Army Recruitment - Questions Thread

BigDuffman · 20-04-2012 3:06pm

The BMI indexing charts are not an accurate gauge of body comp. The BPEO will know this by looking at someone. Eg. 5'10 Rugby player vs 5'10 Chipper fiend of the same weight will be obvious. If in doubt the callipers come out.

I wouldn't be too concerned if its lean mass your hauling. But bear in mind the competition will be through the roof with super fit lads standing next to you. Work on the weight / fitness.

cruasder777 · 20-04-2012 4:09pm

KickstartHeart wrote: »

I agree with you there JayJay. Your last word in that post is well suited. It baffles me to see that people in Ireland still think the Army is a handy job.

One does not simply have an easy time in any army let alone an operational European one like the Irish Army.

As I said in a previous post to a PDF basher who was ignorant enough to call people idiots but actually believed most of the Irish Army hadn't ever been overseas; Ireland, UK, and the Americans are the highest contributors of troops (8% of their forces) for operations overseas that are signed up for the NATO PfP. You must be completely daft if you think the Irish Army is "handy". It may be small, but percentage-wise and man for man, its literally one of the most operational armies in the world.

People applying should make no mistake. Your'e trying to join a real army, that goes on real, dangerous operations, trains hell hard, and is incredibly professional and strict. Don't expect an easy time at all. Especially in recruit training. I'm not in the Army but I've studied this stuff in college when looking at EU defence. When academics write about the Irish Army in a good light, and you actually talk to people who have done recruit training, its fair to say that the Afghan war fan boys and begrudgers on this site who just assume with no knowledge that the Irish Army is easy or not a real army are blatantly wrong. Prepare for joining the Irish Army just as you would joining any army, and you'll be fine
Anyway, rant over...

Anyone know when the first recruit platoons of the 600 are due to start? And are they all going to be trained in the DFTC or will they be trained at brigade level? - I'm asking because applicants aren't applying to brigades anymore, rather the army as a whole, so its unclear as to where they will be trained.

"Ireland, UK, and the Americans are the highest contributors of troops (8% of their forces) for operations overseas"

.......Once again, you are making stuff up :rolleyes:

France has 36,000 out of 144,000 troops deployed overseas.(around 20%)

As 1 example, Im sure other countries especially like those who contribute the most numbers to UN ops have a high % to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Armed_Forces

"The French Army: 144,000 civilian and military personnel (excluding 7,000 Foreign Legion)"

"There are currently 36,000 French troops deployed in foreign territories—such operations are known as "OPEX" for Opérations Extérieures ("External Operations")."

....The UK inc the army of the Rhine would have alot more then 8%.

Turbine · 20-04-2012 4:22pm

SasQuatch88 wrote: »

I heard that General enlistment troops who make it to their respective platoons will start training in late summer early autumn..
If It's lies I'm tellin ya, t'was lies i was told...

Won't happen. I'd say by Sunday, around 10,000 will have applied for the 600 positions (was just over 7,500 on Monday). There's no way they'll be able to conduct fitness tests, psychometric tests, interviews and give people adequate notice in the space of just 3 or 4 months. The last general recruitment competition was announced around this time 2 years ago, and they didn't start training till December AFAIK. That'd be a more realistic time-scale, and would also make more sense considering the DF like to carry out recruit training over the winter.

KickstartHeart · 20-04-2012 4:37pm

cruasder777 wrote: »

"Ireland, UK, and the Americans are the highest contributors of troops (8% of their forces) for operations overseas"

.......Once again, you are making stuff up :rolleyes:

France has 36,000 out of 144,000 troops deployed overseas.(around 20%)

As 1 example, Im sure other countries especially like those who contribute the most numbers to UN ops have a high % to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Armed_Forces

"The French Army: 144,000 civilian and military personnel (excluding 7,000 Foreign Legion)"

"There are currently 36,000 French troops deployed in foreign territories—such operations are known as "OPEX" for Opérations Extérieures ("External Operations")."

....The UK inc the army of the Rhine would have alot more then 8%.

Without trying to let this debate spill into a different thread, I'll just rephrase for you... I forgot the word atleast before 8%. Those French and British forces on operations are not on NATO Pfp ops. NATO Pfp countries are required to have atleast 8% of their forces on operations on NATO Pfp missions. Ireland, Britain, and the USA are the only countries that are actually doing that. The rest of the countries signed up to Pfp are just not doing it. Nothing I've said is made up. I literally gave you my sources of this information when we talked about it last.

EDIT: I STAND CORRECTED, > At the moment actually there isn't 8% of Irish forces on Pfp missions because of the battalion in Lebanon being the major overseas commitment at the moment. When the piece that I attached to my post in the other thread when we were chatting about this stuff was written Ireland had troops involved in KFOR (NATO Pfp mission) and EUFOR T/Chad. Regardless, the point still stands. The Irish Army doesn't just sit on its butt back home. If your'e joining, your'e joining a real army and the training isn't going to be easy.

Crusader777, why do we keep arguing on this? I don't see any reason why we shouldn't get along. We're into the same stuff and quite a lot of the time believe the same things on military issues. Sorry for referring to you as ignorant. But I did give you the sources on the points I made in the other thread when we were last chatting about this and you still thought I was making it up. Lets just shake hands here man (virtually? :P) and call it quits. Once again. I apologize for calling you ignorant.

ALSO, If any of the Mods want me to take these posts down from this thread because they're getting a bit off topic just post here and say it and I'll get rid of them. This isn't the crap that guys joining up want to read.

KickstartHeart · 20-04-2012 4:42pm

SasQuatch88 wrote: »

I heard that General enlistment troops who make it to their respective platoons will start training in late summer early autumn..
If It's lies I'm tellin ya, t'was lies i was told...

Sound anyway

cruasder777 · 20-04-2012 4:46pm

KickstartHeart wrote: »

Without trying to let this debate spill into a different thread, I'll just rephrase for you... I forgot the word atleast before 8%. Those French and British forces on operations are not on NATO Pfp ops. NATO Pfp countries are required to have atleast 8% of their forces on operations on NATO Pfp missions. Ireland, Britain, and the USA are the only countries that are actually doing that. The rest of the countries signed up to Pfp are just not doing it. Nothing I've said is made up. I literally gave you my sources of this information when we talked about it last.

EDIT: At the moment actually there isn't 8% of Irish forces on Pfp missions because of the battalion in Lebanon being the major overseas commitment at the moment. When the piece that I attached to my post in the other thread when we were chatting about this stuff was written Ireland had troops involved in KFOR and EUFOR T/Chad. REGARDLESS, the point still stands. The Irish Army doesn't just sit on its butt back home. If your'e joining, your'e joining a real army and the training isn't going to be easy.

Also, if any of the Mods want me to take these posts down from this thread because they're getting a bit off topic just post here and say it and I'll get rid of them.

I can only comment on what you have posted, not what you should have posted, as I am not a mind reader.

Although I would not trust anything you post, as when checked its usually bs.

Now you want our posts removed cause you look silly :rolleyes:

CIGANO · 20-04-2012 4:47pm

KickstartHeart wrote: »

Ah I see. Sound for the reply. I know the navy recruits will be trained by the navy at the naval base but its the Army I'm wondering about. If they want to get the 400 and something trained this year for the Army I'd imagine they'll be trained at brigade depots too.

I wouldn't bet on it, due to the recent barrack closures accommodation will be hard to come by at some of the bigger barracks in the country (Athlone for example), it could come down to a platoon in training spread out at nearly every barracks in the country.

Turbine wrote: »

Won't happen. I'd say by Sunday, around 10,000 will have applied for the 600 positions (was just over 7,500 on Monday). There's no way they'll be able to conduct fitness tests, psychometric tests, interviews and give people adequate notice in the space of just 3 or 4 months. The last general recruitment competition was announced around this time 2 years ago, and they didn't start training till December AFAIK. That'd be a more realistic time-scale, and would also make more sense considering the DF like to carry out recruit training over the winter.

It did say on the rte aertel page when the places were announced that training would begin in the 3rd quarter of the year (July-September).

KickstartHeart · 20-04-2012 4:56pm

cruasder777 wrote: »

Now you want our posts removed cause you look silly :rolleyes:

Trying to read my mind then?

Its BS even though I attached the source of the information. Ingenious.

c-90 · 20-04-2012 5:24pm

According to the DF. facebook the first to be takin in will be late summer early autmn.

It would be nice to see the full 480 takin in and trainning them in the dftc or larger barracks around the country. However id say they will do the exact same thing as the last time, taking on in platoons. So even if they are taking on late summer early autmn and you get a place it might not be until next year you begin.

SasQuatch88 · 20-04-2012 10:11pm

A late start wouldn't be to bad altogether..
Give me more time to work on my fitness/weight issue, same with other people in the same situation as meself who are dying to get a place..

beco2010 · 21-04-2012 1:02pm

cruasder777 wrote: »

"QUOTE]

KickstartHeart wrote: »

QUOTE]
keep to what this thread is about ,if both of you want to dick measure start a new thread were poeple can read of there own choosin. not taking up space and pushing poeple questions back to prove witch one of ye think yer right.save that for investment

KickstartHeart · 21-04-2012 2:17pm

beco2010 wrote: »

save that for investment

Enough said. Apologies.

CIGANO · 23-04-2012 3:05pm

It was mentioned on the news today, 10500 people have applied to the Defence Forces.

John_D80 · 23-04-2012 3:12pm

CIGANO wrote: »

It was mentioned on the news today, 10500 people have applied to the Defence Forces.

Not good odds on the face of it, but for anyone that has applied, take some comfort from the FACT that at least half of that number will be totally unprepared for either the fitness test or the interview.

If you're properly prepared you will have a huge headstart on the majority of applicants.

c-90 · 23-04-2012 4:54pm

Seing as the applications are closed now its time to start thinking about the interveiw stage. Has any of the members on here ever been an nco or officer on the interveiw board?

If so could they shed some light on the areas a candidate is being assesd on and what kind of answers attributes theyre looking for?

mikeym · 23-04-2012 5:01pm

If your daddys an officer or nco that should help

John_D80 · 23-04-2012 5:16pm

c-90 wrote: »

Seing as the applications are closed now its time to start thinking about the interveiw stage. Has any of the members on here ever been an nco or officer on the interveiw board?

If so could they shed some light on the areas a candidate is being assesd on and what kind of answers attributes theyre looking for?

Heard on the grapevine about an exer who's doing interview prep with applicants for a fee.

c-90 · 23-04-2012 5:29pm

John_D80 wrote: »

Heard on the grapevine about an exer who's doing interview prep with applicants for a fee.

sounds good as long as its not investment in a different persona. if u have a way of contcating him could you possible pm it to me?

John_D80 · 23-04-2012 5:55pm

c-90 wrote: »

sounds good as long as its not investment in a different persona. if u have a way of contcating him could you possible pm it to me?

Dont know the chap personally but tbh even if i did i'm afraid i couldn't help. I'm pretty sure it would be against some DFR for me to do something like this. In my original post on the topic I merely wanted to say that i heard it was happening not that i agreed with it or would be willing to assist someone in availing of this service. Sorry if I wasn't clear on that mate.

In laymans terms, the guy in question (if its even true), is either a con-artist or else he has, or has had at some stage, access to information that the disclosure of which, while it is not detrimental to national security, should not be shared with the public.

CIGANO · 23-04-2012 6:04pm

c-90 wrote: »

Seing as the applications are closed now its time to start thinking about the interveiw stage. Has any of the members on here ever been an nco or officer on the interveiw board?

If so could they shed some light on the areas a candidate is being assesd on and what kind of answers attributes theyre looking for?

Best case scenario is that interviews will start mid June, best to concentrate on psychometric/fitness first.

goldie fish · 23-04-2012 10:51pm

from www.military.ie

If you have any specific queries please direct them to Recruitment and Competitions Section at 01-804 2653/ 2654 or recruitment@defenceforces.ie or see the CAREERS tab on this website.

No sanction has been received for the 2012 Officer Cadet Competition. When sanction is given it will be posted here.

The competitions for General Service in the Army, Naval Service and Instrumentalists are now closed.

For those who have applied you will hear from us in due course.

c-90 · 24-04-2012 10:24am

John_D80 wrote: »

Dont know the chap personally but tbh even if i did i'm afraid i couldn't help. I'm pretty sure it would be against some DFR for me to do something like this. In my original post on the topic I merely wanted to say that i heard it was happening not that i agreed with it or would be willing to assist someone in availing of this service. Sorry if I wasn't clear on that mate.

In laymans terms, the guy in question (if its even true), is either a con-artist or else he has, or has had at some stage, access to information that the disclosure of which, while it is not detrimental to national security, should not be shared with the public.

no problem man! on second thought it does sound a bit dodgy.

CIGANO wrote: »

Best case scenario is that interviews will start mid June, best to concentrate on psychometric/fitness first.

preparation for the psycometric/fitness stages are straight forward (not implying theyr easy) but i think the interveiw is the stage that actually awards you a position. the more prepared you are the better your chances.

Turbine · 24-04-2012 1:07pm

From TheJournal.ie today:

Those who meet the minimum standard will undergo psychometric testing of their numerical and verbal reasoning skills. From this, a bell curve graph will be created, through which the applicants will be marked against each other. This will help to whittle down the number to 2500 applicants, who will then be brought for fitness testing.

Physical testing involves running, push-ups and sit-ups, and applicants will either pass or fail this part. Anyone who passes will be interviewed and from there a shortlist of 600 applicants will be drawn up.

The first platoon will be inducted in September and the final place will be filled by the end of the year.

beco2010 · 24-04-2012 2:38pm

this seems to be a bit much. by this i mean if you are of high entelligence but not commetted you will be picked over someone who is ,but didnt finish in the top 2500

is this the right way to go about recruitment or just the quick way

Local-womanizer · 24-04-2012 4:39pm

beco2010 wrote: »

this seems to be a bit much. by this i mean if you are of high entelligence but not commetted you will be picked over someone who is ,but didnt finish in the top 2500

is this the right way to go about recruitment or just the quick way

The interview will filter out those who are not committed.

John_D80 · 24-04-2012 4:44pm

beco2010 wrote: »

is this the right way to go about recruitment or just the quick way

Well with so many applicants, they can afford to raise standards, but i agree that the best candidate on paper isn't always the best candidate in reality.

But, as with the interview, proper preparation will give you a huge advantage.

In my opinion, the psychometric test, fitness test and interview should ALL be graded and the candidates with highest total score should get through.

cruasder777 · 24-04-2012 6:05pm

John_D80 wrote: »

Well with so many applicants, they can afford to raise standards, but i agree that the best candidate on paper isn't always the best candidate in reality.

But, as with the interview, proper preparation will give you a huge advantage.

In my opinion, the psychometric test, fitness test and interview should ALL be graded and the candidates with highest total score should get through.

I dont see how lowering the age to 24 is raising standards ?

It would be more logical to make the fitness and psychomertric tests more challenging, see how candidates work in a group etc.

KickstartHeart · 24-04-2012 8:46pm

cruasder777 wrote: »

It would be more logical to make the fitness and psychomertric tests more challenging, see how candidates work in a group etc.

True. If someone is 28 and as fit as a 21 year old, then they're just as equally capable a candidate.

Maybe the Army is thinking in lines of getting younger people so that they'll get longer out of their recruits before they do get older and inevitably less fit than their younger counterparts, or longer out of their recruits before they get to retirement age. So in that regard I suppose you could say that it is better to pick the younger guys. I wonder...

beco2010 · 24-04-2012 10:05pm

KickstartHeart wrote: »

Maybe the Army is thinking in lines of getting younger people so that they'll get longer out of their recruits before they do get older and inevitably less fit than their younger counterparts, or longer out of their recruits before they get to retirement age. So in that regard I suppose you could say that it is better to pick the younger guys. I wonder...

yes i agree but in todays climate poeple are looking at the army as a easy job. not that it is easy,but someone with a degree or masters done who will look at this as a way to fill a few years or leave for somthing better when they find out how hard it is. will get in befor some kid who finished leaving cert who wants to make a career out of the army. aswell as those who are 25 or 26 who are just as deserving as any 24 or under, basically the fear of wasted places is what im getting at.

any way back to what this thread is about sorry for bringing it off topic

KickstartHeart · 24-04-2012 10:40pm

beco2010 wrote: »

yes i agree but in todays climate poeple are looking at the army as a easy job. not that it is easy,but someone with a degree or masters done who will look at this as a way to fill a few years or leave for somthing better when they find out how hard it is. will get in befor some kid who finished leaving cert who wants to make a career out of the army. aswell as those who are 25 or 26 who are just as deserving as any 24 or under, basically the fear of wasted places is what im getting at.

any way back to what this thread is about sorry for bringing it off topic

Yeah to be fair though, "motivation" is one of the competencies assessed at interview. That's motivation as in, what's your motivation to become a soldier/seaman. So a definite effort is made to get the right candidates.

Praetorian Saighdiuir · 25-04-2012 9:19am

People with educational qualifications are not guaranteed a place over someone with no education. It doesnt matter what you have, its all down to the interview and the character and knowledge of the person.

potenialcandid · 27-04-2012 6:00pm

question in relation to the medical exam, i have everything covered from the psychometric exams, fitness and mock interviews in terms of prep but the medical I feel i may be screwed by! My eye sight is shocking, I would go for the laser route but Im 19 and havent exactly got that kind of cash, how do they carry out that side of the medical?

lots of people I have talked to just say keep your head down and say nothing but how do I even do that, do I wear my glasses and say they arent as bad as they are or wear contacts and hope they dont notice?

I just dont see how they dont realise if your eye sight is bad or not

A.G.S · 27-04-2012 6:20pm

potenialcandid wrote: »

I just dont see how they dont realise if your eye sight is bad or not

An eye test perhaps ?

beco2010 · 27-04-2012 8:44pm

potenialcandid wrote: »

lots of people I have talked to just say keep your head down and say nothing but how do I even do that, do I wear my glasses and say they arent as bad as they are or wear contacts and hope they dont notice?

I just dont see how they dont realise if your eye sight is bad or not

I went trough the medical and can tell you that the testing for it is not made so you can cheat it. when i did it i passed this was down to the fact i have good eye sight so it will be found out that you have bad eye sight. so wearing glasses would be better but i dont know how this might go with your aplacation

John_D80 · 28-04-2012 1:36am

potenialcandid wrote: »

question in relation to the medical exam, i have everything covered from the psychometric exams, fitness and mock interviews in terms of prep but the medical I feel i may be screwed by! My eye sight is shocking, I would go for the laser route but Im 19 and havent exactly got that kind of cash, how do they carry out that side of the medical?

lots of people I have talked to just say keep your head down and say nothing but how do I even do that, do I wear my glasses and say they arent as bad as they are or wear contacts and hope they dont notice?

I just dont see how they dont realise if your eye sight is bad or not

Found this on military.ie.

Vision.
Unaided and untreated vision of not less than 6/36 in both eyes, but which can be
corrected to at least 6/12 in each eye or not less than 6/6 in the right eye and not less
than 6/36 in the left eye, with normal colour vision. Both eyes must be free from
disfiguring or incapacitating abnormality and free from acute or chronic disease.
There must be no evidence of squint or latent squint. Applicants who have had
previous incisional or laser treatment to correct visual acuity are excluded from
eligibility

I dont have a bog what most of that means but i'm sure your GP would be able to do a simple eye test with you. I know plenty lads in the army who wear glasses or lenses so i'm sure you'll be grand.

Amyom · 07-05-2012 10:43am

Just wondering regarding the interview is it worth mentioning things like winning best overall soldier in my recruit camp for the RDF in 2009 and the fact I've a few All Army Orienteering gold/silver medals under my belt from the passed few years? I'd like to mention it but don't want to seem arrogant for thinking they're worth anything when it comes to the PDF. Thanks in advance for any advice.

goldie fish · 07-05-2012 10:49am

Amyom wrote: »

Just wondering regarding the interview is it worth mentioning things like winning best overall soldier in my recruit camp for the RDF in 2009 and the fact I've a few All Army Orienteering gold/silver medals under my belt from the passed few years? I'd like to mention it but don't want to seem arrogant for thinking they're worth anything when it comes to the PDF. Thanks in advance for any advice.

By all means mention it. The orienteering definitely. Best soldier in recruit camp is more subjective but still displays a good historic pattern of behaviour. Arrogance does not exist in the interview room. Ambition takes over. You need to show how you are better than the other 10000 candidates by whatever means possible.

Amyom · 07-05-2012 10:54am

Cheers for that goldie fish.

B2deF · 07-05-2012 5:46pm

When is the next stage starting?

Maybe_Memories · 08-05-2012 1:32am

For the push up test, do your arms have to be tucked in to your sides or can they come out perpendicular to your body when you bend them, or does it matter what way you move your arms?

Local-womanizer · 08-05-2012 2:29am

http://www.military.ie/careers/fitness-testing-centre/defence-forces-fitness-tests

The website is a great source of information on the whole process of applying.

That page covers the fitness phase.

Amyom · 08-05-2012 5:32pm

another question, does anyone know if the medical for the PDF and the RDF are different or the same?

Turbine · 09-05-2012 11:21am

Amyom wrote: »

another question, does anyone know if the medical for the PDF and the RDF are different or the same?

Same.

c-90 · 09-05-2012 2:39pm

I heard the medicals were different that the PDF medical went into far more detail?

Turbine · 09-05-2012 5:02pm

c-90 wrote: »

I heard the medicals were different that the PDF medical went into far more detail?

The RDF fitness tests and medicals are done alongside PDF ones, by the PDF.

c-90 · 10-05-2012 9:37am

Turbine wrote: »

The RDF fitness tests and medicals are done alongside PDF ones, by the PDF.

you must be from a different unit but my medicals have never been done with the pdf, by the pdf yes. i was told they do dental examinations ect.

hope your right the more they go poking the more they can find haha :P

John_D80 · 10-05-2012 12:15pm

Turbine wrote: »

The RDF fitness tests........

SasQuatch88 · 10-05-2012 1:17pm

As far as i know the PDF medical Examination will be a lot more in depth than the RDF medical..
having just went through an RDF medical, it wasnt very indepth... i didnt get my height or weight done.
i was also told by a member of the PDF that they do in fact check out your teeth.. so i imagine they wont leave much to the imagination..:(

Turbine · 10-05-2012 1:34pm

SasQuatch88 wrote: »

As far as i know the PDF medical Examination will be a lot more in depth than the RDF medical..
having just went through an RDF medical, it wasnt very indepth... i didnt get my height or weight done.
i was also told by a member of the PDF that they do in fact check out your teeth.. so i imagine they wont leave much to the imagination..:(

Fair enough I didn't get my teeth checked, but I definitely had my weight and height done, also had eyesight checked, hearing checked (pressing button every time you hear a beep), lung capacity test, urine sample taken, and then the usual doctor examination (which fortunately wasn't as 'extensive' as I thought:P).

SasQuatch88 · 10-05-2012 1:38pm

Yeah same as.. haha
but should be interesting to see what a more in depth Medical would be..
Maybe some of the serving members of the PDF could clue us in? if at all?

Army Recruitment - Questions Thread

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