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It came as news to me that the military offers an enlistment option allowing recruits to complete their obligation with service in the Peace Corps.

This happened as a result of legislation tucked into a defense appropriations bill three years ago by Sens. John McCain and Evan Bayh. Not many people knew about it at the time -- not even the Peace Corps.

The Washington Post explains in this story.

I share the concerns expressed by Peace Corps advocates.

Nothing against former military personnel joining the Peace Corps. Many apparently do. There's no reason they shouldn't -- voluntarily.

It's a different story if doing so fulfills an obligation. In that case, they may be motivated more by the need to complete their military commitment than by a desire to contribute to the Peace Corps' mission. And I suppose they also could be considered still under military authority, in that they'd be accountabile to the military if they failed to finish their term in the Peace Corps or did not perform satisfactorily.

The most important thing is that Peace Corps volunteers should not be confused with military personnel. That could increase suspicion of or even hostility to Peace Corps volunteers, who often work on their own in remote locations where they depend on the hospitality of local people.

I have a personal interest in this. My son, Andrew, is entering the Peace Corps next month and will be sent to Tanzania. He'll spend more than two years there as a secondary school math teacher. He's very excited about this opportunity, and I'm happy for him. At the same time, I'll worry about his health and safety. Tanzania is a relatively stable country, although it was the site of one of the U.S. embassy bombings by al-Qaida in 1998. It has a fairly large Muslim population, and I hope no one there would confuse him for a soldier. It seems far-fetched, but misinformation can take hold in some places and lead to misunderstandings.

I respect the courage and dedication of our military personnel. At the same time, I'm glad our country sends a Peace Corps out into the world as well as its "War Corps." The two must remain completely separate of each other -- in perception as well as reality.