The RDF

Moriarty

Im giving serious thought to joining the reserve defence forces. Id like to know a few things first though..

1. I gather that you go to one evening a week for an hour or so, with 'camps' every few months? Do you get paid for any/all of this?

2. How long do you sign up for? (6 months? 3 years?)

3. If you move house inside your signup time, is it fine to switch to whatever becomes your local... er, 'district', after youve moved?

4. What exactly do you do at the weekly meets? What do you do at the camps?

5. How is absenteisim handled?

6. What happens if i dont like it and want to quit?

7. Are there any perks etc?

S'about all i can think of at the moment Any and all info greatly appreciated

Commando69

1. You get paid for your annual camps and the money is fairly decent. You will get at least one every year and up to three or four if you play your cards right

2. As far as i know you sign up for three years

3. Not too sure about this one as there is a lot of paperwork involved

4. You would be taught the basics of soldiering, foot drill, respect of rank and there is lessons on various military skills. I dont think i can release any information over the net about about what goes on at annual camp as there is a secrity issue but if you do go into your local barracks they will fill you in on what you need to know.

5. It is a completely voluntary organisation. That is you can go as often or as little as you like but if you put in that little bit of effort youll get back a lot and enjoy that much more.

6. If you dont like it you can get a discharge and then you just hand back your kit and thats the end of it.

7. Lots of perks my man but i dont want to fall into that stereotype of cheap drink and women so ill let you find out for yourself

Nuttzz

1. You get paid for camps, if you volunteer for barracks duties you get paid for those too

2. minimum of 3 years but you can leave at anytime

3. you can transfer if you dont like your unit, or if you move

4. train

5. depends on the unit, some look at it poorly some have a more lax attitude, but it will affect your promotion prospects

6. just sign off and give back your kit

7. your kidding right, the df is the poor cousin of the civil service

there are different type of units

1. infantry: they run in the mud mostly
2. artillery: they fire the big guns
3. medics: they provide the plasters but dont use any weapons
4. cavalry: they drive the armoured cars
5. engineers: build bridges, minefields etc
6. signals: mess with radios and computers
7. AA: they use the anti aircraft guns
8. S&T: they drive trucks
9: MP's: they are **** (military police)

woosaysdan

im a member of the 3 cav sqn and out of the reserve i have my full drivers lisence for a car and doing my ncos course this year!!! ah the power:)

Redshift

Originally posted by woosaysdan
im a member of the 3 cav sqn and out of the reserve i have my full drivers lisence for a car and doing my ncos course this year!!! ah the power:)

Have you already been made an officer or do you do the course to possition yourself for the possibility of promotion. I'm interested in how the promotion system works in the reserves, can you go for promotion or are you just promoted if and when you deserve it?

Commando69

An NCO's course is thefirst step towards becoming an officer. You have to be a three star private for at least a year begore you do a two week corporals course. You volunteer from your home unit for these courses and they are not especially hard as i know of no one who has ever failed to qualify despite their obvious shotrcomings as soldiers. After that it does come down more to merit for selection on the other courses as there may not be an abundance of places on certain courses.

malico

I' a member of the 11th field Medical team.
it is a good unit, and a good way to get some baseline medical skills. Externally I am an Emergency Medical First Responder and Basic Life Support and Automated External Defibrilator (Cardiac) Instructor.
I'm only back in a few weeks but from what I am told you won't get all that much trauma experience. If you want pre-hospital trianing, id' advise also joining you local St Johns, Order of Malta or Red cross unit.

Anyone looking to join an volentary pre-hospital ambulance corps, PM me and i can give ya some background.

Victor

See also http://www.irishmilitaryonline.com/

woosaysdan

yeah theres some great stuff on that site

grandmaster130

That site is way 2 fcukin slow

Kwekubo

Also see this site, it has a good summary of what the RDF is like:

http://www.21infantry.com/

skyhook

Been A long time since i took much interest in Irish military affairs, but the media seems full of it now with this reorganisation going on. Can any of you tell me if that whole anti left handed thing is still going on, I seem to remember somthing about the new rifle being introduced and left handers were not allowed to change it over to left handed use. Why was this anyway? Anybody know?

sutto4eva

skyhook wrote:

Been A long time since i took much interest in Irish military affairs, but the media seems full of it now with this reorganisation going on. Can any of you tell me if that whole anti left handed thing is still going on, I seem to remember somthing about the new rifle being introduced and left handers were not allowed to change it over to left handed use. Why was this anyway? Anybody know?

The Defence Forces does not operate an anti-left handed policy. As right handed people form the majority of the Defence Forces they have to meet with the demand. Anyway the steyr is just as easy to use if you are left handed, it only takes a few minutes to get use to it. I have been told you can convert it to left handed use easily but no-body really bothers.

Barry Aldwell

sutto4eva wrote:

The Defence Forces does not operate an anti-left handed policy. As right handed people form the majority of the Defence Forces they have to meet with the demand. Anyway the steyr is just as easy to use if you are left handed, it only takes a few minutes to get use to it. I have been told you can convert it to left handed use easily but no-body really bothers.

It requires the replacement of several parts of the rifle with left handed parts. These parts are not on general issue. You just have to fire it right handed, or get used to eating hot brass

mikemac

If you are going on annual camp does your employer have to give you the time off?(like jury service)

Or do you have to use up your holidays?

Also, are you sure that left-handers fire right-handed rather than adapting their gun.

I've a fair bit of experience of firing rifles in a gun club and I wouldn't feel confident firing right-handed.

Barry Aldwell

micmclo wrote:

If you are going on annual camp does your employer have to give you the time off?(like jury service)

Or do you have to use up your holidays?

Currently employers are not obliged to give you time off for the RDF. There is talk of legislation being in the pipeline, but don't hold your breath

micmclo wrote:

Also, are you sure that left-handers fire right-handed rather than adapting their gun.

I've a fair bit of experience of firing rifles in a gun club and I wouldn't feel confident firing right-handed.

The rifle is fired right handed. Attempts to fire it left handed will most likely result in serious injury. Don't even try it.

The Steyr is quite different to most rifles you will find in a gun club. The weight distribution, hand positioning and firing stance are completely different. You'll just have to get used to it

skyhook

There might not be an official 'policy' as such but still left handers are just 'expected' to capitulate yet again. The Steyr is designed to be easily converted to left handed use with just the provided allen key. One can understand for the purposes of uniformity or symmitry all the members of a parade carrying the rifle on the same shoulder, but combat, simulated or otherwise is a different case entirley. One of these days us 'lefties' are just going to get sick of having to do things 'backwards'.

Bam Bam

actually a good bit of the external and internal parts would have to be changed to allow left hand firing of the steyr.

It would be financially unsound to adapt each rifle to the user, much cheaper to adapt the user to the rifle.

Besides we're soldiers adapting is our middle name

testicle

Well, he's right, so shaddup you troll.

skyhook

Roll on FN's new 'F 2000', the eject port is just behind muzzle so it's far enough away from the user's face to fire it left or right sided with out any need for conversion.
I still claim I'm right about the steyr though, is the bann perhaps because some 'soldiers' were stupid enough to loose parts of the mechanism when rotating the receiver assy ?

Bam Bam

Bam Bam wrote:

It would be financially unsound to adapt each rifle to the user, much cheaper to adapt the user to the rifle.

Now lets here no more about left hand steyrs.

skyhook

Guess us 'Lefties' just arn'nt dead good at conforming, never have been never will be!! ah the old FN I remember it well.

Victor

And what about those that are left eyed?

woody

sutto4eva wrote:

The Defence Forces does not operate an anti-left handed policy. As right handed people form the majority of the Defence Forces they have to meet with the demand. Anyway the steyr is just as easy to use if you are left handed, it only takes a few minutes to get use to it. I have been told you can convert it to left handed use easily but no-body really bothers.

There is left handed kits for the Steyr but not for the GPMG as the round ejection would not cause to many issues

woody

Barry Aldwell wrote:

It requires the replacement of several parts of the rifle with left handed parts. These parts are not on general issue. You just have to fire it right handed, or get used to eating hot brass

Every unit has these kits including the Navy for the PDF as for the RDF they can be easily aqquirred all the stories you hear about guys using right handed weapons are general bs put around by the walter mittys in the fca.

Ravelleman

I'm thinking about joining the RDF around new years when I turn 17 and I've got a few questions of my own about it:

1. Will it give me a proper insight into army life or is it softened up?

2. Do many young people (around age 17) actually attend the meetings or is it mainly older ex-PDF people? Do the older members take the younger guys seriously?

3. I read a few reports on the annual camps. How have the younger people found them? Do the new recruits get to take part in everything?

4. I'm going to apply for a cadetship next year, when I'm in 6th year. Would joining the RDF have any positive effect on my chances of being accepted? I'd like to make as good an impression as possible as its something I'd really love to do.

I know some of the answers are fairly obvious but its always best to make sure.

Cheers

Fionn

Ravelleman wrote:

1. Will it give me a proper insight into army life or is it softened up?

The RDF will give you some impression of military life especially when your attending Annual camp as you'll be living away from home and you'll be subject to the daily routine that pertains throughout the Defence Forces.

2. Do many young people (around age 17) actually attend the meetings or is it mainly older ex-PDF people? Do the older members take the younger guys seriously?

Generally, it's personnel in the 17 - 20 bracket that enlist so they would represent the highest attenders. The older members would view the younger personnel as the life-blood of the unit so in most units the younger personnel are encouraged etc.

3. I read a few reports on the annual camps. How have the younger people found them? Do the new recruits get to take part in everything?

Recruits usually report that they find their first training camp enjoyable, challenging and informative. Recruits will take an active part in all aspects of training to complete basic training. As they are upgraded training continues to develop as required until they have attained the proper degree of proficiency and have passed any tests as laid down.

4. I'm going to apply for a cadetship next year, when I'm in 6th year. Would joining the RDF have any positive effect on my chances of being accepted? I'd like to make as good an impression as possible as its something I'd really love to do.

It won't do any harm, and as already answered above, it would give you some basic understanding what the military is like. Also it would demonstrate your interest in the Defence Forces by enlisting as a first step into the Reserve Defence Force and then competing for a cadetship place. Be aware that the competition for cadetships is intense with many applicants looking for very few places.

Magnum

skyhook wrote:

Guess us 'Lefties' just arn'nt dead good at conforming, never have been never will be!! ah the old FN I remember it well.

The old .303 now that was a weapon

Fionn

Unit Identifications

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Bam Bam

They're not great but they could be worse.