Are you being Assigned Alone?

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Special Reports: October 26, 2003: Dayton Daily News reports on Peace Corps Safety and Security: What RPCVs Say about this series: Are you being Assigned Alone?

By Bankass.com (0-1pool136-19.nas12.somerville1.ma.us.da.qwest.net - 63.159.136.19) on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 8:37 am: Edit Post

If you are being assigned alone we would like to know about it. E-mail us or call 978-462-3868. If you are one of the people Peace Corps separated wrongfully during the 1990's and into 2004, we would like to know your story and concerns on a confidential basis. If you don't want to talk about it and you want something done about Peace Corps reform, call the members of Congress below. If you are a former volunteer or a current volunteer and want change and don't want to contact us but would like change. Call Senator Lugar's staff person on the Foreign Realtions Committee Carl Meacham, Call Senator Hagel, Call Senator Sarbanes person Joanne Barry, Call Senator Voinivich Ms. Higgins., Call Senator Biden's office and ask for Danny O'Brien,Mike enzi, Wendy Call anybody on the committee at 202-224-3121.

Call them for pairing of volunteers. The hearings are coming and there going to be people against us who don't have your experience making decisions for the future of the agency and future volunteer. Call 202-224-3121. Your call really makes a difference, so please call.

Another person to write to or call is Senator Mike Dewine on the foriegn operations committee. He has called for hearing because of the 125% rise in the incidents of violence against volunteers during the 1990's and 2004. Ask for Christine in his office.

We are advocating for reform at Peace Corps in the following area.

1. Call for pairing volunteers in the same village, so that American Peace Corps Volunteers don't serve alone without support. Tell them the volunteer is the program, not regional offices of Safety. Tell the Congress they have Redso for that purpose. The best resource is another volunteeer and it will help in more man and women power to that area.

2. Volunteer and Former Volunteer Rights: That is having an attorney working on our behalf.

3. Conflict management office set up at Peace Corps for all disputes and dispute resolution.
3. A point system for experience with Peace Corps such 11 months of service grade 11, so that your Peace Corps experience won't be diminished in getting student loan assistance, Fellowships after college, Federal grade points, non-competitive eligibility for Federal Jobs... This point system could be used by per thousand upon retruning so that Student loans credit could be give or credit to be able go back to school with this certificate. These are the incentives of Peace Corps and it does relate to Safety as we all know.

We are advocating for twelve points, but I have to go now, because I have to go to work, but there are some.

My number is 978-462-3868. Daniel Pailes

Separated Peace Corps Veterans

We have network around the country. We are discussing with the house and senate being part of the hearing process and we want you stories and reforms needed.

By Jon Doe Volunteer (pm4p27.cwdom.dm - 204.188.161.91) on Thursday, May 06, 2004 - 5:57 pm: Edit Post

I noticed something recently in publications and other postings on crime statistics and volunteer feedback statistics.... They are complete propaganda. Certain volunteers in high crime countries are NOT provided feedback forms as PC states and yet they include those countries in much larger REGIONAL statistic charts to make it look as if the problems did not exist or were not serious. I cannot give you the exact countries that were excluded without identifying myself but can say with much certainty that the crime rate is high and escalated profoundly since volunteers were banned from living in the same residence. My current "chain" of countries also has the highest ET rate with my own group reaching 40% in just the first year... Doesn't that say something???

By ed bridges (ppp-70-225-179-149.dsl.chmpil.ameritech.net - 70.225.179.149) on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 8:55 pm: Edit Post

My daughter is being assigned to a village in zambia with the peace corp. and I am extremely concerned about her safety. What little information I have obtained so far leads me to believe that it could be very dangerous. Any help with information regarding that situation would be much appreciated

By RPCV (adsl-69-149-116-129.dsl.austtx.swbell.net - 69.149.116.129) on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 2:10 pm: Edit Post

Ed - I would encourage you to call your daughter's country desk officer in Washington, DC to find out more about her assignment and how it was determined. You can call the 1-800 number and ask for the Zambia desk officer. You could also request the names of former PCVs who've served in the same village or other villages in her region. You may need your daughter's express permission to obtain some of the information requested per privacy laws.

While PC on-line is a great site, on-line discussion boards aren't exactly the best place to obtain the type of information you seek. Also, there is some S&S information on the official web site at www.peacecorps.gov, although it is general in nature. Your daughter's invitation information packet received while she was still stateside should have contained safety and security information specific to the country of assignment.

You could also obtain from your daughter the S&S information that she's receiving in country. This information would include specific data and PCV guidelines, as well as an updated emergency action plan.

I hope this helps.

RPCV


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