Garda Reserve Force - (See Moderator note in first post #1)

Gardareserve1 · 16-05-2007 9:19am

Well I finally got the time to write in. As the user id states I am the first RG to have gone on duty in the country. As a member of the first batch to have passed out in 15-12-06, it has been a pleasure getting involved, seeing the real issues outside of my own life. For anyone who is wondering about joining up......Go for it. I hate reading other threads with people moaning about taking the mick out of what we all are trying to do. I have not heard of any negative reaction to us from either the general public nor the full time members. It still is a learing experience for all of us and each will be picking up new info as we go along. There isn't even a new full garda member who knows everything.

If in doubt.....Sign up for the challenge.

freddiew · 16-05-2007 9:30am

Hi No 1 good to see your comment, would like to chat if you are willing off line not sure how we could go about that ut maybe initially my email is a few messages above. Hope to hear from you.

Gardareserve1 · 16-05-2007 9:33am

R u thinking of joining up?

freddiew · 16-05-2007 9:34am

Yes, I have done the Interview & the written Report and submitted my GR2 Form and had it passed and witnessed in Garda Station two weeks ago but nothing since, next stage is the Medical I think.

Gardareserve1 · 16-05-2007 9:42am

Have just created a filter email address. This will be used to weed out the junk emails etc

<removed>

Regards

geo1212 · 16-05-2007 11:06am

Gardareserve1 wrote:

Have just created a filter email address. This will be used to weed out the junk emails etc

<removed>

Regards

where abouts you stationed. must have met somewhere along the line

Gardareserve1 · 16-05-2007 11:11am

Cork.
R u on the Reserve Mailing list? Did u get your mail shot? U can reply to the above rg1 email address later

wex · 16-05-2007 11:22am

Gardareserve1 wrote:

Cork.
R u on the Reserve Mailing list? Did u get your mail shot? U can reply to the above rg1 email address later

do you guys have your own mailing list and website etc, is it internal or is it something you set up yourselves

freddiew · 29-05-2007 2:38pm

Hi All, I am getting excited again. I heard the local Sargent checked my referees andhe phoned me to say that he would call to my home on Friday so things are starting to move again for me anyway.

KIERAN61 · 30-05-2007 7:58am

Well done Fred looks like you are on the road at long last.I am in the middle of Phase two at the minute and loving it.We are learning all about arrestable offences misuse of drugs act etc etc so you wont feel that you know completely nothing when you finally make it out onto the street.I believe we have an exam at the end of phase two does anybody who went through it have any comments on how hard or otherwise the test was?

69sparkie69 · 30-05-2007 10:16am

hi guys and girls..
just wondering if anyone up for a medical this week..as i`m up for the hi jump on Friday..hopefully,all going well,i should get it..still lost frig all weight..but have firmed up..and looking good..well i think i am..hahaha..
on a different note, taking to Sgt at my local Stn.,and he`s in the gra committee in this county ,,and he has said since McDowell lost his seat,the gra are looking for changes, all ready to the reserves,with the new minister of justice..bloody hell..they got there pay increase`s to accept the reserves,do they want more..cant understand it, when people are willing to give up there own time to do something good for the country, and others are milking that for there own financial benefits.. well thats my rant for the day over..
sparkie.

freddiew · 02-06-2007 4:36pm

Well done Sparkie, thanks for that wiill practice touching my toes! I had a visit from the local Serg. yesterday and he has contacted my references, no prob he said. Next, he said was to visit the Super. in Pearse Street.

lennox1 · 03-06-2007 10:24am

69sparkie69 wrote:

hi guys and girls..
just wondering if anyone up for a medical this week..as i`m up for the hi jump on Friday..hopefully,all going well,i should get it..still lost frig all weight..but have firmed up..and looking good..well i think i am..hahaha..
on a different note, taking to Sgt at my local Stn.,and he`s in the gra committee in this county ,,and he has said since McDowell lost his seat,the gra are looking for changes, all ready to the reserves,with the new minister of justice..bloody hell..they got there pay increase`s to accept the reserves,do they want more..cant understand it, when people are willing to give up there own time to do something good for the country, and others are milking that for there own financial benefits.. well thats my rant for the day over..
sparkie.

If you have such a low opinion of full time Garda members,why do you want to work with them?Perhaps you should undertake some more research before commenting further about something you so obviously don't know much about,e.g Sgts are not in the G.R.A. they are in A.G.S.I

I'm afraid that your attitude to full time Gardai will be exposed before long which will only lead to your presence being tolerated not welcomed.I hope you never need full time G.R.A. members to help get you out of a sticky
situation.

69sparkie69 · 03-06-2007 11:04am

so lennox.
what do you do..??? what do you do for your community..?? as for my attitude,..i dont think you know me,..and as for that,..you should keep your opinion to yourself.. i`ve haven`t a low opinion off the guards,,if i did ,why would i like to join the force..?? as for the agsi, they are guards, too with stripes and pips..after being promoted from the gra..so forgive me for getting that wrong.. but as i said before..ie. milking the system.. must off hit a nerve..,everyone one is out to get something for nothing..as for getting out off a sticky situation,..you don't allow yourself get into one..i`ve plenty life experience off sticky situations..perhaps you should off given your experience and opinion to the donegal enquiry..?? just a thought..
anyway, nice to hear from you and your opinion, and you are welcome to this Volunteer thread..for the garda reserve..

lennox1 · 03-06-2007 1:02pm

69sparkie69 wrote:

so lennox.
what do you do..??? what do you do for your community..?? as for my attitude,..i dont think you know me,..and as for that,..you should keep your opinion to yourself.. i`ve haven`t a low opinion off the guards,,if i did ,why would i like to join the force..?? as for the agsi, they are guards, too with stripes and pips..after being promoted from the gra..so forgive me for getting that wrong.. but as i said before..ie. milking the system.. must off hit a nerve..,everyone one is out to get something for nothing..as for getting out off a sticky situation,..you don't allow yourself get into one..i`ve plenty life experience off sticky situations..perhaps you should off given your experience and opinion to the donegal enquiry..?? just a thought..
anyway, nice to hear from you and your opinion, and you are welcome to this Volunteer thread..for the garda reserve..

I have no desire to argue with you.However as a member of the public,I have a right to express an opinion and if you become a member of the Reserve,you will be expected to defend my right to lawfully and peacefully express it.

My community involvement is not something I feel the need to shout about.Suffice to say that I have been involved for as long as you you are on this earth(you previously said that you are in your early forties)

I have no connection with the Donegal inquiry or any other inquiry,but have an interest in what goes on in this country,and with our Garda force.Your cheap shot is unbecoming of someone who hopes to wear the same uniform as the many proud members of the Gardai.

The lives of many Gardai and their families have been changed utterly by the results of sticky situations that brave Gardai could not get out of so don't presume you won't get into any sticky situations and be dependent on Gardai to assist you.

I wish you well in your endeavours to become a member of the reserve and hope that you will respect the full time Gardai and their opinions as you expect them to respect you.

geo1212 · 05-06-2007 10:42am

lennox1 wrote:

I have no desire to argue with you.However as a member of the public,I have a right to express an opinion and if you become a member of the Reserve,you will be expected to defend my right to lawfully and peacefully express it.

My community involvement is not something I feel the need to shout about.Suffice to say that I have been involved for as long as you you are on this earth(you previously said that you are in your early forties)

I have no connection with the Donegal inquiry or any other inquiry,but have an interest in what goes on in this country,and with our Garda force.Your cheap shot is unbecoming of someone who hopes to wear the same uniform as the many proud members of the Gardai.

The lives of many Gardai and their families have been changed utterly by the results of sticky situations that brave Gardai could not get out of so don't presume you won't get into any sticky situations and be dependent on Gardai to assist you.

I wish you well in your endeavours to become a member of the reserve and hope that you will respect the full time Gardai and their opinions as you expect them to respect you.

I think lennox has a valid and extremely important point, there have been unfortunatly several sticky situations that ALL MEMBERS OF THE FORCE have dealt with and without a mutual respect between them and indeed members of the public, the idea of a Reserve system could not work.

wex · 05-06-2007 10:23pm

geo1212 wrote:

I think lennox has a valid and extremely important point, there have been unfortunatly several sticky situations that ALL MEMBERS OF THE FORCE have dealt with and without a mutual respect between them and indeed members of the public, the idea of a Reserve system could not work.

Thats a fair point Geo, also given that An Garda Siochana, as with all organisations will have I would assume its fair share of rumours, its probably worth taking some things with a pinch of salt.
Maybe there will be changes to how the whole thing works, but I doubt it will be because Mc D. is out of Government.

With, is it 13,000 ish Guards, and at most 150 Reserves, it stands to reason that probably only 300/400 Guards have actually worked along side a Reserve Guy/Girl, and most of them are probably in the Dublin region.
Its probably these 300/400 who know what the situation is like on the ground as such.

As with us Nationwide, we all know what we are like, The Smoking Ban for example. Ah jasus, sure that wont work here. The Euro, the whah, I'm not bleedin yousin dem tings. I am not by the way trying to slag any accents off, but just trying to make a point. We sometimes can be guilty of shooting something down in flames until we have had a chance to get used to it.
At some stage is it not probable that a Reserve will be in a situation where they have helped save a Guard from a thump or worse, simply because they were on duty with the Guard at the time, when that happens, or if it happens, then common sense would mean that the Guard would probably give the Reserve a slap on the back in thanks.
But that rumour might take longer to do the rounds, as at the moment it would go against the flow.

Gooser · 06-06-2007 1:04pm

Hi Everyone - I've been viewing these posts with interest and having graduated in May, I may have something useful to contribute. Kieran61 asked about the exam at the end of phase 2. Although a certain amount of study was required, we were given a number of practice exams and I very much got the impression that nobody wanted us to fail. Despite the fact there was a very formal exam hall type set-up in the station, we were given every opportunity to pass. Also, the question of the medical has come up a lot. My own view is that the medical was the most difficult aspect of the whole application process. I'm in my very late twenties and, much to my surprise, was deferred due to a heart murmur! Needed to get an echocardiogram to prove that I wouldn't keel over and die during the self-defence training. Nevertheless, the scan proved that the murmur was perfectly normal and apparently, they are not uncommon and are typically harmless. The medical failure rate seemed quite high based on the number of people I saw at the Depot and who I then subsequently met in Templemore, perhaps 4 or 5 from well over a dozen.

wex · 06-06-2007 1:37pm

Hi gooser,

where bouts you stationed

iandromiskin · 08-06-2007 11:10pm

freddiew wrote:

I wonder if we did interview and test in dublin around the same time then, seems ages now.

Hi Freddiew, Is that for me ? If so I think I did the interview in Dublin in March ??? I got the letter informing me of interviews in February so I think it would have been March ish when I went for interview and test in Dublin.

How were you informed of the medical ? I only ask as I had my chat this week, and though I havn't heard of any word of the GR(2) I was told that all I had to do next was pass the medical, but I'am curious to know how I'am informed. Do I get word of the GR(2) first along with notification of the medical or is it a seperat letter ? Just wondering.

iandromiskin · 09-06-2007 11:41am

freddiew wrote:

Was your test a cartoon about a Fire.

Hi, Yep it was indeed !!! I think I had my written test at about 1.30 on the day I went for interview. The time flew on that test too and I was really worried that I'd failed as I'd metioned things that I regreted later on, but then I got the letter to say I'd passed so I was delighted. I wonder how long it'll be before we're notified to attend for the medical ?? Just a matter of waiting longer I suppose.

69sparkie69 · 12-06-2007 11:02am

iandromiskin wrote:

Hi Sparkie, I had my chat with the Garda last Tuesday morning and it went well. He only really asked me why I thought I'd be suitable for the Reserve and asked me to comment on a situation and that was it. After that it was general chit chat really about my job and experiences etc. So he basically said that all I had to do now was pass the medical.

I don't know when I'll hear or get word on the medical. How long did it take with you or what is the process ?? Do you think I should ring HQ, is it worthwhile do you think ???

hi ian..
you should get in touch with HQ now..as i would imaging you will be up for the next lot off medicals..and be called up for training in the next 5/6 weeks..
it was a very interesting and intense weekend that we had,down in templemore..in our phase one training..nice group off guys and girls.. and the training staff,cant do enough for ya..now phase two,legal studies, should be interesting..let us know how you get on.. sparkie.

iandromiskin · 13-06-2007 6:23pm

iandromiskin wrote:

Yeah, I must give them a shout so. Still no official word of the GR(2), but I presume having the interview with the Gard ment it was ok. I'll give them a ring after 5 as any emails responses I get are one line answers.

Hi Sparkie, I rang them just after 5 to be told that my background check is still not completed and has not been returned to them yet. Talk about frustrating !!!! Thats been going on since April !!! Trust me to have relatives in England, Spain and Australia that they have to check up on ... Typical.

Oul Wan · 27-06-2007 10:07am

For anyone who's interested, my friend has set up a discussion forum for GRs. Not sure if I'm permitted by admin to post the link here or not. Does anyone know? Maybe I could just stick it in my signature.

wex · 30-06-2007 9:43am

anyone logged onto the new reserve forum?

baton charge · 12-07-2007 7:40am

Hi guys,
I believe there is another intake again this weekend has anybody been contacted yet???

freddiew · 12-07-2007 8:51am

Hi, No, I am still waiting to be called for Medical, seems to have gone very quiet.

freddiew · 12-07-2007 8:53am

Baton Charge are you in Dublin?

baton charge · 13-07-2007 7:59am

No Fred I am in the south of the country.Things seem to turn ever so slowly in this organisation.I believe after this weekends group the next intake will not be until Sept so you might as well sit tight there is no massive hurry.

iandromiskin · 13-07-2007 9:39am

Re: that Garda Reserve Forum, does anyone know how to contact the administaror to get my account active ? I registered a few weeks ago but am still inactive and I can see no way of contacting the administrator or anyone who operates the site. I can't re-register as my user name etc is on the system. Any suggestions ?

Garda Reserve Force - (See Moderator note in first post #1)

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