Peace Corps: Public Records

In 2010, Peace Corps opened up the Peace Corps Volunteer Response Program to professionals who had never served in the Peace Corps.  Previously, the program had been designed to allow  only RPCVs to accept short term assignments with the Peace Corps to utilize the expertise they had gained through their Peace Corps service. Facts to note in this profile about the Peace Corps Response Program: 1) The total of Peace Corps Response applications for 2013 was 2631, actual applicants were 1506. There were 184 Peace Corps Response Volunteers, serving on September 30, 2013. Here is the chart showing these numbers: -2012 to April 2014, 14-0213_-_responsive_material_-_fy12_fy13_fy14- 2) It is very difficult to get detailed demographic data from Peace Corps. These statistics are already a year old.  It is not possible to know how many of the 1506 applicants documented in 2013 went on to serve in 2014. 3) My assumption is that the . . .

The Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 established a Sexual Assault Advisory Council charged with the responsibility of reviewing Peace Corps’ compliance with that law and issuing an annual report. Peace Corps announced the first report in a press release. Since then, the report has been posted without notice. It is not listed on the Peace Corps Home page under Agency Links, nor Agency Documents, nor Safety and Security. It can be found only by those who know to put the correct heading, “Sexual Assault Advisory Council”, in the search box.  Here is the direct link to that important report: http://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/policies/PCAC_Annual_Report.pdf The law, itself, is the work of a brave and brilliant group of RPCV women, First Response Action. These women were victims, themselves, of sexual assault, during service as was current Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet. First Response Action organized to call attention to Peace Corps . . .

In the fiscal year ending 9.30.2013, Peace Corps applications were at an all time low, at 10,091. The total of serving Volunteers on September 30, 2013 was 7209.  Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet announced an ambitious goal of doubling the number of application for fiscal year 2014, which ended this September 30, 2014. The Director streamlined the application process, and personally toured college campuses touting the value of Peace Corps service, as well as initiating a media campaign promoting Peace Corps. While not quite doubled, the effort has resulted in an  recent historic high number of applications at 17,336. The increase occurred despite the negative publicity associated with the New York Times article describing the medical care received by serving PCV Nick Castle (See: https://peacecorpsworldwide.org/trail-of-medical-missteps-in-a-peace-corps-death-–-nytimes-july-25-2014/) and the ongoing negotiations between the Peace Corps and the Office of the Peace Corps Inspector General over the implementation of the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act. . . .

Applications to Peace Corps in 2013 were at a historic low.  In response, Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet launched a campaign to increase applications by streamlining the application process and touring college campuses to promote Peace Corps service. The strategy is winning. From the Peace Corps website: “With our new, shorter application process, we’re seeing record numbers of Americans apply for Peace Corps service,” Hessler-Radelet said. “While the school year may have just begun, I want to make sure college seniors considering the Peace Corps apply as soon as possible so they can secure the volunteer position of their choice and leave for service shortly after graduation.” Read the entire press release at: http://www.peacecorps.gov/media/forpress/press/2439/ And from the Twitter feed posted on the Peace Corps website: We’re so close to setting application numbers history! Will yours be the one that pushes us over? ‪http://1.usa.gov/1rYeC3Nb ‪#ApplyPC Last fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, applications numbered 10,091.  . . .

Peace Corps  has a webpage with job and career information on its official website. Here is the link to the Peace Corps  jobs information: http://www.peacecorps.gov/resources/returned/careercen/ The Peace Corps Returned Services for Volunteers team  emailed the following: “All Peace Corps jobs are listed on www.avuecentral.com. You will need to register and create an account to view the jobs, just as you would with USAJobs.gov.” Peace Corps staff pioneer, Dr. Robert B. Textor, crafted the policy of limited tenure at Peace Corps. His dream was a Peace Corps agency with an almost all RPCV staff. Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, (The Gambia 1987-89) Erica Burman is the Director of Communication at the National Peace Corps  Association, Erica Burman – Communications.  She reports that the NPCA also maintains a job page. Anyone can access the page, you do not have to be a member of the NPCA.  Thanks to Erica for the following link: http://www.PeaceCorpsConnect.org . . .

The voice for Peace Corps in Washington has become louder because now there is a Peace Corps Caucus. The dictionary definition for caucus is: A group of people who share concerns within a political party or larger organization. The larger organization is the US House of Representatives and the group of people who initiated the Peace Corps Caucus are the five Returned Peace Corps Volunteers currently serving in the House of Representatives – California Democratic Congressman Sam Farr (Colombia 1964-66) California Democratic Congressman Mike Honda (El Salvador 1965-67) California Democratic Congressman John Garamendi (Ethiopia 1966-68) Wisconsin Republican Congressman Tom Petri (Somalia 1966-67) and Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Joe Kennedy (Dominican Republic 2004-06). Representative Kennedy is the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy and the grand nephew of both President Kennedy and Sargent Shriver. The National Peace Corps Association describes in excellent detail the function of the Congressional Peace Corps Caucus; lists the . . .

Updated 9.5.14 From the ktvu website: http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/2-investigates-berkeley-family-files-15m-claim-pea/nhCkC/ “The parents of a University of California Berkeley graduate have filed a $15 million claim with the U.S. Peace Corps after their son died while stationed in China.” Nick Castle was the Peace Corps Volunteer who died in China during his service.  The story of his illness and death was chronicled in the recent NYTimes article, Trail of Medical Missteps in Peace Corps Death, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/26/world/asia/peace-corps-death-china-medical-missteps.html?_r=0 The TV station, ktvu, website link  includes a video in which   summarizes the known information about the death and has an interview with the parents. That article and accompanying comments and further interviews with RPCVs were posted on Peace Corps Worldwide. Here is that link: https://peacecorpsworldwide.org/“trail-of-medical-missteps-in-a-peace-corps-death”-–-nytimes-july-25-2014/ At the time of the New York Times article, the Office of Inspector General of the Peace Corps had not completed its evaluation of the facts in the death of Nick Castle.  It is not . . .

President Mahama of Ghana was recently in Washington DC to attend the African Summit. He spoke about his experience being taught by a Peace Corps Volunteer. Ghana was the first country to have Peace Corps Volunteers actually arrive in country in August of 1961. I believe it is the country with the longest continuing presence of Peace Corps. The interview is on YouTube. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9q77GmH-V0&feature=youtu.be&a

AmeriCorps celebrates its twenty anniversary on September 12th. The New York Times celebrates the program in an editorial in today’s Sunday edition and urges the administration to expand the program as the President had once promised. Certainly, AmericCorps is an excellent program and deserves the highest praise given in this editorial. To read the editorial, here is the link: http://nyti.ms/1tNoNqi The New York Times editorial is entitled “Broken Promises on National Service.” Peace Corps is not named in the editorial. Yet, the term “National Service” has traditionally included Peace Corps. In speaking of President Obama’s commitment to AmeriCorps, the editorial writer does note the President’s inclusion of “and other national service programs.” Certainly, in speaking of “national service”, Obama did include the Peace Corps: 06/30/2008, Independence, MO, Remarks of Senator Barack Obama: “…We should expand AmeriCorps and grow the Peace Corps. We should encourage national service by making it part of . . .

Tim Mak writes in the Daily Beast’s Politics section, 8.16.14,  a comprehensive review of the continuing conflict between the Peace Corps and the Inspector General of the Peace Corps over the release of records pertaining to sexual assault victims. Mak gives a timeline detailing the attempt to resolve the issues. He also reports on his interviews with both Kathy Buller, the Inspector General of the Peace Corps and also an unnamed spokesperson for the Peace Corps.  Read the complete article at this link: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/16/the-peace-corps-awful-secret.html The following is an excerpt from Mak’s article” “The Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 includes a process for volunteers to submit a confidential report of sexual assault. Disagreement over this process-the default method by which volunteers may file sexual assault allegations-is at the heart of the dispute between the Peace Corps and its inspector general. The law says that a volunteer can submit a . . .

Here is the link to this continuing story about the evacuation of Peace Corps from Ebola impacted countries. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ebola-virus-outbreak/peace-corps-volunteers-reluctant-evacuate-despite-ebola-outbreak-n170006

Nichols Castle, Peace Corps Volunteer, died, February 7, 2013, while serving in China. The New York Times investigated the circumstances surrounding this death and has published a series on this tragedy. The first  article describes these circumstances and includes interviews with Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet, the parents of Nicholas Castle, and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.  The Inspector General of the Peace Corps, Kathy Butler, has not yet published her report of the death; but the Times article does link to the public documents the reporter obtained for her report. Read the NYTimes story as well as the 467 comments received about the story.   Here is the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/26/world/asia/peace-corps-death-china-medical-missteps.html The Times also published the accounts of Peace Corps Volunteers about their own experiences while serving. These stories include both positive and negative comments. Read the RPCV stories. Here is the link: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/25/world/peace-corps-stories.html?partner=rss&emc=rss In addition to the 467 comments received about its . . .

Peace Corps has issued the following press release: WASHINGTON, D.C., July 30, 2014 – The Peace Corps today announced that it is temporarily removing its volunteers from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea due to the increasing spread of the Ebola virus. The agency has been and will continue to closely monitor the outbreak of the virus in collaboration with leading experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of State. The Peace Corps has enjoyed long partnerships with the government and people of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea and is committed to continuing volunteers’ work there. A determination on when volunteers can return will be made at a later date. In recent months, the Peace Corps has provided volunteers in adjacent areas of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea with guidance to ensure they take the utmost precautions to protect their health. Transmission of Ebola . . .

ABC News is reporting an AP story that Peace Corps has pulled Volunteers from Kenya.  Here is the link: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-pulls-peace-corps-volunteers-kenya-24696220?singlePage=true Here is the AP story:  Please note that there is an error in giving the beginning of the Peace Corps.  It was President Kennedy, not Senator Kennedy, who initiated the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961 by Executive Order. “NAIROBI, Kenya — Jul 24, 2014, 1:05 PM ET By JASON STRAZIUSO Associated Press The Peace Corps is suspending its programs in Kenya because of security concerns and is pulling more than 50 volunteers out of the country until threat levels decrease, the Peace Corps and State Department said Thursday. A statement to The Associated Press from the State Department said that the Peace Corps “has been closely monitoring the security environment in Kenya … and has decided to officially suspend the program in Kenya.” The Peace Corps will monitor the security . . .

Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet continued her campaign to promote the Peace Corps by appearing, today, on C-Span’s Washington Journal. The Director described the new and speedy application process. She answered questions called in live from across the country.  To hear the program, here is the link: http://www.c-span.org/video/?320586-5/washington-journal-future-peace-corps