Archive - January 3, 2013

The word came down by email about ten days ago that RPCVs weren’t invited to join the Presidential Inaugural Parade this January. It is the first time in years that the PCVs won’t be represented for the work they do for America. The impressive display of flags from countries where we have worked and served, appears not to hold any value with the current administration, while marching high school bands are warmly welcomed. So much for “Ask what you can do your country!”   The official reason given to RPCV/W was that the Administration wanted a smaller Inaugural. The “Peace Corps Community” (i.e., RPCV/W) submitted a formal application to the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC), not the NPCA. The NPCA at the moment while having a salaried staff and offices, but appears not to have the ability to do the necessary work.)    However, RPCVs working in Washington volunteered (as always) and drafted the lengthy application. Led by RPCV/W President Chris Austin (Paraguay . . .

[In a late December, 2012 letter to friends, Chic tells the Peace Corps Community about his decision to retire. Chic is the author of  Exhaust the Limits: The Life and Times of a Global Peacebuilder, self-published in 2010. We wish Chic well in his retirement years. His letter to friends.] Dear Friends, I am about to wrap up my final tasks here in the office and move on to the next stage in my life – retirement!  It will be an active retirement with some teaching, consulting, lecturing, and service on a few nonprofit boards, but it will also include lots of reading, good music and some canoeing and fishing. Congressman Garamendi has agreed to name Chris Austin as the Acting Chief of Staff. He can be reached at chris.austin@mail.house.gov.  Chris will continue to be the Legislative Director in addition to his new responsibilities. I can’t tell you what an . . .