June 24, 2004: Headlines: NPCA: Safety and Security of Volunteers: NPCA: NPCA presents Survey Results on Safety/Security Legislation Shared During Senate Hearing
Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Library: Peace Corps: National Peace Corps Association (NPCA): National Peace Corps Association: Archived Stories: June 24, 2004: Headlines: NPCA: Safety and Security of Volunteers: NPCA: NPCA presents Survey Results on Safety/Security Legislation Shared During Senate Hearing
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NPCA presents Survey Results on Safety/Security Legislation Shared During Senate Hearing

NPCA presents Survey Results on Safety/Security Legislation Shared During Senate Hearing


In our report on the Senate Hearings we said that NPCA President Kevin Quigley was asked if the respondents to the NPCA survey had favored the change in the five year rule that is part of this legislation, and that Mr. Quigley replied that question had not been asked of the NPCA membership in the survey and that he did not have a response. However the NPCA survey did ask the question:
Quote:

5) Do you support "Five Year Rule" exemptions for Peace Corps' Office of the Inspector General, Office of Safety and Security, and Office of Medical Services?

Yes No

The Survey results from the NPCA web site say that RPCVs were split 50% - 50% to this question. Kevin Quigley's written remarks that were handed out to the Press at the hearings on June 22 do not include these results either. The section of his statement with the survey results for the five-year rule says the following about the five-year rule:
Quote:

Five-Year Rule. The legislation proposes a report to Congress of the "Five-Year Rule" and the rule's potential implications on issues of recruitment, health, safety, and productive work assignments. Seventy percent of our respondents supported this provision.

Read the results and leave your comments at:

NPCA Survey on Safety/Security Legislation Shared During Senate Hearing*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.


NPCA Survey on Safety/Security Legislation Shared During Senate Hearing

A two-hour Senate hearing on issues pertaining to the safety and security of Peace Corps volunteers included the release of results of an informal survey of NPCA members and supporters on key topics contained in proposed legislation.

NPCA President Kevin Quigley included excerpts of the results in testimony on June 22nd before members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The “Peace Corps Volunteers Health, Safety and Security Act of 2004” has been introduced by Senator Michael DeWine (R-OH). Similar legislation was approved earlier this month by the House of Representatives on a voice vote.

The survey was posted on the NPCA website and distributed to affiliate group leaders and other listserv subscribers over the past two weeks. Two-hundred-and-twenty responses were received. 96% of the respondents described themselves as being Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, while 16% identified themselves as former Peace Corps staff (individuals were given several identification options and asked to check all that apply).

The survey results (which can be found in their entirety at the end of this article) included the following:

Office of Ombudsman: A strong majority of respondents (72%) indicated support for a proposal in the legislation to create an office of Ombudsman within the Peace Corps.

“Five Year Rule” of Employment for Peace Corps Staff: A strong majority of respondents (70%) supported a proposal in the legislation to conduct a study on the five year rule and its implications on issues of recruitment, health, safety and productive work assignments. When asked about current proposals to exempt staff in the Offices of Inspector General, Safety and Security and Medical Services from the “Five Year Rule”, support dropped to 50%.

Pairing Volunteers: While not in the legislation, the Senate hearing explored the question of pairing or grouping volunteers. On whether it should be a requirement of Peace Corps to assign volunteers in pairs, a vast majority of survey respondents (90%) expressed opposition. On questions of whether there might be more limited circumstances that warrant pairing of volunteers, Quigley (Thailand 76 - 79) along with panelists Cynthia Threlkeld (Guatemala Country Director) and Gladys Maloy (Romania 00 – 02), expressed a variety of reservations, noting especially that integration within the community setting leads to greater security.

Modern Communication: 67% of survey respondents opposed requirements that volunteers have modern communication equipment, such as cell phones. In his testimony, Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez noted that cell phone technology, while still not accessible in many volunteer placements, is expanding rapidly. While not a requirement, Vasquez said in areas where the technology exists, volunteers are provided the opportunity to acquire and maintain cell phones.

Also testifying was Jess Ford, Director for International Affairs and Trade at the US General Accounting Office. Ford told the panel the Peace Corps has implemented many of the recommendations in an earlier GAO Report concerning safety and security issues. He said the Inspector General’s Office is continuing to find some compliance problems (such as secure housing assignments and effective volunteer work assignments) but added GAO has not been back in the field and could not currently speak to the magnitude of those problems.

The hearing was chaired by Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), who presides over the Foreign Relations Subcommittee responsible for the Peace Corps. Also in attendance were Senators George Voinovich (R-OH) and Chris Dodd (D-CT). Dodd is an RPCV (Dominican Republic 66 – 68). At the request of Senators and their staff, the NPCA is supplying a summary of individual survey comments to assist Senators as they consider the legislation (NPCA is not providing specific names, but rather the gender, country of service and years of service of respondents).

For Kevin Quigley’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, go to http://www.rpcv.org/6-22-04testimony.doc

FULL RESULTS OF NPCA SURVEY ON CONGRESSIONAL SAFETY AND SECURITY LEGISLATION:

Number of respondents: 220

Please check all that apply - I am a(n):

* NPCA Member -146 (66%)
* Returned Peace Corps Volunteer - 212 (96%)
* Former Peace Corps Staff - 35 (16%)
* Interested Citizen - 58 (26%)


1) Should an Office of the Ombudsman be created within the Peace Corps?

* Yes - 159 (72%)

* No - 58 (26%)


2) Should a Peace Corps Office of Safety and Security, with individual country security coordinators, be established by law?

* Yes - 106 (48%)

* No - 108 (49%)


3) Should an independent Inspector General for the Peace Corps be established?

* Yes - 96 (44%)

* No - 115 (52%)


4) Should a study be conducted concerning the "Five Year Rule" of employment for Peace Corps staff and the rule's potential implications on issues of recruitment, health, safety and productive work assignments?

* Yes - 153 (70%)

* No - 60 (27%)


5) Do you support "Five Year Rule" exemptions for Peace Corps' Office of the Inspector General, Office of Safety and Security, and Office of Medical Services?

* Yes - 111 (50%)

* No - 96 (44%)


6) Do you support a report to Congress by Peace Corps concerning medical screening processes and guidelines, including a statistical review of the medical appeals process?

* Yes - 144 (65%)

* No - 69 (31%)


7) Do you support a Comptroller General's review and report on issues pertaining to Peace Corps' volunteer work assignments?

* Yes - 113 (51%)

* No - 97 (44%)


8) Which of the following most closely represents your views related to general funding for the Peace Corps and current legislation pertaining to health, safety and security of Peace Corps volunteers?

* Issues included in congressional legislation are of such importance that they should be given priority attention even if budget constraints require Peace Corps to reduce its number of volunteers in the field - 30 (14%)

* Peace Corps needs to maintain its current number of volunteers. Any funding that goes beyond meeting current volunteer levels should be prioritized for addressing issues included in the safety/security legislation - 33 (15%)

* Peace Corps should continue to move forward with President Bush's call for expanding the number of volunteers in the field. Congress needs to appropriate sufficient funding to address safety and security concerns and pursue Peace Corps expansion targets - 96 (44%)

* Changes proposed in the legislation are not necessary. The use of any additional funding should be determined by the Peace Corps and not congressional legislation - 61 (28%)


9) While not currently in the proposed legislation, there has been some suggestion that all Peace Corps volunteers should work in pairs in an effort to increase security. Should it be a requirement that all volunteers be assigned in pairs?

* Yes - 23 (10%)

* No - 197 (90%)


10) While not currently in proposed legislation, there has been some suggestion that all Peace Corps volunteers should have modern communication equipment, such as cell phones. Should volunteers be required to have such equipment?

* Yes - 73 (33%)

* No - 148 (67%)



Click on a link below for more stories on PCOL

Read the series on Safety and Security here



Leave your comments on the series below.

Read comments by RPCVs here, here and here.



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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; NPCA; Safety and Security of Volunteers

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