A young, recently married, couple I know did something few would have the courage or conviction to do. They gave up their jobs, sold or stored their possessions and joined the Peace Corps. I wish I could say that they finished their training, have been assigned to an interesting post and are enthusiastically pursuing their new endeavor together. Unfortunately that is not the case.
Upon arrival to their training assignment, as I understand it, they were informed that they have no place to stay. Then they were informed that it would be at least another three months before a training slot became available and then they probably couldn’t be trained, or assigned together. They were then sent back home. Needless to say, they are both very upset and have completely reversed their decision to join the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps is losing two fine candidates, and the young couple a great life enhancing opportunity, all through bureaucratic incompetence.
Luckily both of the couple are well qualified (one is a teacher, the other has a good degree) so finding new jobs or getting back the jobs they left should not be a problem. However, the shear order of magnitude of the bureaucratic incompetence shown in this episode is staggering. To send people thousands of miles away from home, spending thousands of tax dollars to do so, only to not have housing, not have the training available and finally to tell them that even if they tough it out they wouldn’t be assigned together just boggles the mind. Has to make you wonder how well they are tracking their personnel in the field and what level of support they are providing to them.
In this day of terrorist activity, kidnappings and hate of all things American that these young people would be willing to, at great personal risk, serve others is highly commendable. That they cannot fulfill this desire to be of service to others due to the stupidity and incompetence of others is deplorable.
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