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Should the term "RPCV" include anyone that served? What about people that resigned or were admin seperated (either during training or after swearing in)?

Non-notable people

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While understandably we all value the effects that our careers, professions, and Peace Corps service have on society, it's important to understand that this list serves to distinguish notable former PCVs. This shouldn't be a list of former PCVs who for example, work an analyst position or is a student. If I cannot Google your name and easily find out who you are, and what you do then I don't feel you qualify as a "notable" person. I realize this sounds harsh, but it's important to remain realistic so we don't harm the quality of this page, or the achievements of other PCVs. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.111.129.181 (talk) 02:13, 26 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]


Moved page

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I moved this page from List of returned Peace Corps Volunteers to List of notable Peace Corps Volunteers. This isn't a list of everyone who has ever been in the Peace Corps. Illinois2011 (talk) 21:37, 3 November 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I guess this move was against WP:SAL, so it was returned. But I think the title is a little misleading. Maybe we need to revisit this policy... Does anyone else have any thoughts on this? Illinois2011 (talk) 22:31, 12 November 2008 (UTC)[reply]

What is an RPCV?

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The term RPCV is a bureaucratic one. Most folks who were not in the Peace Corps have no idea what it even means. "Former volunteers and/or staff" seems more appropriate. Concerning those who left early (like me), it is interesting that some good books have been written and published by ETs (early terminations); Paul Theroux, Tom Bissell, Starley Talbott and others. Exclude their voices if you wish. The question is why? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.205.132.215 (talk) 17:44, 9 April 2010 (UTC)[reply]

What is a Peace Corps Volunteer?

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You probably won't find this in the Peace Corps Handbook if there still is such a beast, but the general understanding among RPCVs is that anyone who completes training and takes the oath is a Peace Corps volunteer. Likewise any Peace Corps volunteer becomes a Returned Peace Corps volunteer once he is no longer working for the agency serving overseas whether you have been able to complete your two year overseas commitment or not.

The Peace Corps in not the US government agency that sends volunteers overseas. The Peace Corps are the volunteers and returned volunteers who uphold the ideals of service. "PCV's - stay as you are. Be servants of peace," said Peace Corps Founding Director Sargent Shriver in September, 2001. "Work at home as you have worked abroad. Humbly, persistently, intelligently. Weep with those who are sorrowful, Care for those who are sick. Serve your wives, serve your husbands, serve your families, serve your neighbors, serve your cities, serve the poor, join others who also serve. Serve, Serve, Serve. That's the answer, that's the objective, that's the challenge."

Tom Bissell and Paul Theroux are both considered RPCVs and they are both on this list. Their voices have not been excluded.

Tom Bissell is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who specifically says in his book Chasing the Sea that he left service early because of medical problems but that he went back to Uzbekistan later on his own because he felt he had let the Peace Corps down and he wanted to complete his service and serve the ideals of the Peace Corps in his own way. The Maryland Returned Volunteers invited Tom Bissell to speak to them in 2003 as a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.

Paul Theroux is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who was terminated in his overseas service by the agency for what were considered 'political' activities in Malawi in 1964 for writing a piece opposing the American presence in Vietnam and for supporting Yatuta Chisiza, a Malawian whom Dr. Hastings Banda, the Prime Minister, suspected of trying to overthrow his government. "I was charged with conspiring against the government," wrote Theroux in a 1971 essay published in Esquire and reprinted in Sunrise with Seamonsters, "All I did was help several Africans: help one's mother, help another with his car, maybe write a few mild anti-[U.S.] government articles. But I was linked to a plot to assassinate Hastings Banda. Well, people I knew were actually trying to shoot Banda. So it was more guilt by association."

RPCVs like Theroux and Bissell, who have written books about their experiences as Peace Corps volunteers, have made extraordinary contributions to the ideals of the Peace Corps even though technically they did not complete their two year commitment overseas.

"Former Peace Corps Volunteer" or "Retired Peace Corps Volunteer" are two phrases you occasionally hear in popular media and both of them are really wrong. One widely heard saying among RPCVs is that you are a Peace Corps volunteer for life or as RPCVs say, "Once a volunteer, always a volunteer." You are never a former Peace Corps Volunteer or a retired Peace Corps Volunteer. Once you complete your service for the agency working overseas, you are just in a different stage of of your Peace Corps service. It is entirely voluntary on your part, just like your overseas service is, but as an RPCV you can still work on the goals of the Peace Corps even if you are now back in US. After all, the third goal of the Peace Corps is bringing the world back to America and there are many RPCVs like John Coyne, editor of Peace Corps Worldwide who provide years of service to the Peace Corps long after they have left their countries of service. Their work a continuation of their service as Peace Corps Volunteers.

Don't feel excluded if you didn't complete your two year overseas commitment. You are still a volunteer and your most important service may be ahead of you.

Best Regards, Hugh Pickens, Peru, 1970 - 73

George Packer

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George Packer is another notable writer who was an early termination. He volunteered in Togo, and in fact his first book "Village of Waiting" was about his experience there. If this list is to include early terminations, I think George Packer should be included. Notably, Packer chose not to mention his early termination in the book "Village of Waiting". I'm not sure if this should count against him. Both Packer and his book "Village of Waiting" have Wikipedia articles about them. --Westwind273 (talk) 17:34, 27 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]

George Packer is an RPCV

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This is a perennial question among some returned volunteers. What qualifies one to be called a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer? One of the answers given is that it should only be someone who has successfully completed 2 years of service.

Then what about someone who completes 23 months of service and is returned home for medical reasons? What about a volunteer who dies during service and doesn't complete two years? What about someone who only serves thirteen months but whose program is terminated because of civil unrest and decides not to go through another training program and serve in another country.

The definition that I have used on my web site, Peace Corps Online is a very inclusive one:

A Returned Peace Corps Volunteer is anyone who has successfully completed his or her training and taken his or her oath.

Under this definition, RPCVs like George Packer, Tom Bissell and many others most certainly qualify. We are proud to count Packer and Bissell as two of our own.

Best Regards,


Hugh Pickens, Peru, 1970 - 73

24.117.6.13 (talk) 11:00, 26 August 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia is not an indiscriminate list or directory of people who volunteered for an organization

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Frankly not sure how this directory page grew so large without someone noticing. As this is not (and shouldn't be) a list of everyone who has ever volunteered for Peace Corps, it should be (as the lead already states), a list of notable volunteers. Notable means this, and doesn't mean people that seem important. In almost all cases (per WP:CSC and WP:LISTPEOPLE, as well as WP:NOT) that means that either someone needs to have an article on Wikipedia (the most common requirement) or, in some cases, sufficient reliable sources are provided to demonstrate notability. Not just to verify that the person was a volunteer, not from the Peace Corps website, etc. — Rhododendrites talk \\ 00:47, 30 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

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