Military.com and CinCHouse.com’s Spouse of the Year Award 2010
Presented by the Armed Services Mutual Benefit Association and TriWest Healthcare Alliance
OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN
The following promotion shall be construed and evaluated according to the laws of the United States. Do not proceed in this promotion if you are not a legal resident of the United States. Further eligibility restrictions are contained in the Official Rules below.
The following promotion allows participants to refer themselves or third parties as candidates (each such candidate being known as a “Nominee”). If you are referring another individual, for the purposes of this promotion you will be known as a “Nominator”). Nominators and Nominees will be collectively known as Participants.
1. ELIGIBILITY: Military.com and CinCHouse.com’s Spouse of the Year Award 2010 (the “Promotion”) is open to Participants who are legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, and who are at least 18 years of age. Promotion is void in Puerto Rico. Excepting Guam, Promotion is void in all U.S. territories and possessions and where prohibited by law. Entries must be from individuals only; groups, organizations and multiple-party entries are not eligible. This promotion is governed by US law and is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Participants must have Internet access in order to enter or be entered in the Promotion. Each Participant must be the rightful owner (or have authorized use) of the e-mail address identified in the entry. Employees of CinCHouse, and Military Advantage, Inc., (collectively “Sponsor”), the Armed Services Mutual Benefit Association (ASMBA), the TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Semi-Finalist Judges, and each of their parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion and fulfillment agencies and members of the immediate family or household of each are not eligible. Immediate family members include parents, siblings or any person residing in the same household as employee. Additional eligibility criterions for Nominees are defined below:
Nominee Eligibility: Nominees must be the legal spouse of active duty, reserve or guard, and must hold either i) a valid marriage certificate to active duty, reserve or guard or ii) hold a military identification card evidencing their spousal relationship to active duty, reserve or guard. Spouses of veterans or retirees, will not be eligible as Nominees. Nominees must be available to travel to and participate in an award ceremony during the week of September 30, 2010.
2. ENTRY: A complete entry consists of (1) registration at the Sponsor’s Website located at www.CinCHouse.com; and (2) submission of a completed Nomination (available at http://www.cinchouse.com/Articles/SpouseoftheYear/tabid/8377/Default.aspx, after registration and/or login) including an Essay Response to the answer to the question, “Why is your Nominee the best spouse of the year?” Essay Responses must be at least 500 words long, and no longer than 800 words. Entries may be submitted starting March 1, 2010 at 12:00 a.m. (CT) and ending on June 30, 2010 at 11:59 a.m. (CT). Nominators may enter more than one Nominee. Entries must have one author only – no co-written or multiple author entries permitted. Entries must not have been previously published, submitted to any other publication, or entered into any other contest promotion. No responsibility is assumed by Sponsor for lost, late, misdirected, illegible, incomplete, stolen, or mutilated entries or for any computer, online, telephone or technical malfunctions that may occur. All entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be returned. Sponsor reserves the right to post or not post any entries, and reject any entries/essays, for any reason, in its sole discretion.
3. PRIZES/ODDS:
Grand Prize. The Nominee named in the Grand Prize entry will win the Grand Prize. The Grand Prize will include a $5,000 dollar cash prize, and a trip for two (2) to Washington D.C., for 3 days and 2 nights during the time period between September 29, 2010 and October 1, 2010 (specific dates to be determined by the Sponsors). The trip includes (i) round trip coach class air transportation for two, (ii) standard hotel accommodations (double occupancy) for two (2) nights, (iii) Two hundred dollars ($200) in spending money; and (iv) admission to the Award Ceremony at the Reserve Officers Association building. Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of Grand Prize is $6,500. The actual value will vary depending on winner’s city of departure. Sponsor may substitute for air travel if winner lives close to destination. If the actual value turns out to be less than the stated ARV, the difference will not be awarded in cash. All expenses not specifically included, including but not limited to any taxes or expenses as set forth, are the sole responsibility of Winner. Winner must travel on dates specified by Sponsor, or may forfeit prize. Selected airline and hotel are at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. If the Award Ceremony is postponed or cancelled for any reason after travel is arranged, balance of trip will be awarded in full satisfaction of prize, and no additional prize will be awarded. Trip must be taken within one year of award. Certain restrictions and blackout dates apply and exact travel dates and arrangements subject to availability. An adult winner's travel companion must be 18 years of age or older, or if the companion is a minor, the winner must be such minor's parent or legal guardian. Winner and guests must travel together on the same itinerary and possess all required travel documents, including visas and valid passports, if and as applicable. Ground transportation, tax, gratuities, personal expenses, and all other expenses incurred on the trip that are not specifically provided for herein, including but not limited to additional ground transportation, gratuities and any other incidental expenses, are solely the responsibility of the applicable prize winner and his or her guest.
Semi-Finalist Prize. Nine Nominees named in the Semi Finalist entries, (excluding the Grand Prize entry), will each receive a Military.com Fleece Jacket and a Certificate of Recognition, with an approximate retail value $45.00. Approximate retail value of all Semi-Finalist Prizes, $425.00.
Nominator Prize. The Nominators who submit the Grand Prize and Semi-Finalist entries will each receive one iPod Shuffle current generation, approximate retail value of $67.00. In the event the Nominee referred his/her self, no Nominator Prize will be given. Approximate retail value of all Nominator Prizes, $670.00.
Total Approximate Retail Value of all Prizes in this Promotion is $7600.00.
ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES, AND ANY OTHER COSTS AND EXPENSES, ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECEIPT OR USE OF THE PRIZE ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNER. Prizes are not transferable, except at discretion of Sponsor. Prizes are awarded WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND from Sponsor, express or implied, without limitation. If winner chooses not to accept the prize, an alternate winner will be chosen.
4. SELECTION OF WINNER: Winner selection will take place in two phases, as described below:
Judging Period (July 15, 2010 – July 30, 2010) for Semi-Finalists: Sponsor will review all eligible entries, and select the ten best entries (the “Semi-Finalists”). Entries will be judged by the following criteria: i) volunteerism; ii) the response to stressful circumstances presented by military life; iii) a well-articulated essay which directly addresses the nominee’s qualities, talents, and efforts in situations of duress (collectively the “Judging Criteria”).
Judging Period (July 30, 2010 – August 17, 2010) for Grand Prize Winner: Beginning on or about August 3, 2010 and ending on August 17, 2010 the Semi-Finalists’ essay entries will be posted at the Sponsor’s web site, www.CinCHouse.com, where site visitors can vote on who is most deserving according to the Judging Criteria. Beginning on or about July 30, 2010 the Semi-Finalists’ essay entries will also be evaluated (according to the Judging Criteria) by a Semi-Finalist Judging Panel. Members of the Semi-Finalist Judging Panel will be determined by Sponsor. User voting will comprise 5% of each Semi-Finalist’s score. The remaining balance of each score (95%) will be determined by the Semi-Finalist Judging Panel. The overall highest scoring entry shall be deemed the Grand Prize Winner.
All decisions made by the judges and/or Sponsor shall be final.
5. INDIVIDUAL VOTING ONLY. Every vote must be manually keystroked and manually entered by the individual. Automated and/or repetitive electronic submission of votes (including but not limited to votes made using any script, macro, or both) will be disqualified and transmissions from any related e-mail or IP addresses may be blocked. Sponsor may reject any vote it believes is the result of fraud or were submitted in violation of the Official Rules.
6. WINNER NOTIFICATION: The potential winners will be notified by email, telephone, overnight carrier or regular mail within approximately ten (10) days of the close of the applicable Judging Period. Return of any prize or prize notification as undeliverable, if Sponsor is unable to contact the potential winner after reasonable effort, or failure of potential winner to respond within three (3) days of first attempted notification, will result in forfeiture of prize and selection of an alternate winner. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any potential winner who fails to comply with these Official Rules and Sponsor's requests, and award the prize to an alternate winner.
7. GENERAL: Potential Prize Winners (including winners of the Grand Prize, Semi-Finalist Prizes, and/or Nominator Prizes) will be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability Release, a Publicity Release (where legal), a W-9 form, and submit a copy of their valid marriage certificate or Military ID card (as applicable), within ten (10) days of first attempted notification. Nominees referred by third parties will be required to acknowledge and accept these Official Rules before being considered as Semi Finalists. The Grand Prize Winner’s travel companion will be required to sign a Travel Companion’s Release and a Publicity Release. In the event of noncompliance, potential winners may be disqualified and an alternate winner selected, at Sponsor's sole discretion. By entering, Participants (a) agree to be bound by the Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor which are final and binding in all respects; (b) agree to release Sponsor, and its employees and agents from any and all liability, loss, damage or injury resulting from participation in this Promotion or awarding, receipt, possession use and/or misuse of any prize awarded herein and acknowledge that Sponsor and its employees and agents have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation, or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to any prize including, but not limited to, its quality, mechanical condition or fitness for a particular purpose; and (c) consent to use of his/her name, photograph and/or likeness for advertising and promotional purposes in connection with this Promotion without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law.
8. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: All submissions to the Promotion must be original works. By submitting an entry, you represent and agree that your submission will not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of any third party. All submissions and all information contained therein, including the copyright and all other intellectual property rights, become the property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned. By submitting a submission, you irrevocably assign to Sponsor all right, title, and interest in your submission in any and all media whether now known or hereafter devised, in perpetuity, anywhere in the world, with the right to make any and all uses thereof, including, without limitation, for purposes of advertising or trade. The rights granted under this paragraph shall extend to all submissions and all other submitted materials related to the Promotion, including those submitted by non-winners and winners. By submitting a submission, you grant to Sponsor and its affiliated companies, the right, except where prohibited by law, to use your name, likeness, picture, address (city and state), e-mail address, voice, biographical information and written or oral statements, for advertising and promotional purposes in promoting or publicizing Sponsor and its products or services, without compensation unless required by law. You shall have no right of approval, no claim to compensation, and no claim (including, without limitation, claims based on invasion of privacy, defamation, or right of publicity) arising out of any use, blurring, alteration, or use in composite form of your name, picture, likeness, address (city and state), email address, biographical information, or entry. The rights granted under this paragraph shall extend to Sponsor and its affiliated companies with respect to all entrants in the Promotion, including non-winners and winners.
9. INTERNET: Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify, suspend or terminate the Promotion should a virus, bugs or other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor corrupt the administration, security or proper play of the Promotion. In such event, the prizes will be awarded by Sponsor from among eligible entries received up to the date/time of corruption or modification, to the extent feasible. Sponsor is not responsible for late, lost, incomplete, or misdirected entries; computer system, phone line, electronic equipment, computer hardware, software or program malfunctions, or other errors; failures or delays in computer transmissions or network connections; problems downloading entries from the web site; or for any other technical problems related to web site entries. Sponsor is not responsible for incorrect or inaccurate entry information, whether caused by Internet users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Promotion, or by any technical or human error which may occur in the processing of the entries in the Promotion. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY A PERSON TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THIS PROMOTION IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. In the event of a dispute, entries will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of entry. "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, on-line service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational, institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.
10. DISPUTES: This Promotion is governed by the laws of the United States and the State of New York, without respect to conflict of law doctrines. As a condition of participating in this Promotion, Participants agree that any and all disputes which cannot be resolved between the parties, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with this Promotion, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court located in New York having jurisdiction. Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will Participants be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby waive all rights to claim punitive, incidental or consequential damages, including attorneys' fees, other than Participant's actual out-of-pocket expenses (e.g. costs associated with entering), and Participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased.
11. WINNER INFORMATION: For a copy of the winners list or an additional copy of these Official Rules, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope by September 7, 2010, to Military Advantage, Inc. attn: Vince Patton, 799 Market Street, Suite 700, San Francisco, CA 94103. Please specify “Rules Request” or “Winners List Request”.
12. SPONSOR: The sponsors of this Promotion are Military Advantage, Inc. and CinCHouse, a division of Military Advantage, Inc. 799 Market Street, Suite 700, San Francisco, CA 94103
