At their core, my reasons for wanting to be considered for a volunteer position with the Peace Corps are simple and basic...a desire to do meaningful work, to make a difference, and to make the world a better place. These are goals that I think most of us share but that manifest so differently in each and every one of us. I think these goals are apparent and have played a large part in the decisions I have made (and the decisions I continue to make) in my life.

During my time serving as a city patrolman with my hometown police department, I didn’t feel that these goals were being met. More times than not I felt that the carrying out of my duties involved introducing hardship into the lives of the people I came into contact with while the feelings of making a positive difference came along too few and far between. As a result, I found the work to be unsatisfying and chose to move on after 30 months..

My more recent work experiences, both paid and volunteer, have been much more satisfying in that these goals have been met in more direct, immediate, and obvious ways. These experiences include serving in a capacity to provide support and assistance to the elderly, to mentally retarded and developmentally disabled adults, companionship and respite care to hospice patients and their caregivers, and in being a part of a highly capable national park service mountain rescue team. In each of these roles there was no mistaking that I was making a positive difference and helping people, typically one by one and oftentimes one on one. It has been my privilege to serve in these roles and satisfying to realize that while appearing to be on the giving end of things, I was in fact receiving far more.

In the many comings and goings of my path, I have left a respectable trail of quality personal and professional relationships. There are positions and places that I have left, either by choice or circumstance, only to be welcomed back at a later time. I believe this speaks positively to the caliber of my character and work ethic.

The Dalai Lama has pointed out that it is the wise selfish person who spends most of his/her time giving to others as in so doing, they are actually serving themselves. If selected for a Peace Corps assignment I would once again feel quite privileged and know with no doubt that I was staying true to my above mentioned goals of helping others and making the world a better place.