Author - Joanne Roll

    “The National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service is a bipartisan, 11-member Commission created by Congress to develop recommendations to inspire more Americans—specifically young people—to participate in military, national, and public service and to review the military selective service process. The Commission was established on September 19, 2017 and launched in January 2018. We released an Interim Report on January 23, 2019. Addressed to the American public, Congress, and the President, the Interim Report outlines issues we are exploring and summarizes our work to date. We will publish our Final Report, complete with policy recommendations and legislative proposals, by March 2020. Our work will conclude by September 2020.” The Commission is comprised of eleven commissioners who bring together diverse experiences from service in the military, public office, Capitol Hill, and not-for-profit organizations.” https://inspire2serve.gov/content/who-we-are   Peace Corps is included in the list of National Service opportunities.  The Commission . . .

Former Peace Corps Carrie Hessler Radelet happened to be  in town.  She joined Former Peace Corps Director Nick Craw (1973-1974), and Former Peace Corps Director Richard Celeste (1979-1981) in an informal panel. Over 90 RPCVs listened  to the trio discuss their time as Directors and their hopes for the future of Peace Corps.  Peace Corps had lost its independent status in 1971 when Nixon placed  all Volunteer agencies under one umbrella agency, ACTION. Peace Corps lost its logo and its formal name and became officially  Division of Overseas Operations. Nick Craw was Director during this regime.  However, he reported, during the intense Watergate affair, 1973 -74, Washington was so occupied with the scandal on the Hill that Peace Corps was basically left alone.  Nick named the Country Management Plans as his best achievement. He wanted to give In-Country staff more say-so in planning and budgeting.  Carrie said the plan was . . .

Thank you to RPCV Alan Toth  for highlighting on his Facebook page, Posh Corps : A Peace Corps Documentary, NPR’s Opinion piece about overseas volunteering. The focus is on the industry in which people pay to volunteer overseas on a short term basis. Peace Corps in not included in the critique.  Here should be the link for the article: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/09/12/754347433/volunteering-abroad-is-popular-and-problematic-lets-fix-it   OPINION: Volunteering Abroad Is Popular And Problematic. Let’s Fix It Have you ever volunteered abroad? From students and young professionals to retirees, nowadays everyone seems to be trying to make a difference in communities around the world. But what are these efforts really achieving? Do they help — and if so, who benefits?And if they cause harm, what can we do to make things better? All important questions, as volunteering abroad has grown tremendously. Estimates suggest the industry is now worth at least $173 billion. The industry is also . . .

  The following announcement gives specific information on obtaining tickets for the Premiere of A Towering Task as well as program details for the many other events.  September 22nd will be a celebration of Peace Corps at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. https://mailchi.mp/peacecorpsdocumentary/reach-event?e=d09090d4d IT’S OFFICIAL! Join us for the first screenings of A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps The REACH’s Justice Forum @ The Kennedy Center Sunday, September 22nd  |  4pm & 7pm Join us as we build a community of global citizens We’ve teamed up with the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA), the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington, DC (RPCV|W), and The REACH at the Kennedy Center to host a full day of events to celebrate the Peace Corps and global citizenship. The festivities begin in the REACH’s Justice Forum and Studio F at 10am! From oral storytelling to a life-size replica home to augmented reality stations, it . . .

Peace Corps and the National Peace Corps Association has signed a Memorandum of Understanding. (https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/library/peace-corps-renews-partnership-national-peace-corps-association-austin-texas/) The actual document  may be obtained from Peace Corps – FOIA – 0091.  The infomation here is  from that FOIA, which was reformattted in Rich Text.   Here is an except which defines distinction between NPCA activities and Peace Corps: The Peace Corps reserves and retains the right to determine, establish, direct, and implement programs and activities in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, its policies, procedures, and subject to the availability of funds. Moreover, the Peace Corps will not be engaged or involved in, or collaborate with NPCA on, or promote or publicize, NPCA’s advocacy or fundraising, or membership drives, or any activities that do not directly relate to the Peace Corps’ mission.     MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN PEACE CORPS AND NATIONAL PEACE CORPS ASSOCIATION This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) sets forth  the  understanding  between  . . .

Keep Peace Corps Independent and Internationally Trusted “Join the Peace Corps community in protecting the independent, non-political nature of the Peace Corps by opposing legislation (S.2320) introduced by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) that would make Peace Corps subordinate to the Department of State under the direction of the Secretary of State. By safeguarding Peace Corps’ status as an independent agency, we can help to ensure that it will not be used to promote short-term goals of the Secretary of State or whichever administration is occupying the White House. The international perception of the Peace Corps’ independence is imperative for its continued success, which is based on mutual respect and trust of the host countries.” Here is the link to contact your Senators.  Scroll pass the Representative sign to find the letter and the guide to contacting your Senators.https://advocacy.peacecorpsconnect.org/email-congress#/50  

    Thanks for the ‘heads up’ from Joanne Roll (Colombia 1963-65)   The Peace Corps has posted the following notice in the Federal Register to gather public comment on a proposed survey designed to capture information from RPCVs about their post service life, including health status.  Directions on how to post your comment is included in the annoucement.  We will try and get a copy of the proposed online survey.  Here is the notice: “SUMMARY: The Peace Corps will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (0MB) for review and approval. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment in the Federal Register preceding submission to 0MB. We are conducting this process in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: Submit comments on or before September 9, 2019. ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Virginia . . .

On March 31, 2019, President Trump announced the United States was cutting aid to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador because of the migrant crisis.  The Peace Corps website only listed Guatemala as a current Peace Corps site in that group. On April 15, I made a FOIA request for: “the documents which describe how this decision will impact existing  and future Peace Corps programs and Volunteers in Guatemala.” The FOIA was assigned 19-0065.  It took an appeal before I finally received a response on June 20th.  The response was an internal memo, most names  appropriately redacted. The memo was in response to a  serving PCV in Guatemala who had made the same request about the impact on Peace Corps Guatamala.  Here is the important statement from that memo, dated, I believe, April 3, from Joel Frushone, Associate Director Office of External Affairs, RPCV Lesotho  1995-97.   “Hello. Our social media team received . . .

    Garamendi Introduces Bipartisan Peace Corps Reauthorization Act June 25, 2019 Press Release WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) introduced the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2019 (H.R.3456), with bipartisan support. The bill’s original cosponsors include Representatives Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-MA) and Garret Graves (R-LA)—co-chairs of the Congressional Peace Corps Caucus with Congressman Garamendi—and Representatives Albio Sires (D-NJ), Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen (R-AS), and Donna E. Shalala (D-FL). The Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2019 (H.R.3456) would provide additional federal funding and resources to advance the Peace Corps’ mission around the world and better support current, returning, and former Peace Corps volunteers. Representatives Garamendi (Ethiopia 1966-1968), Kennedy (Dominican Republic 2004-2006), and Shalala (Iran 1962-1964) are returned Peace Corps Volunteers and Representative Aumua Amata was a former Peace Corps staffer (Northern Mariana Islands 1967-1968). “My wife Patti and I owe so much to our service in the Peace Corps. . . .

Press Release Peace Corps renews partnership with National Peace Corps Association in Austin, Texas 6/24/2019 5:56 PM NPCA President Glenn Blumhorst and Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen signed a joint MOU at Peace Corps Connect. AUSTIN, TX – Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen and National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) President Glenn Blumhorst signed a Memorandum of Understanding June 21 to renew the organizations’ commitments to support the Peace Corps’ mission. The two groups will continue to implement initiatives that promote a better understanding among Americans of other people and cultures around the world and educate the public on Peace Corps programs and service opportunities. The memorandum was signed during the Peace Corps Connect conference—an annual gathering of returned Peace Corps volunteers hosted by NPCA. The 2019 conference took place in Austin, Texas, with the help of the Heart of Texas Peace Corps Association, and centered on the theme “Innovation for . . .

    US House Rejects Amendment that included One Year Elimination of Peace Corps Fund Congratulations and thanks to the National Peace Corps Association and  everyone in the RPCV Community for all the work in defeating this awful amendment.  NPCA estimates Congress received over 9000 emails and contacts.  Special thanks to John Coyne of Peace Corps World Wide who circulated the information and estimates over 2600 people read it on this website.  All that work was invaluable. Here is the announcement posted on the NPCA website: https://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/articles/us-house-of-overwhelmingly-rejects-amendment-that-included-one-year-re-allocation-of-peace-corps-funds?fbclid=IwAR0VFMhk37RFoy07OVLunF_7njIg2WOOSnYOJp5sPeBzC9QeE66c0x5oE2Q Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives came together Tuesday evening to soundly reject a proposal to re-allocate foreign assistance funding in Fiscal Year 2020, including the elimination of all House funds slated for the Peace Corps. An amendment to the State/Foreign Operations funding package to cut just over $19 billion in foreign assistance programs was defeated by a vote of 315 to 110. 81 . . .

Thank you to the National Peace Corps Association for posting this alarming news on their Facebook Page.  Please read it. National Peace Corps Association 30 mins · Yesterday, Congressman Mark Walker of North Carolina introduced an amendment to eliminate funding for the #PeaceCorps and other international assistance programs in Fiscal Year 2020, and re-allocate those funds to cover the disaster assistance funds. The impetus for this amendment was Rep. Walker’s concern about the $19 billion dollar spending bill Congress racked up ten days ago for disaster assistance. Congresswoman Nita Lowey took to the House Floor to oppose this amendment and defend the Peace Corps. We hope that you will join us in contacting your congressperson and urge them to oppose Rep. Walker’s amendment before the vote next Tuesday. Visit: https://advocacy.peacecorpsconnect.org/email-congress#/47 C-SPAN.ORG Opposing Amendment to Eliminate the Peace CorpsChairwoman Lowey rises in strong opposition to Amendment 27 proposed by Rep. Walker, . . .

(Thanks to Beverly Hammons (Ecuador 71-73) for this video reference) Melinda Gates, wife of Bill Gates, has written a book, The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World, on her life and work with women around the world.  She discusses the book and her experiences working in the Developing World.  Empowering women and girls is a continuing program focus for Peace Corps.  For so many RPCVs, especially women, Gates’ experience and the concerns of the women with whom she talked and worked, will seem very familiar. More than fifty years ago, as a Peace Corps Health Education Volunteer, I would give “charlas”, little talks about health to women in my rural community.  After the talk, I would always ask what would they like to know.  The question varied, but always the same concern.  As one woman said, so eloquently,:  “I want to keep the children I have, alive, . . .

    MS 204 Volunteer Conduct Effective Date: December 1, 2017 Responsible Office: Safety and Security (OSS); Counseling and Outreach Unit (OHS/COU)Supersedes: 09/08/17; 02/09/17; 06/25/15; 10/31/14; 7/10/14; 8/19/11; 06/28/11; 03/18/11; 5/20/05; 11/26/03; 2/04/93; 5/04/83; MS 237, 4/30/73 (Note:  I have copied the following section on drug use.  The link is to the entire section on T/V conduct.) “3.5 Drug Use 3.5.1 General Policy Except as described in section 3.5.2 below regarding Voluntary Self-Referral, a V/T found to be involved with drugs in a manner not authorized by the Peace Corps for medical purposes, in any way in any country, will be administratively separated immediately pursuant to section 3.5.4. The Peace Corps enforces this strict policy not only because the cultivation, manufacture, and traffic in and use of drugs, including marijuana, is illegal in most countries; but also because drug involvement by V/Ts in any country could seriously jeopardize the entire . . .