"We want to put pressure on the big boys in Washington to allow for the expansion of the Peace Corps," said Montague, 27, a returned volunteer who served in Paraguay from 2006 to 2007. The Hattiesburg native started volunteering as a teen on church missions to Mexico. After college, Montague took the next step and joined the Peace Corps. He's part of a national campaign called More Peace Corps that is raising money and seeking bipartisan political support for increasing volunteers from 8,000 to 16,000 and doubling the annual $331 million budget. Montague said that figure - $331 million -is less than the cost of one day of the U.S.' presence in Iraq. "I'm not knocking the military," he said. It's just that he'd like to see money flow back to diplomatic efforts like the Peace Corps, money that has flowed out in recent years as diplomacy took a lower priority in national politics.
By the time the Peace Corps turns 50 in 2011, Brett Montague of Hattiesburg wants twice as many volunteers serving and twice as much funding for the U.S. agency
Residents want to see Peace Corps numbers increase
BY VALERIE WELLS •
SEPTEMBER 22, 2008
By the time the Peace Corps turns 50 in 2011, Brett Montague of Hattiesburg wants twice as many volunteers serving and twice as much funding for the U.S. agency.
"We want to put pressure on the big boys in Washington to allow for the expansion of the Peace Corps," said Montague, 27, a returned volunteer who served in Paraguay from 2006 to 2007.
The Hattiesburg native started volunteering as a teen on church missions to Mexico. After college, Montague took the next step and joined the Peace Corps.
He's part of a national campaign called More Peace Corps that is raising money and seeking bipartisan political support for increasing volunteers from 8,000 to 16,000 and doubling the annual $331 million budget.
Montague said that figure - $331 million -is less than the cost of one day of the U.S.' presence in Iraq.
"I'm not knocking the military," he said.
It's just that he'd like to see money flow back to diplomatic efforts like the Peace Corps, money that has flowed out in recent years as diplomacy took a lower priority in national politics.
The Peace Corps is a U.S. government agency that sends skilled Americans to underdeveloped countries to teach or help small communities.
"It has a lot more advantages for us than the countries served," said Mark Miller, another returned Peace Corps volunteer who served in Belize from 1979 to 1981 and is now an international development professor at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Miller is a strong advocate of putting as many Peace Corps volunteers as possible out in the field to spread good will abroad. Even in countries where the United States is hated, Miller said the same people love Americans as individuals.
Montague says both presidential candidates support expanding the Peace Corps. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., supports doubling the volunteers and the budget and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said he supports increasing Peace Corps efforts.
That has created excitement among Americans who want the same thing.
In Mississippi, Montague is looking for as much bipartisan support as he can find and has contacted Sen. Thad Cochran, a Republican, and Rep. Gene Taylor, a Democrat, for a commitment. Next, he's getting in touch with Gov. Haley Barbour and the rest of the Mississippi congressional delegation.
The fundraising goal for the state is to raise $10,000 by 2009. The money would be spent to spread the campaign's message.
Nationally, More Peace Corps intends to pressure Congress through a comprehensive letter-writing effort along with endorsements from prominent leaders and to recruit prospective volunteers through public events and outreach programs.
