The NPCA Gets Their Man
I agree that NPCA is very much "within the beltway." But, it doesn't have a mandate or the legal ability…
The NPCA sent the following announcement out saying that they have hired an RPCV who used to work for ACDI/VOCA. (I have no idea what ACDI/VOCA means, but I hope it is not contagious. Using an acronym such as ACDI/VOCA without any explanation of what it means is another example of how out of touch with the Peace Corps Community the leadership of the NPCA is. They think the whole Peace Corps Community lives inside the Beltway and daily uses such acronyms and terms.
Okay NPCA take this: ‘I’m going to hit an 8.5 degree Burner SuperFast with a Fujikura Motore Speeder 8.0 X shaft on the back side and play a Pro Vix and hit a cut fade into the terrace green at Twelve as the TifEagle Bermuda is overseeded with rye and I have thirty degrees helping and everything is running towards the water.’ How’s that for making myself understood?
Anyway, this is what the NPCA had to say….
•
The Board of Directors of the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Glenn Blumhorst (Guatemala 1988-91) as its new President.
Glenn Blumhorst’s appointment follows an extensive nationwide search that began in Fall 2012. A search committee of the NPCA Board of Directors selected him from a robust pool of highly qualified applicants.
Glenn comes to the NPCA with 25 years of international experience, 18 of them working with ACDI/VOCA. Glen
n has held leadership positions in small scale projects and complex multinational operations. He has experience servicing and managing large grants and developing strategic partnerships.
Glenn, who served in the Peace Corps with his wife, Cathy, will begin his role leading the NPCA community on February 25, 2013. Those attending any of the upcoming events between February 28 and March 2, including Capitol Hill Advocacy Day, Director’s Circle Weekend and Board of Directors Meeting, will have the opportunity to meet him in person.
John:
ACDI/VOCA–in the early days “Aggies.,” The full name is : Agricultural Cooperative Development Assistance and Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance.
Hence.”.aggies.” Great guys, of course and much involved in international work.
BTW–to promote change within I have announced (to NPCA) I will stand for a vacant Board seat-
I will revert with my campaign requirements shortly.
Dennid Grubb
Colombia (1961-1963)
Whoever that guy is, the guy with the ACDI/VOCA, he’s got that Scherman photograph with JFK and the first volunteers on his office wall behind him..
I have to concur with John Coyne as I too was put off by the acronym unfamiliar to me. Couldn’t even guess and didn’t want to goggle it. That said, let’s hope for a much better connection between NPCA and its membership in the future.
Oh, John, you’re so cute when you get mad.
Leita
Well, darn, I agree with Coyne on this one.
During several episodes during the past 40-50 years, I have worked to get something relevant and of quality going in the NPCA and its several equally aimless predecessors. Eventually, as with city councils and local Chambers of Commerce, I came to the conclusion that you can never go wrong underestimating the value of RPCV organizations. Except FON with which I have also sparred, lord knows.
I mean, shouldn’t one of the goals of the NRCP be to become a player (with no acronyms) in Washington?
By now, Congressional staff should be wise to the fact that a national RPCV group can bring expert country witnesses for briefings and testimony. But an RPCV organization has never, ever played a role in foreign policy.Huh? I worked on the Carter transition and a small group of us did meet with a future White House policy wonk. He was kind of interested in reviving the Peace Corps (also remember Jimmy’s mother). Nothing happened.
Dennis, I got hundreds of files on PC. Let me know if you get elected.
Tom Hebert, Nigeria 62-64
I agree that NPCA is very much “within the beltway.” But, it doesn’t have a mandate or the legal ability to be anything else. It reminds me very much of my college Alumni association. I get newsletters updating me on what is happening at CU, a “where are they now column,” and brochures selling mugs and cruises.
What is so difficult for me, and I suspect, others, is that RPCVs built Peace Corps with our efforts and when service is over and/or staff appointments, there is no way to influence or connect with the organization. It goes to the highest political bidder, who may set about changing the very things we worked for or repeating the very problems we wanted solved.
And of course when I say “we,” I really mean “me.” There is no consensus among 200,000 RPCVs as to what Peace Corps is, should be, or was.