Glossary

Here is a quick guide (*ahem* work in progress) to some of the Peace Corps terms used in this blog (adapted from this PC blog):


Assignment: The location and job the volunteer is placed in
APCD: Associate Peace Corps Director. A host-country national in charge of that region's program
CD: Country Director. The one in charge of the volunteers in that country
CDO: Country Desk Officer. A liaison in Washington D.C. between Peace Corps headquarters and country.
COS: Close of Service. The end of a volunteer's service
Country Desk: The department representing regional countries, at Peace Corps headquarters in Washington D.C.
ET: Early Termination. Leaving, for whatever reason, before COS
Homestay: Part of training where the volunteer lives with a member of the community (the owners of the house are often referred to as "family," i.e. mother, brother, etc.)
HCN: Host Country National. A person from the Host Country.
Host Country: The country where the volunteer is serving
Invitation: A formal summons to serve in a specific job/country after receiving medical/legal clearance
IOS: Interruption of Service. When local political or environmental conditions require the entire program to be pulled from an area
IST: In-Service Training. A secondary training event that happens mid-service
LCF: Language and Cross-Cultural Facilitator. Trainers responsible for language and culture sections during PST
MAP: Medical Application Portal. The website used to complete medical clearances
Medevac: Medically Evacuate. To return a volunteer to the States for medical treatment, usually because they have an injury/illness that is untreatable in-country
Medsep: Medical Separation. When a volunteer cannot complete service due to a medical problem
OMS: Office of Medical Services
PC: Peace Corps
PCMO: Peace Corps Medical Officer. The nurse or doctor in charge of all that country's volunteers
PCT: Peace Corps Trainee. Volunteer's title during training and before becoming an official volunteer
PCV: Peace Corps Volunteer
PO: Placement Officer. Person in charge of officially placing each volunteer in an assignment worldwide. Based in the Peace Corps D.C. Headquarters
PST: Pre-Service Training. The training program, usually 3 months long, that teaches volunteers language, cross-cultural sensitivity, and job skills before they begin their official service
Recruiter: Locally-based representative in charge of providing information on Peace Corps to potential applicants and screening applicants during the initial stages. The "voice" of the PC
RPCV: Returned Peace Corps Volunteer
Site: The location where the volunteer lives and works for 2 years
Staging: The first day(s) of training, held in the U.S., before flying out to the host country, basically an orientation
Swearing-In: The ceremony that accompanies transition from PCT to PCV
Under Consideration: The status pertaining to an application being put "in the pile" of a particular country. The first step toward becoming a PCV.
VAD: Volunteer Assignment Description. The lengthy document given to applicants describing an assignment in detail. Part of the official Invitation