Our Relationship with Your Details
When you arrive at compareusvscas, whether you're browsing our adventure tourism programs or considering outdoor career paths, certain details about you emerge through your interaction with our platform. Think of this as the digital footprint you leave behind when exploring what we offer.
We built this operation around a simple idea: collect only what actually matters for delivering what you came here for. No sprawling databases of unnecessary information. No hoarding data just because we can. Every piece of information we ask for serves a specific function in helping you access our educational resources or connect with our team.
Identity Elements
Your name, contact address in El Paso or wherever you're located, and email so we can actually reach you about programs starting in 2026.
Communication Records
When you send us questions at [email protected] or call +14053018720, we keep those conversations. They help us remember context when you follow up later.
Learning Preferences
Which outdoor specializations interest you, what time zones work for your schedule, whether you prefer weekday or weekend sessions. The practical stuff that shapes how we tailor recommendations.
Technical Interaction Data
Browser type, operating system, pages you viewed, how long you spent reading about wilderness safety versus expedition planning. This shows us what content resonates and what falls flat.
Some information arrives automatically when you visit. Your IP address tells us roughly where requests are coming from (helpful for understanding our geographic reach across the US market). Device information helps us fix broken layouts on specific browsers. Navigation patterns reveal whether our site structure actually makes sense or confuses people.
Other details come directly from you filling out forms. Program inquiries, newsletter signups, contact submissions. You're making a deliberate choice to share specifics so we can respond appropriately.
Quick clarification: This document covers information practices. For details about cookies, analytics scripts, and similar tracking mechanisms, see our separate cookie policy. We're keeping these topics separate because they involve different mechanisms and different choices on your part.
What We Actually Do With Information
Here's the thing about running an education platform focused on adventure tourism careers: we need certain details to make the whole operation function. But the "why" behind each type of data varies quite a bit.
Operational Necessities
Your email address and name aren't going into some marketing automation system the moment you provide them. They sit in our enrollment system so when our Texas-based team schedules spring 2026 program orientations, you actually receive notification. When you ask a question about our wilderness first responder certification track, we need contact information to send you a coherent answer rather than shouting into the void.
Payment details (when you eventually enroll) get processed through secured channels. We don't store your credit card numbers on our systems. That's handled by payment processors who specialize in that specific security challenge. We receive confirmation that payment cleared, along with transaction identifiers for our accounting records.
Service Enhancement
Those browsing patterns I mentioned? They're surprisingly revealing about what works and what doesn't. When we see people consistently abandoning our expedition leadership program page halfway through, that signals a problem. Maybe the content's too dense. Maybe it loads slowly. Maybe we buried the most compelling information too far down. Your collective behavior patterns guide how we restructure content.
Communication records help us avoid making you repeat yourself. When you called last month asking about prerequisites for the mountaineering safety course, we noted that conversation. If you follow up this week, whoever answers the phone can pull up that context instead of starting from scratch.
Legal Compliance and Protection
Operating an educational platform in the United States means certain record-keeping isn't optional. Financial transactions require documentation. If someone claims they never enrolled but we charged their card, transaction records resolve that dispute. If a former participant makes allegations about program content, we need records showing what was actually covered.
Occasionally law enforcement or regulatory bodies make legitimate requests for information related to investigations. When accompanied by proper legal process, we respond appropriately. This happens rarely, but operating in regulated education markets means it's possible.
Direct Communication
When you opted into our newsletter about outdoor career developments, you gave us permission to send relevant updates. We interpret "relevant" narrowly. News about 2026 program launches, changes to certification requirements, new partnerships with adventure tourism companies. Not promotional spam trying to sell you unrelated services.
We're not in the business of monetizing your attention through aggressive email campaigns. Our revenue comes from delivering worthwhile education, not from bombarding you with marketing messages until you crack.
Information Movement Beyond Our Organization
Complete transparency here: your information doesn't stay locked in our systems indefinitely. Certain operational realities require involving outside entities. But there's a massive difference between strategic sharing for functional purposes and indiscriminate data brokering.
Service Providers We Actually Use
Our web infrastructure runs on hosting services. Those companies technically have access to data stored on their servers, though contractual obligations prevent them from doing anything with it. Email communication flows through delivery services. Payment processing involves specialized financial institutions. Customer relationship management software stores your contact details and interaction history.
These aren't "partners" in any meaningful sense. They're service vendors providing infrastructure we can't reasonably build ourselves. Each operates under contracts restricting how they handle information. They're processing data on our behalf, not obtaining it for their own purposes.
Educational Partners and Certification Bodies
Some of our programs lead to industry-recognized certifications in wilderness medicine, technical rescue, or expedition management. The organizations issuing those certifications need to verify you completed required training. We send them your name, completion dates, and assessment results. That information becomes part of their certification registries.
Occasionally we work with outdoor companies offering internships or apprenticeships to our participants. When you apply for those opportunities, we forward your application materials to the relevant company. You initiate that transfer by choosing to apply.
Legal Requirements and Safety Issues
If we receive a valid subpoena or court order demanding information, we comply. If law enforcement presents proper legal process as part of an investigation, we respond accordingly. These situations are uncommon but not impossible.
More relevant to our field: if someone expresses credible threats of harm to themselves or others during program participation, we may need to involve appropriate authorities. Safety concerns can override privacy considerations in extreme circumstances.
Business Transitions
Should compareusvscas be acquired, merge with another organization, or undergo significant restructuring, participant information would transfer as part of that transition. You'd receive notification if this happens, but the basic reality is that databases of participant records constitute business assets that move with organizational changes.
What we absolutely don't do: We don't sell participant lists to marketing companies. We don't trade information with data brokers. We don't participate in advertising networks that track you across the web. Your details aren't a profit center for us.
Security Approach and Honest Limitations
Let's establish something up front: perfect security doesn't exist. Anyone promising absolute protection is either naive or dishonest. What we can offer is a thoughtful, multi-layered approach that significantly reduces risk while acknowledging that determined, sophisticated attackers could potentially breach any system.
Technical Safeguards
Our systems employ encryption for data in transit. When you submit information through our website, it travels through encrypted connections that prevent interception. Stored information resides in databases with access controls limiting who can view different data categories. A customer service representative handling program inquiries can see contact information but not financial records. Our accounting team accesses transaction data but not your browsing history.
Regular security updates patch known vulnerabilities in our software stack. We don't leave systems running on outdated platforms with well-documented security flaws. Automated monitoring watches for suspicious access patterns that might indicate unauthorized entry attempts.
Administrative and Physical Controls
Staff access follows need-to-know principles. People get system access based on job function requirements, nothing more. When employees leave, their access gets revoked immediately. Our El Paso office at 2201 E Mills Ave maintains physical security preventing unauthorized access to equipment.
We conduct periodic reviews of who has access to what, eliminating accumulated permissions that no longer serve legitimate purposes. When working with service providers, we review their security practices and contractual obligations before entrusting them with participant information.
Realistic Risk Assessment
Despite these measures, vulnerabilities persist. A sophisticated phishing campaign could trick an employee into revealing credentials. A previously unknown software vulnerability could provide entry points before we can patch it. Human error might result in misconfigured security settings. Supply chain compromises could affect third-party services we depend on.
We're not a financial institution or healthcare provider. The information we hold, while valuable to you, doesn't command the resources that major criminal organizations dedicate to breaching high-value targets. That's somewhat reassuring, though not a guarantee.
If a significant breach occurs, we'll notify affected individuals according to applicable legal requirements. Notification would include what happened, what information was involved, what we're doing in response, and what steps you might consider taking.
During Program Participation
While you're actively enrolled in programs, we maintain comprehensive records including learning progress, communications, assessment results, and contact information. This serves operational needs and educational documentation.
Educational Records
Completion records, certifications earned, and transcripts stick around for seven years after program completion. This allows you to request documentation later and helps us verify credentials for employers or other educational institutions.
Financial Transaction Data
Payment records and related financial documentation remain accessible for three years to satisfy accounting requirements and handle potential disputes or audits.
Marketing Communications
If you subscribed to our newsletter or opted into marketing communications, we keep that contact information until you unsubscribe. One click removes you from future messages.
Your Agency Over Personal Information
This isn't a one-way relationship where we collect information and you hope we handle it responsibly. You maintain substantial control over what we hold and how we use it. Exercising that control requires knowing what options exist and how to activate them.
Access
You can request copies of information we maintain about you. Email [email protected] with "Information Access Request" and we'll compile what we hold.
Correction
Found errors in your records? Notify us and we'll update incorrect information. This matters for contact details, program preferences, and biographical data.
Deletion
Request removal of information we no longer need for legitimate purposes. Some records must be retained for legal compliance, but we'll delete what we can.
Communication Opt-Out
Unsubscribe links appear in every marketing email. One click stops future promotional messages, though we'll still send essential account-related communications.
Processing Objection
In certain situations, you can object to specific uses of your information. Contact us to discuss particular concerns about how we're handling your details.
Data Portability
Request your information in structured, commonly used formats that you can transfer elsewhere if desired.
Responding to these requests typically takes a few business days. For complex requests requiring extensive records compilation, it might take up to two weeks. We'll acknowledge receipt within 48 hours and provide realistic timelines.
We verify identity before fulfilling requests to prevent unauthorized access. This might involve confirming details from your account or asking security questions. It's not bureaucratic hassle – it's protecting your information from impersonators.
Complaints and Escalation
If you're unsatisfied with how we handled a privacy concern, you have options beyond repeatedly emailing us. You can file complaints with consumer protection agencies or, if applicable, with regulatory bodies overseeing educational institutions. We'd prefer to resolve issues directly, but external escalation paths exist.
Written Correspondence
compareusvscas Privacy Team
2201 E Mills Ave
El Paso, TX 79901
United States
Urgent Security Concerns
If you suspect unauthorized access to your account or notice suspicious activity, contact us immediately through any available channel. Security issues get priority attention.
This notice reflects our practices as of March 2025. Changes happen when we add new services, respond to legal developments, or improve our operations. Significant updates get announced through email to active participants and prominent website notices. Minor clarifications might appear without individual notification.
You're not locked into using our services. If our information practices don't align with your comfort level, you're free to discontinue engagement. We'd rather have that honest conversation than pretend mandatory data collection doesn't limit choices.