Civilian Response Corps

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Frequently Asked Questions

Joining

  1. How do I apply?
  2. Am I eligible?
  3. What does membership Involve?
  4. Do I need to be a U.S. Government employee to join the Corps?
  5. Do I need to speak a foreign language?
  6. How long will I be in the Corps?
  7. Does Corps service make me ineligible for deployments with my agency employer?
  8. As a Standby member, what happens if my circumstances change?
  9. How long will the recruitment process take?
  10. Do I need my supervisor’s approval to apply to be a Standby member?
  11. Do I have to be physically fit to be in the Corps?
  12. Can I join the Standby Corps if I am a temporary U.S. Government employee?
  13. Will I need a security clearance?

Deploying

  1. What preparation or training can I expect?
  2. If I am successful in joining the Corps, will I definitely be deployed to a hostile environment?
  3. How are members of the Corps selected for deployments?
  4. Am I guaranteed to get my job back in my agency after my deployment?
  5. What is the Civilian Deployment Center (CDC)?
  6. How long do deployments last?
  7. What will deployments entail?
  8. What happens after I complete my deployment and return to the United States?
  9. Can my family come with me on a deployment?
  10. Who can help with getting legal or financial advice related to my deployment?
  11. Who can I contact with further questions?

1. How do I apply?

  • Active member vacancies are listed on our Sign Up page, and all applications should go through the website links provided.
  • Potential Standby members should e-mail SRC@state.gov for further information or contact their home agency point of contact for more information on the application process.

2. Am I eligible?

3. What does membership Involve?

Active members:

  • Being available for overseas deployment within 48 hours of notification. Members may spend up to 60 percent of their time in conflict areas on deployments averaging 3 months. Active members attend up to eight weeks of formal training and exercises per year. Deployed personnel will receive benefits (per diem, hardship, danger pay) as applicable.
  • Active members may perform a range of duties, including:
    • Opening/running a field office;
    • Conducting conflict assessments;
    • Engaging in stabilization activities and negotiations;
    • Providing U.S. government political perspective;
    • Acting as a planner or operations officer in a civil-military unit;
    • Creating, leading, or participating in training and exercises; or
    • Capturing lessons and best practices.

Standby members will:

  • Be available to deploy within 30 days of notification, pending supervisor approval, for up to 90 days with the possibility to extend.
  • Participate in two weeks of training annually, in addition to predeployment training as needed.

4. Do I need to be a U.S. Government employee to join the Corps?

  • For the Active component, any U.S. citizen may apply.
  • For the Standby component, the Corps is composed only of government personnel or Foreign Service retirees.

5. Do I need to speak a foreign language?

  • No, but most of our Corps members speak a foreign language, and it is often a highly sought-after qualification.

6. How long will I be in the Corps?

  • Considering the resources we provide to train Corps members, we expect members to serve no less than two years in the Standby component. Standby component members, however, will deploy much less frequently and therefore may decide to remain in the Corps for many years. Member of the Active component are generally hired for two-year commitments. They can be in the Corps for varying lengths of time, but it should be noted that these positions can be very demanding. Individuals can be expected to be deployed more than 50 percent of the year to isolated and at times dangerous environments.

7. Does Corps service make me ineligible for deployments with my agency employer?

  • Active members from any agency must give priority to Corps deployments.
  • Standby members will most likely be called up only if they are not busy with another engagement.
  • We support agency-specific deployments if they build experience and skills relevant to conflict mitigation.

8. As a Standby member, what happens if my circumstances change?

  • Please notify the Corps by contacting SRC@state.gov or your home agency point of contact. If desired, you can have your name removed from the Standby roster.

9. How long will the recruitment process take?

  • The time period for the Active component and will probably depend on the time needed to get a security clearance. You can join the Standby component as soon as you complete a database form and submit a résumé. You will need to sign up for training within a year of joining.

10. Do I need my supervisor’s approval to apply to be a Standby member?

  • You will need your supervisor’s approval to deploy and attend training. Some agencies may have their own policies on supervisor approvals, so please check with your home agency if you are not from the Department of State.

11. Do I have to be physically fit to be in the Corps?

  • Active members need to get a medical clearance while in-processing and Standby members before deploying, if they do not already have one. The health of our members is important to us and the medical clearance helps ensure that our Corps members will be medically covered at embassies abroad. We do not have a physical fitness test, but strongly encourage all our members to maintain a high level of physical fitness.
  • If you don’t already have a medical clearance and you are in the Active component, please contact CRC@state.gov to begin the process.

12. Can I join the Standby Corps if I am a temporary U.S. Government employee?

  • As long as a rehired annuitant is considered a Title 5 employee when working, he/she can be considered a Standby member. Only Title 5 employees can be members of the Corps per our authorization.

13. Will I need a security clearance?

  • For Active members, clearances are normally handled by the home agency and are acquired as part of the hiring process. The minimum is a Secret security clearance, and many agencies issue their members higher-level clearances. Standby members must apply for a security clearance when called up to deploy, assuming you do not have one already.

14. What preparation or training can I expect?

  • Civilian Response Corps – Active
    • Active members are required to take a minimum of eight weeks of training per year. They are considered deployable after completing the following courses: Foundations of Interagency Reconstruction and Stabilization Operations (two weeks); Whole-of-Government Planning for Reconstruction and Stabilization (three weeks); and Security for Non-traditional Operating Environments (two weeks). Annual refresher training will keep members’ skills up to date.
  • Civilian Response Corps – Standby
    • Standby members are required to take a minimum of two weeks of training per year. They are considered ready to be called up after completing the Foundations of Interagency Reconstruction and Stabilization Operations course.
    • If called to deploy, Standby members may also need to take:
      • Security for Non-traditional Operating Environments (weeks)
      • Any required country-specific pre-deployment training.
  • NOTE: To register for training, all Civilian Response Corps members must have the approval of their Response Corps Coordinator or Training and Education System Advisory Coordinator before submitting their application to the Training and Education Division located within S/CRS (SCRSTraining@state.gov). Standby members should also be cleared through the S/CRS Standby Coordinator before being approved for any training.

15. If I am successful in joining the Corps, will I definitely be deployed to a hostile environment?

  • No. A number of the areas in which we work are permissive or semi-permissive rather than hostile.

16. How are members of the Corps selected for deployments?

  • The database form and Civilian Response Corps résumé play an important part in matching skills with deployment opportunities. Completing these forms fully ensures that you are best represented in the selection process. In addition, Response Corps Coordinators are consulted for their nominations for available positions.

17. Am I guaranteed to get my job back in my agency after my deployment?

  • Standby members should clearly discuss this question with supervisors. S/CRS will help where possible to backfill your current position. Active members jobs’ are assured at your home agency.

18. What is the Civilian Deployment Center (CDC)?

  • Corps deployments can require processing of dozens of personnel in a short period of time. Transporting, equipping, training, supplying, and supporting large numbers of Corps officers poses a significant challenge.
  • In response, S/CRS and other agencies established a central deployment facility called the Civilian Deployment Center (CDC). The deployment facility manages Corps movement to and from their posts, equipping the Corps at the outset and in the field, and warehousing equipment when not in use. The CDC draws on several models, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Military Joint Training Centers, and the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DART) platform.

19. How long do deployments last?

  • Average deployments are 90 days with the possibility to extend. However, deployments can last from a few days up to six months. The exception is Afghanistan, where deployments have tended to be longer - up to one year.

20. What will deployments entail?

  • Corps members may deploy to the most isolated and restricted overseas locations, including combat zones, and may embed with military or international organizations. Most deploying personnel are sent to U.S. embassies.

21. What happens after I complete my deployment and return to the United States?

  • You write an after action review to capture lessons learned.
  • You usually take leave to recuperate before being redeployed.
  • You speak with other Corps members about your experience.
  • You contribute stories and photos to publications about the Corps.
  • You must return equipment, unless you will deploy again within 60 days.

22. Can my family come with me on a deployment?

  • No, this is generally not allowed due to the danger of postings and short timeframe.

23. Who can help with getting legal or financial advice related to my deployment?

  • The IQ: Information Quest service is designed to help you manage your responsibilities and prepare for deployments, including:
    • Adult care and aging
    • Child care and parenting
    • Financial and legal concerns
    • Health and wellness

24. Who can I contact with further questions?

  • Please direct any further questions about the Active component to CRC@state.gov and about the Standby component to SRC@state.gov.

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