our core classes (either Carbine Basics or You Suck! It’s Not the Gun!®).
Note: For all MDFI firearms classes, young participants get absolutely no slack when it comes to our standards on personal responsibility that we expect from all students when it comes to their adherence to the Four Rules of Responsible Gun Handling. Parents need to ensure they do a thorough decision-making process when thinking about having their child join them at a class.
WHAT IF I AM NOT A MINOR (UNDER 18) BUT AM UNDER 21 AND DO NOT / CANNOT HAVE A CPL / CCW / ETC?
Great question. We think it is absolutely ridiculous that you can vote, go to war, own and carry a gun openly but somehow need to wait until you are 21 by most states to put a piece of clothing over your blaster in public. All you need to do is fill out and sign (in the presence of a notary) and bring to class our non-CPL declaration. You can find that here: https://trainmdfi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/MDFI-NonCPL-Delaration.pdf.