Cadetships & idf career advice

MackyBlueTacky

(In advance I have spoken to manpower briefly and am still confused.)
I'm not really used to boards so bare with me if I posted this in the wrong place or anything. I have a few questions so I'll just give a brief background and then see if anyone can help.

I'm in 5th year of secondary school and am interested in a career in the Irish defence forces, however I don't want to be a regular soldier I would like to try for a cadetship.

As far as I'm aware to get a cadetship you need to be the following.

Over 17 and under 27?
Need a c3 in three honours subjects
Need 4ds in ordinary subjects
Need Atleast c3 in a third European language?

Now for the problems
I am rubbish at French (Its optional but I'm very interested in a cadetship) I will try but I don't want to waste my time if I'm not eligable.
I have/had a medical problem called torticulus in my neck (4operations since birth) it was like restricted movement in my neck but never stopped me doing anything.
I'm disnumic (can't do Maths, may be getting an exemption) do I need math for a cadetship?

Extra question: what jobs are in the cadetship?

I can probably make those grades grades if I try hard I just want to make sure all the effort wont be for nothing and I'm actually eligible for the cadetship?

I'd appreciate any help on any topic.
Thanks in advance.

Jellicoe

You'll pay no heed to this, and I'll get flamed by a load of young Walters, but here it goes :

Being a regular soldier will offer a far more enjoyable and rewarding career for most people, and don't rule out joining the Brits and getting a trade to leave options open later on in life.

CIGANO

For the educational requirements there are no exemptions, you will have to improve your maths and French, as for the torticulus that could be a problem but if it has zero effect on you now then i dont see a problem. As for you asking what jobs are in the cadetship i dont know what you mean, but as you are confused i will tell you a cadetship is the 15 - 23 months training that you receive to become an officer in the irish defence forces, the officers are the leaders/managers of the defence forces. I dont want to put you on the spot but what experiences have you had where you think that you could possibly lead 30 men in a war and make life or death decisions on their behalves which you may be expected to do when you are commissioned as a second/first lieutenant and sent overseas.

newby.204

If you are looking for a career in the Defence Forces i would advise you to go for a cadetship, if you dont get it, go to college and try try try again!! Cigano is right you'll have to craic out the wallet and get grinds and get your grades up in the subjects your weak at!! get involved in team sports as many as you can do if you are not already!! Gaisce Awards are also good!! Try and get mock interviews if you can(if you know any)
im sure there are those who will tell you to join the DF as an other rank, all ill say is this... its an officers army and you'd be better off joining as a cadet!!

Jellicoe

newby.204 wrote: »

... its an officers army and you'd be better off joining as a cadet!!

er nope, those shiny pips are not all what they appear, maybe if you're well connected, otherwise even if you do get in, you will be s**t on all day by the connected for the duration of your career. BTW this is not a complaint about the system, its just the way it works. It is what it is. Small peacetime armies in small countries suit well connected officers who like office politics and paperwork.

Connections are not as important in the ranks, and therefore ability and hard work are fairly rewarded, another distinct advantage of the ranks.

MackyBlueTacky wrote: »

As far as I'm aware to get a cadetship you need to be the following.

Over 17 and under 27?
Need a c3 in three honours subjects
Need 4ds in ordinary subjects
Need Atleast c3 in a third European language?

I can probably make those grades grades if I try hard . . .

Meeting, or just exceeding the min. qualifications for a cadetship will get you no where near it.
There's no point in anyone telling you otherwise.

newby.204

Jellicoe wrote: »

er nope, those shiny pips are not all what they appear, maybe if you're well connected, otherwise even if you do get in, you will be s**t on all day by the connected for the duration of your career. BTW this is not a complaint about the system, its just the way it works. It is what it is. Small peacetime armies in small countries suit well connected officers who like office politics and paperwork.

Connections are not as important in the ranks, and therefore ability and hard work are fairly rewarded, another distinct advantage of the ranks.

i would completely disagree with everything you said there, connections are only important past commadant, hes gauranteed to make that just by getting accepted more or less!! and connections in other ranks are important, you'll get far in the df just by knowing someone in an orderly room!!

My 2c go for a cadetship, if you dont get that, go for sandhurst(if soldiering is what you really really want to do) and if that fails college degree and civie street! for what its worth im in 6years if i could go back id at least apply for a cadetship, and failing that go to college if i could do it again which i cant!!!

Jellicoe

newby.204 wrote: »

i would completely disagree with everything you said there, connections are only important past commadant, hes gauranteed to make that just by getting accepted more or less!! and connections in other ranks are important, you'll get far in the df just by knowing someone in an orderly room!!

My 2c go for a cadetship, if you dont get that, go for sandhurst(if soldiering is what you really really want to do) and if that fails college degree and civie street! for what its worth im in 6years if i could go back id at least apply for a cadetship, and failing that go to college if i could do it again which i cant!!!

Well, if you're career aspirations as an Army Officer are as low as Commandant, then enough said, you're perfect skivvie officer fodder for the connected so. I would have far more respect for someone that made it from Pvt to CS etc. during his career. Also you’re advising a lad who can barely make the min. qualifications to settle for nothing less than cadetship, and yet those min. qualifications will get you no where near a cadetship in reality, and neither will any run of the mill degree. They're ten a penny now.

Midnight Oil

Jellicoe wrote: »

Well, if you're career aspirations as an Army Officer are as low as Commandant, then enough said, you're perfect skivvie officer fodder for the connected so. I would have far more respect for someone that made it from Pvt to CS etc. during his career. Also you’re advising a lad who can barely make the min. qualifications to settle for nothing less than cadetship, and yet those min. qualifications will get you no where near a cadetship in reality, and neither will any run of the mill degree. They're ten a penny now.

I would love to know where you get your info from because you are way off the mark on so many "facts"

Jellicoe

Midnight Oil wrote: »

I would love to know where you get your info from because you are way off the mark on so many "facts"

over 30+ years of direct family experience, or they can find out the very long way themselves, it matters not one jot to me

Midnight Oil

Jellicoe wrote: »

over 30+ years of direct family experience, or they can find out the very long way themselves, it matters not one jot to me

Which differs greatly to my 40+ years direct family experience including my own personal 12 years experience as an officer in the DF.

I have given my viewpoints and advice to the OP via pm. He can choose to take which ever advice he so wishes, if any

Jellicoe

Midnight Oil wrote: »

Which differs greatly to my 40+ years direct family experience including my own personal 12 years experience as an officer in the DF

bully for you, but we'll check back when've you've the 30+ done.

PS what are you doing posting on here, does your CO know your little hobby ?

Now, now.

Midnight Oil wrote: »

I have given my viewpoints and advice to the OP via pm. He can choose to take which ever advice he so wishes, if any

Indeed, advice and opinon is just that.

Midnight Oil

Okay, you know someone that has a job in the DF, I have been through the competition that the OP is inquiring about both as a candidate and on the other side of the competition. Who do you think knows more about how the system operates?

Jellicoe

Someone who doesn't complain about their CO and Bde HQ on boards.ie for starters, not very becoming old boy.

I noticed you skipped a question :

So does your CO know about your little online hobby ?

Midnight Oil

Jellicoe wrote: »

So does your CO know about your little online hobby ?

What is my little online hobby?

Jellicoe

Midnight Oil wrote: »

What is my little online hobby?

Among other things posting complaints on boards.ie about your CO and Bde HQ

Now, back to the question you've skipped again :

Does your CO know about your little online hobby ?

discus

Jellicoe wrote: »

Among other things posting complaints on boards.ie about your CO and Bde HQ

Now, back to the question you've skipped again :

Does your CO know about your little online hobby ?

Cop the fuck on. It's almost as if you are insinuating that there is a way that Midnight Oils CO might be given a little reading - as in M_Os post history.

If you think that the majority of the soldiers on this board will put up with that, you've another thing coming. Get a grip, or sod off the board.

Praetorian Saighdiuir

It makes no difference if Midnight Oil's CO knows he/she is posting on this Forum.

My CO has no idea I post here, as long as we are not posting in contravention of the State Secrets Act, personally defaming military personnel, or posting pictures of a restricted nature, who cares.

M.O gave a brief snippet of a routine "day in the life" of a PDF officer....nothing to see here jellicoe.

Jellicoe

discus wrote: »

Cop the fuck on. It's almost as if you are insinuating that there is a way that Midnight Oils CO might be given a little reading - as in M_Os post history.

If you think that the majority of the soldiers on this board will put up with that, you've another thing coming. Get a grip, or sod off the board.

I'm afraid your teenage style peer pressure chest puffing has no effect here.
You'll very quickly find I'm my own man.
Any juvenile PDF officer shooting his mouth off here about his CO and Bde HQ and bumming about what he's involved in, is one that should cop the fck on and so should you. You wouldn’t even see sandbags at it. Now that his ill judgement has been concisely illuminated for him, he doesn't need your mouthing to help dig his hole deeper. Maybe if we put you and him together we could get a full wit. Fine examples the both of ye.

Manic Moran

[mod]I guess I can infract every individual post on here, but I think I'm going straight to a week's ban for Mr Jellicoe.[/mod]