26 Facts About Peace Corps

1.

Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance.

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2.

The Peace Corps was formally established within three months of Kennedy's presidency, garnering both bipartisan congressional support and popular support, particularly among recent university graduates.

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3.

The Peace Corps began recruiting in July 1962; Bob Hope recorded radio and television announcements hailing the program.

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4.

The Peace Corps developed its own training program, based on nine weeks at an American university, with a focus on conversational language, world affairs, and desired job skills.

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5.

Dennis Priven, a fellow Peace Corps worker, was later charged with the murder by the Tonga government.

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6.

Peace Corps was found not guilty by reason of insanity, and was sentenced to serve time in a mental institution in Washington DC Priven was never admitted to any institution, and the handling of the case has been heavily criticized.

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7.

The main criticism has been that the Peace Corps seemingly worked to keep one of its volunteers from being found guilty of murder, due to the reflection it would have on the organization.

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8.

An article in Geotimes in 1963, reviewed the program, with a follow-up history of Peace Corps geoscientists appearing in that publication in 2004.

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9.

Peace Corps activities were suspended and all volunteers worldwide were evacuated on March 15,2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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10.

Application for the Peace Corps takes up to one hour, unless one talks to a recruiter.

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11.

Peace Corps volunteers are expected to serve for 2 years in the foreign country, with 3 months of training before swearing in to service.

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12.

Peace Corps aims to educate community members on the different illnesses that are present in developing countries as well as what treatments exist in order prevent these illnesses from spreading.

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13.

The Peace Corps is a proponent of equal education and moves to allow for equal education opportunities for girls in countries like Liberia and Ethiopia.

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14.

Peace Corps launched its initiative to engage volunteers in malaria control efforts in 2011.

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15.

Change to Peace Corps Response allowed Peace Corps to include projects that did not rise to the level of a crisis.

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16.

Minimum qualifications include completion of at least one year of Peace Corps service, including training, in addition to medical and legal clearances.

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17.

The Crisis Corps title was retained as a unique branch within Peace Corps Response, designed for volunteers who are deployed to true "crisis" situations, such as disaster relief following hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions and other catastrophes.

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18.

Peace Corps has created resources for teachers in the US and abroad to teach 101 languages.

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19.

Peace Corps was originally established by Executive Order, and has been modified by several subsequent executive orders including:.

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20.

Federal laws governing the Peace Corps are contained in Title 22 of the United States Code – Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Chapter 34 – The Peace Corps.

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21.

Peace Corps is subject to Federal Regulations as prescribed by public law and executive order and contained in Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations under Chapter 3.

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22.

Peace Corps employees receive time-limited appointments, and most employees are limited to a maximum of five years of employment.

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23.

Peace Corps had previously served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Romania and susequently returned as Country Director in Malawi, then Chief of Operations for Eastern and Southern Africa, following a career in the NGO and private sectors.

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24.

The Peace Corps has gained attention in the media and their directors have been attacked for how they handled this situation.

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25.

Peace Corps has been documented on film and examined more seriously and in more depth.

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26.

In 2016, Peace Corps partnered with jewelry retailer Alex and Ani to create cord bracelets to raise money for the Peace Corps' Let Girls Learn Fund.

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