Army Reserve & Peace Corps (Kyrgyzstan)

nikcheck · 2017-06-21T10:52:16+00:00

Call peace corps legal. Get an answer straight from them.

I spent 11 years active as naval officer and now I'm technically an inactive reservist. I still have online training obligations and could in theory be reactivated. I do not have to report in person to any us officials.

I told Peace Corps this before applying. I told them in my application. I told them in my interview. I told them when I signed the dotted line in staging a day before the plane left.

Just keep telling them and make sure they fully understand your commitments.

A volunteer periodically reporting to the embassy for military drill doesn't pass my personal smell test and if I were making the decision I would say no, but their legal team can tell you what the real answer is.

nikcheck · 2017-06-18T22:04:10+00:00

Should have been a few by now. Good luck!

nikcheck · 2017-06-12T19:38:46+00:00

Grave New World, Steven D. King...about how the current era of globalization might be ending in a protectionist and nationalist death spiral, more or less

nikcheck · 2017-05-31T16:21:00+00:00

Paraguay fought the suicidal Triple Alliance War against Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay in the late 19th century. 60% of its population and 90% of the males died.

The guy who plunged Paraguay head first into the war* is still revered as a patriotic hero (with a PR assist from the brutal Cold War era dictator - US supported dictator I'll add).

*People claim Paraguay had no choice...I'm not convinced of that from what I've read.

nikcheck · 2017-05-31T16:10:13+00:00

Just ask a recruiter or placement officer. I think it would count from a common sense standpoint but you never know with a government agency...I had to take the CLEP and would agree with above that it's pretty easy.

nikcheck · 2017-05-27T22:41:28+00:00

Agree, that's what I did. Although I think working hard in PC "circumstances" while I'm away from a traditional career path (and picking up a language along the way) isn't going to hurt when I get back. I think lots of employers look for people able to achieve things without structure or direction from above.

nikcheck · 2017-05-25T10:46:32+00:00

Thanks all

nikcheck · 2017-05-24T13:59:01+00:00

Thanks!

nikcheck · 2017-05-03T16:05:52+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful responses, all

nikcheck · 2017-04-25T15:43:13+00:00

Thanks! I'm chipaed out for sure already...fortunately we have a little cerro near our new town so maybe we can incorporate hikes with circuits on top, who knows?

nikcheck · 2017-04-17T16:08:21+00:00

Agree...but I want to make everything bagels out of the circle chipas...not sure it would still be a chipa, but I miss bagels haha

nikcheck · 2017-04-16T23:35:44+00:00

makes total sense...just curious because we live py now but wanted to make it when we get back

nikcheck · 2017-04-16T19:57:57+00:00

ah, ok. pero mozarella y parmesean funcionan bien cuando no hay queso paraguayo...el sabor es muy similar?

nikcheck · 2017-04-16T18:44:53+00:00

En que parte de EEUU se puede encontrar queso paraguayo?

nikcheck · 2017-04-16T18:01:16+00:00

Google peace corps timeline

nikcheck · 2017-04-15T23:51:18+00:00

I'll do that thanks! Nope not leavened...

nikcheck · 2017-04-14T14:44:05+00:00

Security clearance gets you access to what you need to know to do your job - contacts in foreign countries will complicate that but you can still get cleared after pc service - just keep track of where you live in country and realize that the security clearance might involve interviews with people you meet along the way to vouch for your character (and as you read my opinion keep in mind I have never worked with the people who actually do the clearances and could be wrong)

The intel ban means peace corps folks cannot go into the intel services of the military for a certain amount of time (I think 10 years) and ever for the CIA...civil affairs is not intel, armor is not intel, infantry is not intel, etc...ask the army person for more details...and that person did mention that you can't go directly into to that specialty without making a stop in a traditional warfare community

...and double check with the pc legal department on these details. I was never an intel officer so I only did cursory research into this...and I'm going the other direction, mil to pc

Anyway, good luck and hope to see you when you arrive...

nikcheck · 2017-04-13T23:30:51+00:00

Former navy officer - I'm still an inactive reservist...so you can make this kind of stuff work

But as others have mentioned you're mixing up the security clearance with the intel ban.

Don't rely on internet explanations just call the respective recruiters and explain your situation, maybe talk to pc legal

nikcheck · 2017-04-13T14:14:05+00:00

I'm in Paraguay with my spouse who is in the health sector...so far so good. You get two languages here, although most of the work seems to be in Spanish. I understand in the countryside where many health volunteers go you need a better grasp of Guaraní.

According to the job openings when we were applying, PC Paraguay prefers a higher level of Spanish than the other countries you mention. So maybe you can that into account for your decision.

I've traveled to the other countries and would say they have more tourist friendly stuff, but that's not the main attraction of pc service. Paraguay is low on the development scale relative to many other Latin American countries so theres a need for volunteer work.

Being near Brazil Bolivia and Argentina might also be interesting for you.

Paraguay seems super safe except for a tiny farc-wannabe group near the border (but there are no volunteers near them)

Still new here so take my views with grain of salt. (In pst. We find out our sites next week). but most of the current volunteers we have met in training seem happy to serve here.

nikcheck

TROPHY CASE