Comments on: Where does the campaign go from here? (Part 1) http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/push-for-peace-corps/2010/01/13/where-do-we-go-from-here/ Nepal RPCV Rajeev Goyal talks about his experiences working with thousands of activists on the PushforPeaceCorps.org Campaign, which is organizing to expand and improve the Corps with major funding boosts from Congress. Rajeev provides latest updates, shares his unique experiences, and tells us what we can do to help from the grassroots. Fri, 24 May 2013 13:07:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: FD http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/push-for-peace-corps/2010/01/13/where-do-we-go-from-here/comment-page-1/#comment-6 FD Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:11:24 +0000 http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/push-for-peace-corps/?p=112#comment-6 I think we need to focus on the PCs in country and get the numbers up like we said we would. I don't think doubling really was the goal and historically the staff numbers and salaries go up and the number of PCs increases by maybe a thousand. CN&CS seems to be following the same pattern. It works. The new programs and countries are more dangerous and that's why we weren't there. Since we now stay in country after military coups, etc. we are moving into conflict resolution like Mercy Corps PC partners with; we might be focusing on land issues like Mercy Corps and this is where the ghosts are. We need: An end to forced assignments (e.g.) to Dangerous/hazardous countries under US sanctions and or Peacekeeping Operations and or a coup-post conflict/conflict. Right to refuse assignments(deferment). Death benefit increase (i.e. like other agencies), sickness, evacuation, kidnap and extortion benefits. Access to legal services. Hazardous Duty, Danger, and temporary out of country duty pay. An Ombudsman. 2 PCs per site, no short term(Response) employee subs. We also need to get rid of the boutique shopping. For example, opening up Indonesia because Obama went to school there and Hillary wants to make him happy. Sri Lanka because Congress wants us there. Colombia because some RPCVs want us there. We need to do LESS partnering because we're the government. We're expensive, like 57,000 per PC per year, and we shouldn't compete with NGOs.etc. that can do more with less. PEPFAR was a good excuse for funding and w'eve exceeded the 1,000 PEPFAR PCs, but it is a government program and funded at 50 billion on a five year budget cycle, second, and a majority of the funding isn't just for treatment anymore because people want a piece of the pie. We partner with NGOs that could spend that 57,000 a lot better. We are now getting more dangerous as we start doing their work. The countries weren't waiting because of the budget, but waiting because of Safety and Security issues. We could open up 20 countries tomorrow, but insist on luxuries like hiring all those in country employees. PC is 95% administration and this is why it's popular in Congress. It's federal jobs and they won't pass on them. If we place PCs with NGOs we can just do what CN&CS does and save more. We need that raise that disappeared as we increased the budget. We need an NPCA that is actually going to take care of the PCs and not run around screaming for more money, RPCVs and Congress when the PCs don't get any, but face budget cuts on evac/medevac. I think we need to focus on the PCs in country and get the numbers up like we said we would. I don’t think doubling really was the goal and historically the staff numbers and salaries go up and the number of PCs increases by maybe a thousand. CN&CS seems to be following the same pattern. It works.

The new programs and countries are more dangerous and that’s why we weren’t there. Since we now stay in country after military coups, etc. we are moving into conflict resolution like Mercy Corps PC partners with; we might be focusing on land issues like Mercy Corps and this is where the ghosts are.

We need:

An end to forced assignments (e.g.) to Dangerous/hazardous countries under US sanctions and or Peacekeeping Operations and or a coup-post conflict/conflict. Right to refuse assignments(deferment).

Death benefit increase (i.e. like other agencies), sickness, evacuation, kidnap and extortion benefits. Access to legal services.

Hazardous Duty, Danger, and temporary out of country duty pay.

An Ombudsman.

2 PCs per site, no short term(Response) employee subs.

We also need to get rid of the boutique shopping. For example, opening up Indonesia because Obama went to school there and Hillary wants to make him happy. Sri Lanka because Congress wants us there. Colombia because some RPCVs want us there.

We need to do LESS partnering because we’re the government. We’re expensive, like 57,000 per PC per year, and we shouldn’t compete with NGOs.etc. that can do more with less. PEPFAR was a good excuse for funding and w’eve exceeded the 1,000 PEPFAR PCs, but it is a government program and funded at 50 billion on a five year budget cycle, second, and a majority of the funding isn’t just for treatment anymore because people want a piece of the pie. We partner with NGOs that could spend that 57,000 a lot better. We are now getting more dangerous as we start doing their work. The countries weren’t waiting because of the budget, but waiting because of Safety and Security issues. We could open up 20 countries tomorrow, but insist on luxuries like hiring all those in country employees. PC is 95% administration and this is why it’s popular in Congress. It’s federal jobs and they won’t pass on them. If we place PCs with NGOs we can just do what CN&CS does and save more.

We need that raise that disappeared as we increased the budget.

We need an NPCA that is actually going to take care of the PCs and not run around screaming for more money, RPCVs and Congress when the PCs don’t get any, but face budget cuts on evac/medevac.

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