Last year, the Peace Corps received critical attention from the Dayton Daily News for what the newspaper reported were attempts to conceal its knowledge of assaults against volunteers. The seven-part series, called "Casualties of Peace," was a finalist for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, sparking tremendous debate by Peace Corps volunteers defending the agency and those supporting the articles.



Last year, the Peace Corps received critical attention from the Dayton Daily News for what the newspaper reported were attempts to conceal its knowledge of assaults against volunteers. The seven-part series, called "Casualties of Peace," was a finalist for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, sparking tremendous debate by Peace Corps volunteers defending the agency and those supporting the articles.

To join or not to join the Peace Corps

Katie Clary

Living Editor

The Peace Corps and college graduates go together like peas and carrots — and have since its inception 44 years ago. In 1960, then-Sen. John F. Kennedy challenged a group of 10,000 students at the University of Michigan to serve their country by promoting peace through living and working in developing countries, thus inspiring the federal agency that officially took shape the following year.

[Excerpt]

Last year, the Peace Corps received critical attention from the Dayton Daily News for what the newspaper reported were attempts to conceal its knowledge of assaults against volunteers. The seven-part series, called "Casualties of Peace," was a finalist for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, sparking tremendout debate by Peace Corps volunteers defending the agency and those supporting the articles.

Peace Corps Country Director for Mongolia Ken Goodson explained in an e-mail that safety and security are the agency's primary priority, and the agency devotes significant resources to the training, support and education of volunteers. The purpose is to prepare individuals to make informed decisions. "Personal responsibility is key," he said.

"The reality is that (Peace Corps volunteers) sometimes serve around the globe and often in very remote areas," Goodson said. "Subsequently health and safety risks can be part of a volunteer service."

Likewise, the Peace Corps Web site acknowledges that "petty thefts and burglaries are not uncommon, and incidents of physical and sexual assaults do occur."

As foreigners unversed in local language and customs who are perceived to have more money than natives, volunteers are bound to receive varying degrees of unwanted attention and harassment.

But Pepperdine alumnus Jay Wilkes, who has now served one and a half years in Mongolia, says he feels "incredibly safe."

"Peace Corps gives you ample warning," Wilkes said. "If you do certain (dangerous behaviors) that you are warned against countless times, but you do them anyways, then it's your own ignorance."

Wilkes, who graduated in 2002, recently returned to the United States on a brief sabbatical from his Peace Corps post in Mongolia. He teaches English to schoolchildren in Govil, a 1,200-person village located 400 kilometers from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital.

While he is tremendously satisfied with experience, in fact staying in Mongolia for a third year, Wilkes acknowledged the necessity of enterprise and a can-do attitude in the Peace Corps.

"When you get there, you may have to make your own job," Wilkes said. For example, he teaches class only 10 hours a week. Encouraged to take on a community project in his free time, the Huntington Beach native is launching the first water polo program to exist on Mongolian soil.

His 27-month commitment to the Peace Corps ends June 25, culminating with the "English Olympics" competition between students in his host province and his kick-off of the water polo program in the nearby city Erdenet.

"I'm getting another college education for free," Wilkes said, citing how he's learned about himself, a new country, culture and language and working to receive his masters through the Peace Corps.

"I'm do glad I made this decision when I am young," he said.

When this story was posted in February 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in over 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related reference material in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about RPCVs who have your same interests, who served in your Country of Service, or who serve in your state.

---

WWII participants became RPCVs Read about two RPCVs who participated in World War II in very different ways long before there was a Peace Corps. Retired Rear Adm. Francis J. Thomas (RPCV Fiji), a decorated hero of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 at 100. Mary Smeltzer (RPCV Botswana), 89, followed her Japanese students into WWII internment camps. We honor both RPCVs for their service.

---

February 12, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Peter McPherson keeping busy in DC 12 Feb Martha Ryan wins Award for pre-natal program 12 Feb John Perkins reveals dark side of U.S. aid 10 Feb Kathleen DeBold involved in lesbian activism 10 Feb Jim Doyle to fix Wisconsin deficit without raising taxes 10 Feb Chris Dodd proposes Class Action Fairness Act 10 Feb RPCVs create Tsunami Assistance Project for India 9 Feb Donna Shalala talks about her Peace Corps days 8 Feb Senator Frist proposes Global Health Corps 8 Feb Bush's budget to end Perkins loan forgiveness for PCVs 8 Feb Tom Petri's Direct Loan Reward Act to save $18 billion 8 Feb Izaak Edvalson helps educate a Doctor 7 Feb Carol Bellamy condemns Female genital mutilation 7 Feb Carl Pope criticizes Bush environmental priorities 7 Feb Mike Tidwell defends wind farms 6 Feb Kinky Friedman for real? Voters may not care 5 Feb Bruce Anderson's Newspaper folds amid money woes 5 Feb

---

Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress.

RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service RPCV Groups mobilize to support their Countries of Service. Over 200 RPCVS have already applied to the Crisis Corps to provide Tsunami Recovery aid, RPCVs have written a letter urging President Bush and Congress to aid Democracy in Ukraine, and RPCVs are writing NBC about a recent episode of the "West Wing" and asking them to get their facts right about Turkey.

RPCVs contend for Academy Awards Bolivia RPCV Taylor Hackford's film "Ray" is up for awards in six categories including best picture, best actor and best director. "Autism Is a World" co-produced by Sierra Leone RPCV Douglas Biklen and nominated for best Documentary Short Subject, seeks to increase awareness of developmental disabilities. Colombian film "El Rey," previously in the running for the foreign-language award, includes the urban legend that PCVs teamed up with El Rey to bring cocaine to U.S. soil.

Ask Not As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."

Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."

RPCVs active in new session of Congress In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.

Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

Read the stories and leave your comments.