Comments on: President Obama Does Nothing for the Peace Corps

By: Don

Don — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 20:00:30 +0000

I was a volunteer over 30 years ago in Iran, just prior to the Islamic Revolution.
Having been of student age, I got to know many of the students back then. Many of them felt the revolution would usher in a new age of democratic government, and not a theological take over.
Though the volunteers stayed out of the politics, looking back, the Peace corps supported the then idealism of thought that it would hopefully usher in democracy.
Our very presence gave many hope in a better way of self determinism, that seemed to have lost it’s way to a brutal regime.
If only we had more dedication and a larger presence, we might have better tipped the scales to a peaceful outcome .
That we are able to show Americans are more interested in helping people achieve a better life,
rather than beating them into submission, was the best purpose the Peace Corps has to offer.
You change more minds this way than you ever do with military force.

By: Darrell

Darrell — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 22:40:47 +0000

The Deputy Director of the Peace Corps spoke at my university yesterday and while she didn’t mentioned idea of doubling the size of the Peace Corps, based on her comments, it sounded like the Peace Corps is no where near prepared for such a massive increase in the number of volunteers.

What it seems like to me was that doubling the size sounded like a great idea during the campaign, but after the election it became clear that even if the money was available, the Peace Corps wouldn’t be prepared to use it. Also, the $46 million budget increase is nothing to sneeze at. I believe the Deputy Director said it was the single largest budget increase since the Peace Corps was founded. That’s something that should be applauded, not ridiculed.

By: Joey

Joey — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:03:05 +0000

One report I read, which I do not have at my fingertips, said that about 48% of Peace Corps staff are RPCVs.

By: Joey

Joey — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:01:13 +0000

My understanding is that there are about 20 Safety and Security positions which are exempt by law from the five year rule. Lorenzo alluded to more positions which the current Director requested and now has exempt, but I don’t know any more about that.

What I do know is that I when I talk with “lower level”, there is frequently an reference to the five-year rule. I have seen a FOIA officer and a Public Records Manager leave because of the five year rule.

One assistant management director complained about the difficulty of getting career employees with needed administrative (read: bureacratic) skills because they did not want to interrupt their civil service path with a stinct at Peace Corps. In country HCN staff are state department employees and are exempt from the five year rule.

Also, the 29-32 political appointees all resigned the day Obama was sworn in. Those positions were not filled for months, due to Senate problems with confirmation of all Obama appointees. Willians did not take over until August of 2009. The current Deputy Director wasn’t sworn in until JUne of this year.

I don’t think that there are long-term Peace Corps employees outside of the noted exemptions. But, always, I could be wrong.

By: dsearles

dsearles — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:30:34 +0000

My comment on the 5-year rule was based mainly on what seems to be frequent comments on this site by, or referring to, ‘long-term’ Peace Corps employees and the fact that every employee seems to have been ‘Peace Corps’ previously in some capacity. Back in the old days, come one’s fifth anniversary and it was ‘adios.’

One fellow wrote in another connection that the five-year rule forced him out; otherwise he would have ‘held onto those bountiful tits forever.’

For me, it was the best job I ever had, and without the automatic ‘kick,’ hell, I might still be there!

By: Leo Cecchini

Leo Cecchini — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:00:39 +0000

Joey Thanks for the tip on the book about Robert Paul. I will look for it.

By: Lorenzo

Lorenzo — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:11:02 +0000

Joey- The five year rule still exists but over the years the number of exceptions to it undermines the intent. Recently, the new director recommended (and was given approval of) even more exceptions.

David- I am not sure whether the five year rule and the bloated Washington staff are related. One would have to analyze the positions.

By: Joey

Joey — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:58:31 +0000

It seems to me that there are myrid issues being presented here. From “What should the goal of the Peace Corps be?” to solving staff problems and agency problems.

Leo, in your article “While the Peace Corps Slept,” you comment on the role of the military in nation-building, for lack of a better word. I would like to recommend a book: “Waging Peace -A Special Operations Battle to Rebuild Iraq,: by Schultheis. One of the soldiers featured is Robert Paul, an RPCV. Paul was killed in Afghanistan in the fall of 2006. His comments on peace and military were featured in the Spring 2007 issue of World View.

By: Joey

Joey — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 00:31:28 +0000

David,

Where do you find “the apparent demise” of the five year rule?

By: dsearles

dsearles — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 22:24:01 +0000

I wonder if the apparent demise of the five year rule has played a role in the build-up of staff numbers? Can PC/W have possibly grown to the extent reported?

While not meaning to make light of an awful situation, I do remember how one woman in a swine production program handled the problem of unwelcome suitors. She wore the scapel-type instrument she used to castrate piglets on a silver chain around her neck. She delighted in describing its use to pushy guys, who quickly got the message.