A continuing call for service.The Peace Corp

[Peter Lemkin]

A continuing call for service.The Peace Corp; http://thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/184009-a-continuing-call-for-service

While it is/was a noble idea in theory; and while many volunteers do good things and enjoy their two years, the PC has a few problems. S. Shriver, the first head of it INSISTED that JFK get a promise from CIA to never use the PC in any way. They did [apparently] promise, but no CIA director has kept that promise and several cases of 'volunteers' turning out to be CIA assets or spies have been uncovered. The other problem has been a 'white man's / rich man's burden' mentality to some extent and in some countries. Many volunteers have enjoyed their projects and experiences; as many others [about 50-50] feel they may have learned some lessons of life and about another culture, but were totally disappointed in the PC, the Project they were assigned and/or the lack of any help they offered to the people of the host country, despite their best attempts. I have had three members of my immediate family be members of the PC, so I know about it well. They were in contact with all fellow volunteers serving in their country at the time they were, and there are former volunteer groups they exchanged experiences with, so I don't say this off the top of my head.