Questions about the RDF

Cian_ · 28-07-2012 1:39pm #1

Hi guys,

I recently turned 17 and I've been thinking of joining the RDF, I just have 2 questions.

Is there a fitness test or something when you join?

I also have asthma, although it only affects me when I'm sick. Will I be turned away because of that?

Donny5 · 28-07-2012 1:50pm

Cian_ wrote: »

Hi guys,

I recently turned 17 and I've been thinking of joining the RDF, I just have 2 questions.

Is there a fitness test or something when you join?

I also have asthma, although it only affects me when I'm sick. Will I be turned away because of that?

There is no fitness test to join, but there are fitness test once your in to do courses, and of course, your life will be a lot easier if you have at least a basic fitness level.

As for the asthma, I think it's probably a deal breaker, but you can always try and see what the Doc says when the medical comes around.

Be aware that recruitment is very limited at the minute, so you are in for a long wait, so if you want to try to get training next summer, now is the time to get the paperwork in.

Cian_ · 28-07-2012 1:58pm

Donny5 wrote: »

There is no fitness test to join, but there are fitness test once your in to do courses, and of course, your life will be a lot easier if you have at least a basic fitness level.

As for the asthma, I think it's probably a deal breaker, but you can always try and see what the Doc says when the medical comes around.

Be aware that recruitment is very limited at the minute, so you are in for a long wait, so if you want to try to get training next summer, now is the time to get the paperwork in.

Yeah the asthma is what I was worrying about. Although last time I was at the doctor I done a peak flow test and was blowing over the average for my age/height and I haven't had an asthma attack since I was very young (probably 4 or 5).

Does a military medic actually examine you or do you get sent to your own doctor and have to get them to sign off saying you're okay to join?

Donny5 · 28-07-2012 2:00pm

Cian_ wrote: »

Yeah the asthma is what I was worrying about. Although last time I was at the doctor I done a peak flow test and was blowing over the average for my age/height and I haven't had an asthma attack since I was very young (probably 4 or 5).

Does a military medic actually examine you or do you get sent to your own doctor and have to get them to sign off saying you're okay to join?

The medical is done by an Army Doc. You could lie on the forms and to the doc, and hope for the best. I wouldn't recommend it, but you could.

Cian_ · 28-07-2012 2:05pm

Donny5 wrote: »

The medical is done by an Army Doc. You could lie on the forms and to the doc, and hope for the best. I wouldn't recommend it, but you could.

I think I'd be best off just telling the truth and hoping for the best.

Any idea what sort of things they'd do to check that the asthma isn't too bad?

Donny5 · 28-07-2012 2:21pm

Cian_ wrote: »

Any idea what sort of things they'd do to check that the asthma isn't too bad?

Sorry, my medical was many moons ago. All I remember was being felt up by the doc.

Local-womanizer · 28-07-2012 2:49pm

Donny5 wrote: »

Cian_ wrote: »

Any idea what sort of things they'd do to check that the asthma isn't too bad?

Sorry, my medical was many moons ago. All I remember was being felt up by the doc.

Did he at least buy you dinner first?

paul o · 28-07-2012 5:12pm

A doctor can tell by listening to the sound of your lungs if there is something wrong with you, especially asthma. No matter how slight it is the doc will hear the rasping noise in your lungs.

No matter how slight your asthma is it is a no go for the DF

Cian_ · 28-07-2012 5:55pm

paul o wrote: »

A doctor can tell by listening to the sound of your lungs if there is something wrong with you, especially asthma. No matter how slight it is the doc will hear the rasping noise in your lungs.

No matter how slight your asthma is it is a no go for the DF

so basically I don't have any chance of getting into the RDF?

I had a variety of tests done about 2 years ago (Peak Flow, CT Scans etc..) because I wanted to do a PADI Open Water Diver Course so I needed to make sure my lungs were okay because of the problems I had as a child. Doctors said everything seemed clear and even took me off the inhalers which I used to have to take Daily.

Do you think there would be any chance at all they'd let me in?

ruserious · 28-07-2012 5:55pm

I knew lads with asthma in the RDF.

Donny5 · 28-07-2012 5:58pm

Cian_ wrote: »

so basically I don't have any chance of getting into the RDF?

I had a variety of tests done about 2 years ago (Peak Flow, CT Scans etc..) because I wanted to do a PADI Open Water Diver Course so I needed to make sure my lungs were okay because of the problems I had as a child. Doctors said everything seemed clear and even took me off the inhalers which I used to have to take Daily.

Do you think there would be any chance at all they'd let me in?

Look, what I'll say is that if you tell them, you'll almost certainly be disqualified. If you don't suffer from it anymore, and don't say anything, who knows what the Doc will find.

Dogwatch · 28-07-2012 5:59pm

Until you try, you will not know, Apply to join see what happens.

paul o · 28-07-2012 6:35pm

Donny5 wrote: »

Look, what I'll say is that if you tell them, you'll almost certainly be disqualified. If you don't suffer from it anymore, and don't say anything, who knows what the Doc will find.

Dogwatch wrote: »

Until you try, you will not know, Apply to join see what happens.

Medicals are a valuable commodity in the DF with a huge shortage of doctors. Please do not go wasting medical slots that are needed for annual medicals, discharge medicals, enlistment medicals, precommissioning medicals, overseas medicals, repatriation medicals and course medicals to name but a few.

For example there is currently 1 MO in 2 E Bde ... that is right 1 out of an establishment for circa 12

Donny5 · 28-07-2012 7:04pm

paul o wrote: »

Medicals are a valuable commodity in the DF with a huge shortage of doctors. Please do not go wasting medical slots that are needed for annual medicals, discharge medicals, enlistment medicals, precommissioning medicals, overseas medicals, repatriation medicals and course medicals to name but a few.

For example there is currently 1 MO in 2 E Bde ... that is right 1 out of an establishment for circa 12

Bull****, mate. Go for it and don't worry about wasting a Doc's time. If you get in, the DF will get plenty of free labour out of you and waste plenty of your time, so don't worry about taking up five minutes of a Docs time and don't worry about tossers like Paul O.

Manic Moran · 29-07-2012 12:18am

I have two comments.

1) Paul is being quite rational, I would not go around calling him a 'tosser' for (a) being pragmatic, and (b) having the Army's best interests at heart. It's not a social service, there is no 'right' to join just because have your heart set on it.

2) The medical exists to identify a set number of personnel who will be ineligible. That's the point of the process, Dogwatch is not incorrect, try it, the process will either disqualify you, or not. I suggest, Cian, that you answer all questions honestly: If there's a question about asthma, then respond to it. If it doesn't happen until you get to the medical examination, then that's where it will come up. Don't answer more than the question asks, but similarly, do not be dishonest. This may mean that you are going to make yourself ineligible to serve. Sorry about that. Not everyone can get in, and it need not be due to their own fault. Again, the medical exists because the military needs people they can rely on, not people who only suffer from their asthma on rare occasions.

goldie fish · 29-07-2012 12:55am

ruserious wrote: »

I knew lads with asthma in the RDF.

Ronan O'Gara has asthma and it doesn't seem to cause him any problems.
Its down to the MO at the end of the day to make the decision on severity.

Maoltuile · 29-07-2012 11:05am

Cian_ wrote: »

Is there a fitness test or something when you join?

The 'fitness test' is successfully finding your way to the recruiting centre

There are fitness tests for career courses right now. There are rumours of the same on recruitment and on an annual basis, but I've seen nothing yet.

You have time to get fit for them, if your asthma is manageable.

Maoltuile · 29-07-2012 11:05am

ruserious wrote: »

I knew lads with asthma in the RDF.

So have I. And all kinds of interesting other ailments.

62 Reserve Battalion · 29-07-2012 6:07pm

Maoltuile wrote: »

There are fitness tests for career courses right now. There are rumours of the same on recruitment and on an annual basis, but I've seen nothing yet.

I think you need to recheck the new Recruit Syllabus. It has been in place for over a year and passing the DF Fitness test is mandatory. It is not a rumour, it is fact.

I will not go into the disgrace that is the RDF No.1 S Bde Recruit training course which decided they didn't like the new syllabus and went with the old one and then ignored both. At least the "Proper" Course was run in the South by one unit.

Praetorian Saighdiuir · 29-07-2012 6:37pm

paul o wrote: »

For example there is currently 1 MO in 2 E Bde ... that is right 1 out of an establishment for circa 12

Thats not quite true,

There are at least 3

Maoltuile · 30-07-2012 3:06am

62 Reserve Battalion wrote: »

I think you need to recheck the new Recruit Syllabus. It has been in place for over a year and passing the DF Fitness test is mandatory. It is not a rumour, it is fact.

I will not go into the disgrace that is the RDF No.1 S Bde Recruit training course which decided they didn't like the new syllabus and went with the old one and then ignored both. At least the "Proper" Course was run in the South by one unit.

I'm sure you're right, but I heard no mention from last year or this year's recruits of having to do this. I will ask when I see any of them again, though.

I happen to have encountered up close some of last year's S Bde recruits (now 2*'s, shortly 3*'s). No better or worse raw material, but I recognise your feelings on them.

Not the place to go into details, maybe.

Mr. Tezza · 02-08-2012 2:58pm

Sorry if I'm repeating any of this, cud/probably has been said in previous posts.

I'm a cpl in the reserve with 7+ years now and I remember my medical, mostly cos my first report was "lost" and I had to do a second one to get into the FCA as it was known then.

I'm not based in a barracks just a town and we're an Infantry unit (wahey!) so what happened with me anyway is that I got a letter asking me to attend a medical examination to be done by a local gp on a certain date/time, was just a routine medical exam, touch your toes, stuff like that (wasn't felt up by doc, probably would have hit him otherwise).

Provided you pass that, the hearing test and get in you'll go to a recruitment camp where you'll learn all about drill and using the weapon if you go Infantry, not sure if its different for other coy's... there's no fitness test but its handy to be a little fit cos you usually do activities in the evenings like soccer and stuff... quite fun actually.

If you progress further and do a course in which your upskilled, such as promotion, parachuting, PT leader then theres a fitness test alrite, same as the one the regulars do I think. I've done it once, its not that hard if you have a decent level of fitness, except for the run which can catch people out (worth training for)

Asthma is not an issue as far as I know, unless it inhibits your ability to fight then I don't see how it would lead to a medical fail.

Just out of interest where are you based and what type of unit are you looking to get into? as in Infantry, Logs, Cav etc?

Cian_ · 02-08-2012 3:21pm

Mr. Tezza wrote: »

Sorry if I'm repeating any of this, cud/probably has been said in previous posts.

I'm a cpl in the reserve with 7+ years now and I remember my medical, mostly cos my first report was "lost" and I had to do a second one to get into the FCA as it was known then.

I'm not based in a barracks just a town and we're an Infantry unit (wahey!) so what happened with me anyway is that I got a letter asking me to attend a medical examination to be done by a local gp on a certain date/time, was just a routine medical exam, touch your toes, stuff like that (wasn't felt up by doc, probably would have hit him otherwise).

Provided you pass that, the hearing test and get in you'll go to a recruitment camp where you'll learn all about drill and using the weapon if you go Infantry, not sure if its different for other coy's... there's no fitness test but its handy to be a little fit cos you usually do activities in the evenings like soccer and stuff... quite fun actually.

If you progress further and do a course in which your upskilled, such as promotion, parachuting, PT leader then theres a fitness test alrite, same as the one the regulars do I think. I've done it once, its not that hard if you have a decent level of fitness, except for the run which can catch people out (worth training for)

Asthma is not an issue as far as I know, unless it inhibits your ability to fight then I don't see how it would lead to a medical fail.

Just out of interest where are you based and what type of unit are you looking to get into? as in Infantry, Logs, Cav etc?

Thanks for the info. I'm based in Limerick, and I'm not sure what unit yet.. Infantry would probably be the one that would interest me the most.

Morpheus · 02-08-2012 3:24pm

Mr Tezza... my understanding is that there IS now an entry fitness test for recruits havin spoken to some who are undergoing the syllabus as we speak, however although its rolled out, it may not have been conducted by all units - it should though! - back when we joined (2004) there was no entry fitness test at all.

Doctor14 · 02-08-2012 5:22pm

Cian_ wrote: »

Thanks for the info. I'm based in Limerick, and I'm not sure what unit yet.. Infantry would probably be the one that would interest me the most.

Stay away from the Infantry there. Go with Engineers or Air Defence although the recent change to the regular Air Defence may change things around there as well.
To a point, it makes no difference what unit you pick so long as it is active. Most units in Limerick are not that active but the Engineers and AD are.

Cian_ · 02-08-2012 5:54pm

Doctor14 wrote: »

Cian_ wrote: »

Thanks for the info. I'm based in Limerick, and I'm not sure what unit yet.. Infantry would probably be the one that would interest me the most.

Stay away from the Infantry there. Go with Engineers or Air Defence although the recent change to the regular Air Defence may change things around there as well.
To a point, it makes no difference what unit you pick so long as it is active. Most units in Limerick are not that active but the Engineers and AD are.

Can you give me more details about what the AD do exactly?

ruserious · 02-08-2012 6:21pm

Don't rule out the NSR in Limerick. Get a chance to go on patrol with PDF for up to a few weeks each year.

Mr. Tezza · 02-08-2012 7:40pm

Morphéus wrote: »

Mr Tezza... my understanding is that there IS now an entry fitness test for recruits havin spoken to some who are undergoing the syllabus as we speak, however although its rolled out, it may not have been conducted by all units - it should though! - back when we joined (2004) there was no entry fitness test at all.

Didn't know that, was supposed to be doing recruit training with the BTC this year but had to pull out cos of other commitments... as in a fitness regime as part of the recruit training process or an initial fitness test like the one the pdf do on application?

Doctor14 wrote: »

Stay away from the Infantry there. Go with Engineers or Air Defence although the recent change to the regular Air Defence may change things around there as well.
To a point, it makes no difference what unit you pick so long as it is active. Most units in Limerick are not that active but the Engineers and AD are.

Whats wrong with the Infantry in Limerick? I'm not based in Limerick myself but I do know quite a few people based there and they're great people to work with, you might not think they do much but they're based in a pdf barracks and as such get asked to do stuff a lot, whether they do it or not is another thing.

IMO best thing would be to join the Infantry unit in Limerick, you can always transfer/get attached to another unit to do their training too, I hav 2 engineering degrees and if I transferred to the eng coy cud prob apply for a direct commision but the Infantry is so much fun! plus the nearest eng coy is limerick and thats too far to drive every week!

Morpheus · 03-08-2012 11:19am

it may be that infantry units are down numbers and just seems like theyre doing nothing. my unit is v active in the east and we are housed in our own hall, sadly with the embargo, where you often had 80/90 people milling around on a thursday night you're now lucky to see 10 or 20.

Mr. Tezza · 03-08-2012 3:50pm

Morphéus wrote: »

it may be that infantry units are down numbers and just seems like theyre doing nothing. my unit is v active in the east and we are housed in our own hall, sadly with the embargo, where you often had 80/90 people milling around on a thursday night you're now lucky to see 10 or 20.

I'm trying to get my unit a bit more active but its hard to get the numbers, same people every week, same sh*t, sit down and have a chat...

we have a hall too space isn't a problem its people/equipment more so. the embargo is hitting us hard cos we don't get too many recruits and the few we do get now all we can do is get their details and hope we'll be allowed take them on.

trellheim · 05-08-2012 11:42pm

Just to clarify: Currently, there is no mandatory fitness test to enlist in the RDF; there is a medical, certainly.

Maoltuile · 06-08-2012 1:20am

Mr. Tezza wrote: »

I'm trying to get my unit a bit more active but its hard to get the numbers, same people every week, same sh*t, sit down and have a chat...

Assessments should help with that a bit, this year. Very interesting changes.

Mr. Tezza · 06-08-2012 11:03am

Maoltuile wrote: »

Assessments should help with that a bit, this year. Very interesting changes.

I'm actually doing the assessment this year! any idea of the changes being made/what to expect? PM me if you don't want info in an open forum

Maoltuile · 06-08-2012 11:23am

Mr. Tezza wrote: »

I'm actually doing the assessment this year! any idea of the changes being made/what to expect? PM me if you don't want info in an open forum

Sorry, all I know for certain is the 'training period and then assessments' format that everyone knows (and has already been mentioned over on IMO). At the moment, I'm just going to be one of the people helping out in the background.

We were told months ago that there would be at least one Corps-specific assessment as well, but that seems to have fallen by the wayside.

Is there a secret Boards salute to know each other?

Mr. Tezza · 06-08-2012 3:12pm

Maoltuile wrote: »

Sorry, all I know for certain is the 'training period and then assessments' format that everyone knows (and has already been mentioned over on IMO). At the moment, I'm just going to be one of the people helping out in the background.

We were told months ago that there would be at least one Corps-specific assessment as well, but that seems to have fallen by the wayside.

Is there a secret Boards salute to know each other?

Haha yea cud come in handy if I run into trouble up there!!!

Maoltuile · 21-08-2012 3:54am

Mr. Tezza wrote: »

Haha yea cud come in handy if I run into trouble up there!!!

So, how did people find the Assessments? I was busy with support for most of the week but got out to play enemy with not-the-two-stars-party on the Thursday.

Saw a lot of room for improvement, some on the organising side but mostly with whichever ex unit tried to attack us (and were wiped out in chaos).

Mr. Tezza · 21-08-2012 10:22pm

Maoltuile wrote: »

So, how did people find the Assessments? I was busy with support for most of the week but got out to play enemy with not-the-two-stars-party on the Thursday.

Saw a lot of room for improvement, some on the organising side but mostly with whichever ex unit tried to attack us (and were wiped out in chaos).

I thought we did fairly well, the structure of the assessment wasn't great I thought but its not for me to decide I just do what I'm told!

There's always room for improvement, nobody's perfect, but I like to think we did quite well through the whole thing to be honest, had to contend with a lot of people who were new to their specific roles, not ideal but you just deal with it and hope they learn

Maoltuile · 21-08-2012 11:51pm

Mr. Tezza wrote: »

not ideal but you just deal with it and hope they learn

Should've 'been arrive there, test, bollockings on failures/praise on good soldiering, apply the lessons in re-training, test again'.

Strolling unconcernedly across the enemy position's entire front in the open after your lead section's been wiped out is inexcusable, especially after having had several days to collectively train. Myself and the young lad with me emptied at least four magazines of blanks into that particular group at 30m, which produced no response even after we stood up in an attempt to make it clear that people were firing at them.

Still, did you at least get your soup?

Mr. Tezza · 22-08-2012 4:26pm

Maoltuile wrote: »

Should've 'been arrive there, test, bollockings on failures/praise on good soldiering, apply the lessons in re-training, test again'.

Strolling unconcernedly across the enemy position's entire front in the open after your lead section's been wiped out is inexcusable, especially after having had several days to collectively train. Myself and the young lad with me emptied at least four magazines of blanks into that particular group at 30m, which produced no response even after we stood up in an attempt to make it clear that people were firing at them.

Still, did you at least get your soup?

Thats is bad, I'm pretty sure that didn't happen to us though...

Are you referring to the soup we got on the wednesday while waiting for our rat pack meals to be boiled, if so, yes, and it was HORRIBLE!!!

Maoltuile · 22-08-2012 10:35pm

Mr. Tezza wrote: »

Thats is bad, I'm pretty sure that didn't happen to us though...

They promptly did the same again after finally assaulting through the guys who had wiped out their buddies. And we emptied another few mags over their heads as they ignored us (a few metres away this time). They do get marks for enthusiasm in trying to take us POWs though (but the response of the assessing officer when they wanted a sandbag to put over my head is unrepeatable!).

Are you referring to the soup we got on the wednesday while waiting for our rat pack meals to be boiled, if so, yes, and it was HORRIBLE!!!

The food was bad all week (though much better than yesteryear!). Someone told me that there was a 60c reduction in the daily allowance for food.

Incidentally, the water bowser problem originated outside the control of the RDF.

Mr. Tezza · 23-08-2012 11:04am

Maoltuile wrote: »

They promptly did the same again after finally assaulting through the guys who had wiped out their buddies. And we emptied another few mags over their heads as they ignored us (a few metres away this time). They do get marks for enthusiasm in trying to take us POWs though (but the response of the assessing officer when they wanted a sandbag to put over my head is unrepeatable!).

they asked for a sandbag for the prisoner?! we just killed averyone so took no prisoners!:D not seeing ye in the first place though in inexcusable, sure we were spotting the enemy before they saw us and everything, it was a great laugh sneaking up on them!

The food was bad all week (though much better than yesteryear!). Someone told me that there was a 60c reduction in the daily allowance for food.

Incidentally, the water bowser problem originated outside the control of the RDF.

I actually liked the food for the most part, and the new rat packs are A LOT better than the old ones I think, yea that was a contentious issue, we all carried our mess tins and stuff around that day expecting hotlocks, plus giving people milk to was a bad move imo but sure I have no control over that...

Questions about the RDF

Comments