The RPCV Health Crusade Glossary collects some of the lingo (aka terms and acronyms) that are often referenced within the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) community.
Glossary of Acronyms
| ACRONYM | TERM |
|---|---|
| APCD | Associate Peace Corps Director |
| CD | Country Director |
| COS | Close of Service |
| DOL | Department of Labor |
| EPCV (or ERPCV) | Evacuated Peace Corps Volunteer |
| FECA | Federal Employee Compensation Act |
| HCN | Host Country National |
| NCE | Non-competitive Eligibility |
| PCMO | Peace Corps Medical Officer |
| PCI | Peace Corps Invitee |
| PCT | Peace Corps Trainee |
| PCV | Peace Corps Volunteer (currently serving) |
| PCVL | Peace Corps Volunteer Leader |
| RPCV | Returned Peace Corps Volunteer |
| R/PCV | Returned and (currently serving) Peace Corps Volunteer |
Glossary of Terms
To bridge the gap, some of the definitions were provided by RPCVs to represent how the RPCV community understand and utilize the terms. Thanks Kate!
| TERM | DEFINITION |
|---|---|
| Administrative Separation (ad-sep) | Under the Peace Corps Act, the Peace Corps Trainee or Peace Corps Volunteer may be terminated at any time at the pleasure of the President, who delegated that authority to the Director of Peace Corps; this generally applies for removing the PCT/PCV for non-medical reasons; currently under certain circumstance, PCTs may have the option to resign instead of being ad-separated |
| Applicant | Someone who started (but not completed or abandoned) the Peace Corps Volunteer application process |
| Counterpart | Host country national who is performing an equivalent role to the Peace Corps Volunteer |
| Early Termination | Leaving Peace Corps service before the formal end of the full term of volunteer service; this could be voluntary (decision by PCV) or involuntary (decision by Peace Corps); there are four types: – resignation – medical separation – administrative separation – interrupted service |
| Evacuation (country) | Suspension of Peace Corps service in the host country and departure of some or all Peace Corps Volunteers in the host country either permanently or temporarily for operational reasons |
| Evacuation (PCV) | Peace Corps assists the individual Peace Corps Volunteer in leaving the host country for reasons beyond the PCV’s control like needing medical evaluation or care not available in country |
| Host Country | Country hosting the Peace Corps Volunteers under the Peace Corps program |
| Host Country National | Resident or citizen of the country hosting the Peace Corps Volunteers |
| In-Country | Referring to physically being (or events happening) in the host country |
| In-Service | Period of time as a Peace Corps Volunteer performing volunteer services in the host country |
| Interrupted Service | When the Country Director determines there are circumstances beyond the control of the Peace Corps Trainee or Peace Corps Volunteer where s/he needs to leave the service assignment. |
| Medical Clearance | The process of meeting medical qualifications within applying for Peace Corps service; check out our Resource Library for ways to save money on medical clearance needs |
| Medical Evacuation (med-evac) | Peace Corps removes/evacuates the Peace Corps Trainee or Peace Corps Volunteer from the host country to receive medical assistance that is not available in country |
| Medical Separation | Peace Corps makes the decision for early termination when the Peace Corps Trainee or Peace Corps Volunteer develops a medical condition that Peace Corps cannot medically accommodate or resolve in a pre-designated window of time (currently 45 days); the PCV/PCT generally has the option to appeal this decision |
| Non-Competitive Eligibility | Hiring authority status where the RPCV (meet qualifications) is eligible for certain federal positions without competing with the general public |
| Peace Corps Act | The Peace Corps Act of 1961 is the law that established the Peace Corps as a federal agency that trains and sends Americans to volunteer abroad |
| Peace Corps Invitee | Someone who received a formal invitation to be a Peace Corps Volunteer and is going through the clearance process |
| Peace Corps Oath | The official pledge/oath taken by Peace Corps Trainees to become a Peace Corps Volunteer; PCTs must be told their options in including or excluding certain verbiage of the oath |
| Peace Corps Trainee | Someone who is currently going through staging or training to be a Peace Corps Volunteer |
| Peace Corps Training | The training activities over 2-3 months to become a Peace Corps Volunteer; the activities typically include orientation on language, culture, and overview of the assignment |
| Peace Corps Volunteer | Someone who has completed Peace Corps training and taken the Peace Corps oath to perform volunteer services in the host country |
| Peace Corps Volunteer Leader | Peace Corps Volunteer who extended service into a third year for a specific project initiative |
| Post-Service | Period of time after the Peace Corps Volunteer reaches a Close of Service; applicable regardless of how long it has been since service |
| Pre-Service | Period of time before taking the Peace Corps oath; this typically includes staging and training |
| Readjustment Allowance | Financial amount allocated to the Peace Corps Volunteer at Close of Service to assist with readjusting to life after Peace Corps |
| Resignation | Decision made by the Peace Corps Trainee or Peace Corps Volunteer to leave Peace Corps service before the full (2 year) service is completed |
| Returned Peace Corps Volunteer | Someone who was a Peace Corps Volunteer and reached a Close of Service status; and once a RPCV, forever the RPCV! |
| Reverse Culture Shock | Transitional feelings of navigating a return to a life after Peace Corps service; this can be a very challenging stage |
| Staging | Period of time before Peace Corps Training begins to address some preliminary or administrative needs before arrival in the host country |
| Swearing In | Process or ceremony of taking the Peace Corps Oath to become a Peace Corps Volunteer |
| The Three Goals | The overarching mission of the Peace Corps based on three goals/principles (not verbatim): First Goal: to help the host country’s need in certain skilled personnel Second Goal: to help promote a better understanding of Americans to host country nationals Third Goal: to help promote a better understanding of the host country and host country nationals to Americans |
Any More Terms or Acronyms?
Help us expand this Glossary of RPCV terms and acronyms. We did decide not to list groups to keep the list manageable. And if you know of any additions or corrections, definitely let us know.