When I was 19 I went to boot camp for the Marine Corps. The journey to boot camp was relatively easy. I had a high school diploma, a clean record, scored well on the ASVAB, and passed my physical with flying colors. I did not have any commitments on my time or money such as dependents, loans of any kind, etc. And even if I didn't meet all of the entrance standards, the recruiter would have worked with me on getting waivers as needed for prior arrests, lack of education, or physical limitations, etc. Or if I had dependents then there is additional pay for you to help you take care of your dependents. Basically any obstacle to enlistment has a path around it for the military has seen it all before and are ready to get around the problem until the recruiter can get the potential recruit into boot camp.
When I was 39 I left the US to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer for two years. Before hand I went through a similar but much more rigorous and time consuming selection process. My education had to be a college degree in the field of the position of which I was applying for. If I didn't have the education then experience in said field could suffice if it was sufficient. I had to pass a physical saying I'm able to withstand the lifestyle of a volunteer in difficult living conditions. A clean record. And free of commitments such as dependents or debt that would prohibit me from living a lifestyle of volunteer on a small living stipend. No waivers, no paycheck, no COLA, no extra money for dependents, no sign on bonus, no danger pay, no deployment pay, etc etc. Any monetary obligations you may have you need to be able to handle on your own without a paycheck or benefits for assistance.
In the military, you only need a high school diploma because you will receive job training in your field. In the Peace Corps you need relevant education and experience because goal one of the Peace Corps is to provide interested countries with qualified personal. The training that the Peace Corps provides is language and cultural training to help you adapt to the country and some program specific training that is meant to build on the education and experience you are bringing with you.
Things probably have changed over the past two decades, but from what I recall of going into the military it all starts with the recruiter. The two of you have a chat about what the military offers and requires from a recruit and if these match your expectations and needs. Then the recruiter sets you up with an ASVAB test to determine your potential and what jobs you qualify for. After which you two work together on your initial entry contract. You can go in for a specific job and if you've got the chops you can negotiate a sign on bonus, try to get specific duty stations, accommodations for your dependents, work out waivers as you need them, etc. In the main, when you sign on you go to what ever duty station your assigned to and you go into whatever job you agreed to in your contract. There is also the option of 'open contract' which puts you into any job that the military pairs you with which you find out at the end of training.
For the Peace Corps you can use a recruiter or you go it alone as I did. You go online and put in an application to join which is your work experience, education, and various essays. You can apply for a specific program and or country as well as putting in multiple applications for different programs and or countries. Or you can go 'open contact' which is any job and any location. Your application is then reviewed to see if you qualify. If so you are then interviewed by video conference. This was the second most intense interview I have ever been through. The first on the list is the three panel comprehensive exam at the end if my Master's program where the panel fired at me questions ranging the entire spectrum of the program covering every core subject. Job interviews that I have gone to over the years are easy compared to the Peace Corps interview.
At this point in the selection process for both Corps' let's say you have been found acceptable on paper to serve. Now you need a medical and legal clearance. For both, they are looking for the same things, that you are capable of serving the full duration without medical issues that cannot be met by military or Peace Corps doctors as well as no legal issues requiring you to end service early.
For the medical portion, both Peace and Marine Corps are looking at your ability to live and work under adverse conditions and in places around the world where it will be difficult to administer what would otherwise be considered basic health care. For example, both Corps require a person to be physically capable of walking, lifting, and otherwise mobile. And both would find it difficult to provide support for a person who needed refrigerated medication. The big difference lies in the execution of the physicals for pre-service screening. For the military, a recruiter takes you to MEPS and you get a battery of tests done by a variety of military doctors with a group of other potential recruits. MEPS is a one stop shop for making the process easy and streamlined.
For the Peace Corps, you need a similar assessment done but entirely on your own. You get a list of tests that you need to have done, then on your own you go and get it done. Making appointments to see various doctors in various specialties. Taking that time off of work. Trying to explain to the doctor what it is you need from them. Getting the results of the visits. Scan the results, and upload them to the Peace Corps medical team for review. Who may or may not tell you that x, y, and z is missing, needs to be re-checked, or otherwise in need of you going back to the doctor for another appointment.
A medical assessment in MEPS can be done in one or two days. The Peace Corps gives you six months. MEPS is free to a potential recruit. On your own for the Peace Corps, the appointments can result in hundreds of dollars of out of pocket expenses not covered by reimbursement.
For the legal clearance the goal and process is also the same for both Corps. A fingerprinting, a background check, and a 'ya or nay' on clearance. When I was 19 this was easy as I had no priors. At 39 I still had no priors but I did have a secret clearance. This required the Navy to release my record to the Peace Corps for their review to ensure whatever it is they ensure. For me, this process took about a year months and I ended up on a legal hold waiting for six months. But eventually it all came through and I was awarded legal clearance.
A lot of people have questioned me on why having a secret clearance would make the process longer, why the Peace Corps wouldn't just accept that clearance as being sufficient for the legal clearance. I think that the Peace Corps legal team has to review what work I did for the Navy to to ensure I was not intelligence in any way. Because if you have worked for intelligence agencies in the past 10 years you can't go into the Peace Corps so as to protect the reputation and credibility of the Peace Corps.
Once the entire process is done you then get on a plane and go. In total it took me a few months to leave for boot camp. It was easy and painless on my end, and for my recruiter it was probably also relatively painless. For the Peace Corps the process was close to two years. The medical clearance was a nightmare mostly because I was dealing with the VA. But also because the process in general is less than ideal. It would be nice if Peace Corps Volunteers could use MEPS as well. And it boggles the mind that legal clearance took about 10 months simply because Navy was not releasing my records to the Peace Corps. But in the end it all got done and taken care of. I'm in country and working as a volunteer in the community health program.
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