any info on joinin irish reserve forces?

surrealsounds

hi, im just wondering does anyone know about the reserves, if their still recruiting or not, apparently their not and no-one seems to know if they will be soon or what? and does there have to be any requirements to join except for age and height? i want to join cause i love fitness and i want to up the game, the gym isnt the same as being pushed to ur limit outside, that sounds mega to me.. and plus im dying to learn how to work guns etc, must be the die hard influence etc haha.. plus, i havent seen a post from a girl thats in it, itd be cool to hear from a gal in it.. any info is appreciated to be honest, im not sure how it works but im eager to find out!

concussion

Best thing to do is contact your local unit to find out. As recruitment was only approved late in the year, many new entrants will not be attending a recruit camp this summer and will instead start in September for a course next year. If that's the case, your chances of getting in could be slim.

http://www.rdf.ie/maps/

Requirements are -

min height (in bare feet) of 5 foot 2 inches
age between 17 and 35
good colour vision and hearing
no asthma, diabetes or other illnesses/diseases

If you're looking for a physical challenge, you'll be sadly let down unfortunately. There is no physical requirement for recruits or troops until they have to complete a PNCO course and, as such, most activities which are carried out take place at the level of the most unfit person :mad:

strangel00p

concussion wrote: »

Best thing to do is contact your local unit to find out. As recruitment was only approved late in the year, many new entrants will not be attending a recruit camp this summer and will instead start in September for a course next year. If that's the case, your chances of getting in could be slim.

http://www.rdf.ie/maps/



If you're looking for a physical challenge, you'll be sadly let down unfortunately. There is no physical requirement for recruits or troops until they have to complete a PNCO course and, as such, most activities which are carried out take place at the level of the most unfit person :mad:

I don't agree with that. I spent five years with the 7th infantry back in 91. There was lots of running and physical work back then, maybe things have changed since.

concussion

They most certainly have. Doubtless there are some units whose O/C's allow some robust training but most are scared ****less of someone being injured.

portroe10

I have read that the upper age limit of 35 for the RDF can be waived, does anyone have any info on this. I was in the FCA a long time ago 1986-1988 and was in the Cavalry in the US Army 1999-2005 (04 to 05 was in Iraq). I am moving back to Ireland next summer and was interested in the Cav unit in Dublin.

superref

Rdf wrong place to up the fitness
French Foreign Legion i think !!!!

Morpheus

fitness maybe lacking in some units, but not so in mine ...

my own unit (formerly 7Bn B Coy) does its own fitness thing on tuesday evenings and you are encouraged to train on your own time another day/night a week. overall unit fitness has vastly improved. we all (the pnco's) participated in this training as part of our individual training plans for the IT's and we all scored relatively high grades and very good times on 3.2 and 10k loaded - not as a rule to say were fit soldiers, but were at least as fit as majority of those who participated in the IT's (PDF/RDF mix) We have 2 members qualified as PTLs and a further 2 waiting for course placement to become PTL's.

As a result our training levels have improved, we now complete tactics in full battle gear including flak vests (laugh away, this has not been so in many other units for a LONG time) helmets are not left behind deliberately, indeed that would attract serious cr*p from the platoon Sgt. Every night you are instructed to have webbing, helmet, change of uniform - to cover all eventualities.

what unit you with superref?

DylanJM

Hey Morpheus is the unit your talking about the one based in Swords? That would be the unit closest to myself. No word on recruitment by any chance?

strangel00p

Morphéus wrote: »

my own unit (formerly 7Bn B Coy) does its own fitness thing on tuesday evenings ?

Hi Morphéus,
Surprisingly enough, that was my old unit. By any chance do you know if there is a website for B company? I would love to see some old platoon photographs from the late 80s early 90s. In my five years there I never took a photograph.

The Agogo

The 62nd Reserve Field Artillery Regiment in the McKee Barracks are still taking on recruits.

We train on Tuesdays (7:30pm). I'd pop down next week and apply. There's not much by way of physical exercise, just mostly Foot-Drill (for now). It's the least sloppy unit of them all (from what friends in Infantry and Transport tell me).

Morpheus

There's not much by way of physical exercise, just mostly Foot-Drill (for now). It's the least sloppy unit of them all

Thats a bit rich, my units shinier than yours, load of b*lls... every unit has pros and cons.

Anyway every infantryman knows why the arty boys are facinated by big guns... its like old men and convertables.

Look make your choice based on what you want to get out of it... if you want to fire big guns at a mountainside (probably to compensate for a lack of underpants filler) then join the arty girls.

If you want to be an "almost" REAL soldier (if some of the recent threads around here are anything to go by) join infantry.

If you want to join the YMCA, the Naval service reserve are always looking for handsome sailors.

If you want to play at soldier but look cool and grow beards, the hairy ar$es in cav will happily show you how not to shave - they too have big guns - albeit surgically fastened to the rooves of VW beetles

All units have their merits, all I can vouch for is my own, 65th A Coy in swords.

We can offer you The Agogo's footdrill in spades, we are (contrary to what he says) far from sloppy at it, but footdrill is only a tiny part of your INFANTRY training.

We will teach you
small unit tactics,
field craft (huge area of learning here)
steyr,
gpmg,
map reading and navigation,
supply you with your own webbing, bergin, helmet.
Then you will happily get to carry a flak vest, wet gear, ration packs and sleeping system on exercises (of which we do quite a few),
many range days (we use gormo so its only up the road),
then theres courses, PTL (Physical Training Leader),
the 84,
Mortar,
GPMG SF,
Grenades,
Heli training,
MOWAG training.

Regarding fitness, this HAS to be done outside of normal training nights (thursday nights) so those of us that can, train tuesday nights as a group (running around malahide) and also once or twice a month we organise the odd hike into the mountains on a sunday.

We do TONS of ceremonial dutys so you will be sorted out with Dress Number 1's pretty sharpish.

What more can I say here? I dunno, I hopefully have insulted every other unit, I forgot the Air defence, but then again theyre a bit "special" and we all feel sorry for them.

Lots of units, all have good things to offer, just ask yourself what you want to get out of it.

As for swords recruiting? well ive no idea, best to call up on a thursday night, come in and chat to someone about it, i dont know if they ARE recruiting again, but they'll take your details and trust me, if they ARENT recruiting now then the WILL contact you when we are, dont mind all the marching shouting people in DPM, were actually pretty sound and someone will point you in the direction of the office.

Morpheus

Sorry, not sure if theres a website, I dont think there is

DylanJM

Cheers Morpheus.

concussion

concussion wrote: »

They most certainly have. Doubtless there are some units whose O/C's allow some robust training but most are scared ****less of someone being injured.

I can't edit my post for some reason, so I'll add some here.


This is a bit of a sweeping statement to be honest. There are other reasons besides safety concerns as to why PT is not being carried out regularly. There is certainly a fear that attendance will drop if troops are expected, or asked, to train twice a week. There is also no push or expectation from the top and no requirement in any syllabus until PNCO. Add this to difficulties with facilities and I understand why some sub-units just expect people to do it in their own time. Things are slowly coming around and I would love to see the day where all recuits must pass a fitness test, but I don't think it will happen soon.

Morpheus

well the more people that get on the PTL courses the better, and the sooner theres some form of RDF PTI course created even better again.

concussion

This years PTL Course was cancelled, AFAIK last years wasn't filled

There has been an overhaul of the PTI course, it now recognises civilian quals and has been shortened. RDF PTL's with quals are looking for conversion courses to bring them up to PTI level. I don't have the full details, so don't hold me to it! I should find out in the next few weeks anyway.

To be perfectly honest, unless there's a significant push from the top in conjunction with an actual fitness requirement, very little will change.

Morpheus

if you find out any info can you please post it or PM me??? we've 2 qualified and 3 more looking to do it.

jeawan

Does anyone know who to contact in the RDF in Bray / Wicklow area ? i was interested in joining them emailed but never get a reply back .

concussion

http://www.rdf.ie/maps/

Bray, Co. Wicklow - Hq Coy and B Coy, 62 RIB.

Tel: 01 2867629

Jimmy83

hi, does anyone know if its possible to get into the army through joining the reserves these days? I'll be 28 in a few months so it looks like I've missed the upper age limit of 25 to become an Army Recruit but I was wondering if joining the RDF could allow you to progress to full time service?

Is this possible or do you have any other suggestions on how you might enlist?

Thank you

goldie fish

Jimmy83 wrote: »

hi, does anyone know if its possible to get into the army through joining the reserves these days? I'll be 28 in a few months so it looks like I've missed the upper age limit of 25 to become an Army Recruit but I was wondering if joining the RDF could allow you to progress to full time service?

Is this possible or do you have any other suggestions on how you might enlist?

Thank you

No.
You are too old unfortunately, and recruitment to both RDF and PDF is very limited. There is no way to join the PDF from the RDF.

jooin

Hi. I was wondering can anyone tel can a reserve ever become
A permanent member of the defence forces.

Señor Fancy Pants

jooin wrote: »

Hi. I was wondering can anyone tel can a reserve ever become
A permanent member of the defence forces.

Yes but not directly.

If general enlistment PDF recruitment is announced while you are serving in the RDF, it's the same process as if you are a civilian.

If offered a place in the PDF, you just sign an extra form which discharges you from the RDF and enlists you into the PDF.

You will get extra marks for being in the RDF.

danube

Jimmy83 wrote: »

hi, does anyone know if its possible to get into the army through joining the reserves these days? I'll be 28 in a few months so it looks like I've missed the upper age limit of 25 to become an Army Recruit but I was wondering if joining the RDF could allow you to progress to full time service?

Is this possible or do you have any other suggestions on how you might enlist?

Thank you

I was told in my interview that if your in the RDF and you want to join the PDF, they can extend the age limit for you. I was told that by a PDF officer. Its best to contact the defence forces.