3/24/2026
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM EST


Location: DACOR Bacon House, 1801 F St NW, Washington, DC 20006

Join us for an ADST-DACOR Diplomats and Diplomacy Series Book Launch of Profiles in Service: Peace Corps Roots written by Ben East. Books will be available for sale at the event. The reception will include light fare and feature a cash bar (cash/credit card accepted). More information coming soon.

From the founding of the Peace Corps to the front lines of modern diplomacy, Profiles in Service traces how volunteer service shaped the careers of Americans who would later represent the United States during moments of global crisis and change.

Drawing on interviews and firsthand accounts, the book follows future diplomats from remote villages to negotiating tables—through war, revolution, hostage crises, and post-conflict reconstruction—revealing how early service forged resilience, judgment, and cross-cultural fluency.

These are stories of individuals who navigated cultural divides, upheld American values under pressure, and carried the lessons of service into careers marked by consequence and sacrifice.

As the United States marks 250 years and the Peace Corps surpasses six decades of service, Profiles in Service offers a timely reflection on how citizen diplomacy helped shape modern U.S. foreign policy—and why those roots still matter.