Why does the US Navy restrict some jobs and security clearances from people that have been in the Peace Corps?

Question

I noticed some Navy jobs that require you to never have been a member of the peace corps. Anyone know why?

Answer 1

Hi

This is simple and I attached a few items below.

It is a "two way" street. For the Peace Corps to exist there must never be any sense or possibilty of any individual having either the potential or the chance of being a covert agent. The Peace Corps exists as it has always been considered to be free of any
intelligence agents or operations. To allow such would open the door for countries and terrorists to go after Peace Corps members.

If it happens once, the entire trust that has been established for more than 40 years would be lost.

Even countries that do not "like" the USA do allow Peace Corps volunteeres in. Many veterans serve in the Peace Corps (just no former Intelligence types) and some PC serve in the military.


Peace Corps work can be dangerous depending on the country, its political situation. Many Peace Corps volunteers work in extreme climates, jungles, small isolated islands, many risks.

After my Army career the Peace Corps actively recruited me.
As i was medical corps, there were no issues.


Sections of Army/Navy regulations.
j. Applicants who are former member of the Peace Corps (such as volunteers, leaders and staff members) will not be assigned, attached, or detailed to an intelligence-type unit or position in the USAR. Persons who received Peace Corps training but did not go overseas with the Peace Corps are not considered former members of the Peace Corps. However, such persons will not be assigned duties in an MI field in and foreign country for which trained.

Former members of the Peace Corps are not eligible for US Navy positions in intelligence.

I know that the Peace Corps will not accept people who have military or CIA intelligence backgrounds of any kind.

Answer 2

Often times members of the peace corps have contacts in nations which are third-world, have terrorist organizations, or are anti-american in sentiment. This contact means that the security clearance of the person trying to join the Navy cannot be granted due to concerns over opsec and infosec. In other words, without clearance to see classified information, you can't work a job that requires handling that type of info.

Answer 3

Joe Doc nailed it; the Peace Corps wants to avoid even the appearance of propriety and the rest of the US Government helps. If people went into the CIA or Navy Intelligence, etc. right after the Peace Corps, tongues would wag and trust would be broken.

There is an old Chinese saying; "if you are walking through your neighbor's melon field, don't bend down to tie your sandals."

Answer 4

It depends on several things. First is if you go through your G2/Intel people so they are aware of it first. If there is a problem with the country she is from, they will tell you upfront. Second, follow the correct procedures and most likely it will be find. Command approvals and so on. Third, it was very useful at my security clearance review to take my wife's immigration packet to the interview. It saved them a lot of times and questions. England, New Zealand or Australia are generally not a problem, as is Japan and Germany. Iranian is another story. Bottom line is talk to your security managers up front.

Answer 5

for the most part, ex Peace Corps volunteers may not enlist. and for those that do, the restrict their jobs to those that do not require any Clearances.. because during your time in the Pace Corps you may have been unduly influenced by what you saw or who you met. They just decided to make it a blanket requirement as opposed to spending lots of money indvidually screening people.

Answer 6

The peace corp helps some nations that are not on the friendlest terms with the US. Some security clearances are diffucult to get no matter what. I was denied TS because my brothers wife was not born in the US.

Answer 7

Because the peace corp is usually for hippies....my old english teacher was in and wow.....talk about a nut so and all his friends in the peace corp are the same way...i wouldnt want them with top secret info or security clearences

Answer 8

I didn't know they even allowed prior members of the peace corp
in military service. I know I wouldn't

MERRY CHRISTMAS and have a nice day.

Thank you very much, while you're up!!