Enlisting for Royal Irish Regiment is it a good idea?

jcoady91

Hi guys,
Im 21 years old and Ive always been interested in the army but ive never had the nerve or push to join. Ive been through so much jobs and I dont have much interest in going to college and getting a boring job out of (no disrespect to people who do this its just how I feel)

I know the irish army has just recruited but i didnt apply as I was doing an apprenticeship but that fell through and im working in a boring factory now.

I could wait until the irish army begins to recruit again but who knows when that wil happen and im not gettin any younger.

For the last few weeks I have been researching the RIR and it seems very interesting and appealing. I have asked them to send out an info package but i was wandeing could anyone give me some advice? are you in the RIR? what was the training like? Do you go on tours? etc..... thanks

DipStick McSwindler

This post has been deleted.

tac foley

I enjoyed it so much I stayed for thirty-three years.

tac

RMD

Tac is the man to ask in this case, essentially the resident RIR advisor. Although it's from an Officer's point of view I'd recommend reading Callsign Hades by Patrick Bury, fantastic book written by a RIR platoon commander about his time with the regiment up until his promotion to Captain. Gives a great insight into the regiment.

A point on the boring job and a career in infantry. There's not much skills gained from infantry which are directly transferable to the civilian market in comparison to other areas of the army. Any plan on what you'd want to do after the army? Don't want to spoil the moment but if you come out of the army with little skills you'll have little skills to be employed with and more than likely end up in a "boring job", a college degree could change this. Just something to think about. That said, you could just go emergency services afterwords which is a common route and an exciting career.

tac foley

Alas, as I wrote in the PM, my information is 12 years out of date, and in the meantime, there are REAL soldiers on this forum to give REAL advice, not old hasbeen stuff of what it was like way back then.

Sorry, Guys.

tac

jcoady91

Im not fully sure yet what I want to do after the army. Im still researching what happens when you get recruited. Im having trouble getting into contact with a recruiter. Like I know you go to catterick for 22 weeks to train but what then? Its hard to get the info off someone ive tried loads of diff numbers!!

Also has anyone done any tours thats on this? what was your experience of them?

Border-Rat

[MOD] First and ONLY warning issued, if you believe a post breaks the rules, REPORT THE POST, dont resort to this kind of public BS. Also as of yet I am satisfied that no rules have been broken, but please ensure that you read the rules regarding promotion of foreign force recruitment and discussion, also keep it civil. That is all. [/MOD]

Morpheus

Just to make it clear, for those of you who dont know how to find the charter or couldnt be bothered:

From the Forum Charter:

“Recruiting

Since it seems to come up every now and then: There are two notable legal restrictions on recruiting for the military on the statute books for the Republic of Ireland.

“Domestic Military”

There is a legal prohibition on recruiting for the Irish military: Defence Act 1954 S216.

“If any person without due authority, the proof of which authority shall lie on such person,—
(a) acts or purports to act as a recruiter or a person authorised to enlist recruits, or
(b) publishes or causes to be published notices or advertisements for the purpose of procuring recruits for the Defence Forces, or in relation to recruits for the Defence Forces”

As it is impossible for us to verify whether you have a note from your commanding officer on your person when you are posting up an advertisement for a recruiting day at your local RDF unit, we have to prohibit such a practice. However, we shall not be taking this to the extreme that linking to an extant external website shall be prohibited.

“Foreign militaries”

The target audience for this board is Irish people on the island of Ireland. It is inevitable that eventually users will seek information on joining their local military and for six of those counties, this means the British Army in particular, and they are as entitled to assistance as any other user. Occasionally also information is requested regarding the joining of other militaries such as those of the USA or France. However, as an entity in the Republic of Ireland, Boards.ie is subject to Irish (Republic) law on the matter, specifically the Defence Act 1954, S312. It lists two significant prohibitions:

1) “to induce, procure or persuade any person in the State to accept or agree to accept any commission or engagement in any military, naval or air force maintained by the Government of any other State, or
2) to print within the State or cause or procure to be printed within the State any notice or advertisement in relation to the procurement of personnel for any military, naval or air force maintained by the Government of any other State.”

The ‘so what’ for posters is as follows:
1) Do not attempt to persuade or recruit persons on this board to join a foreign military. This does not mean that one cannot engage in factual discussion or that people who are already interested in joining a foreign military cannot ask for neutral information to make their own decisions. The decision on whether one is attempting to persuade or recruit shall be taken on the face of the posting. Statements of personal experience shall be presumed not to anything other than an exchange of information unless the situation suggests otherwise.
2) Do not link to websites whose primary purpose is to recruit personnel for foreign militaries.

“Non-State Actors”

Mercenary organisations (Private Military Contractors) are not proscribed from recruiting in the Republic of Ireland unless specifically declared an illegal organization under Irish law. However, for simplicity’s sake on Boards, the same rules will apply as apply to foreign militaries. Factual discussion is fine. Active recruitment is not.

Anything breaking these rules and we will be forced to close the thread so post carefully. In this case we dont make the rules, the govt does.

discus

jcoady91 wrote: »

Hi guys,
Im 21 years old and Ive always been interested in the army but ive never had the nerve or push to join. Ive been through so much jobs and I dont have much interest in going to college and getting a boring job out of (no disrespect to people who do this its just how I feel)

If I can add anything, can I just say that you should go to college/uni before you join.

tac foley

discus wrote: »

If I can add anything, can I just say that you should go to college/uni before you join.

You WILL need to have achieved a certain level of education to join the British Armed Forces, just like you would for the PDF. In my last unit I had three NCOs with degrees - and they were only sergeants. All my officers had degrees, some of them even useful ones. Media studies, botany, cookery and flower-arranging are NOT acceptable degrees for the Armed Forces, but political science or any of the so-called 'hard' science degrees are acceptable, and in some cases, necessary.

tac

discus

2 of my officers did film studies... and there's me a gunner, with a B.Sc under my belt and a year or two in industry... Don't think for one moment that I hold it against them

pablomakaveli

I got myself an Electronic Eng degree before i joined. I definitely dont regret doing it. I feel the experience of working hard and having to motivate myself to work hard has helped me in the army and its comforting to know ive something to fall back on when i leave the army.

Unfortunately the best job for my qualification in REME requires 5 year residency in the UK so ended up choosing something else instead.

If your only 21 youve plenty of time to gain a degree and still join since you can join up to the age off 33.

tac foley

discus wrote: »

2 of my officers did film studies... and there's me a gunner, with a B.Sc under my belt and a year or two in industry... Don't think for one moment that I hold it against them

Ah, the 'Princes of Powerpoint'........:D

tac

delta-boy

Forget about the Royal Irish mate, only one regiment you should be going to

GaryIrv93

I've been researching the Regiment a bit and have to say it looks and sounds like a brilliant job although I've never taken applying to it into serious consideration due to just starting college and everything else. Mostly just wondering if there'd be much if any discrimination in it against Catholic or Southern lads? If I were to join this thought would probably put me off the most.

beco2010

GaryIrv93 wrote: »

Been thinking lately what it'd be like to join this regiment - looks like a brilliant job although I've never taken it into serious consideration. Is there much if any discrimination in it against Catholic or Southern lads?

well im going up soon to start my application. so ill say no and from the few iv talked too theirs not

goldie fish

Yes. You'll be called paddy.

tac foley

GaryIrv93 wrote: »

I've been researching the Regiment a bit and have to say it looks and sounds like a brilliant job although I've never taken applying to it into serious consideration due to just starting college and everything else. Mostly just wondering if there'd be much if any discrimination in it against Catholic or Southern lads? If I were to join this thought would probably put me off the most.

This is NOT the Grand Orange Unionist and Anti-Papist Fred Karno's army you are talking about, Sir.

This is the British Army. Soldiers are treated on their merits and soldierly skills, not their religion, ethnicity, place of origin or ability to carry multiple shoulder chips.

Please real up, and read some of the hundreds of posts on this subject that have appeared here over the years.

I was a Jewish redhead with an French Canadian/Irish name. I had absolutely nothing going for me except that I was exercising my right to be there. I 'lasted' thirty three years all but a week in the British Army.

It couldn't have ALL been bad, now could it?

tac

discus

tac foley wrote: »

I was a Jewish redhead with an French Canadian/Irish name.

It couldn't have ALL been bad, now could it?

tac

I can totally see why you were on BRIXMIS now!

tac foley

discus wrote: »

I can totally see why you were on BRIXMIS now!

Probably the most fulfilling posting in my entire career.

tac

delta-boy

Wow Tac, you really were a proper Jason Bourne type then :O

tac foley

delta-boy wrote: »

Wow Tac, you really were a proper Jason Bourne type then :O

Not a bit of it.

Just doing my job.

I presume that you looked at the website?

They were all heroes there, I was just a hanger-on.

tac

Seaneh

tac foley wrote: »

You WILL need to have achieved a certain level of education to join the British Armed Forces, just like you would for the PDF. In my last unit I had three NCOs with degrees - and they were only sergeants. All my officers had degrees, some of them even useful ones. Media studies, botany, cookery and flower-arranging are NOT acceptable degrees for the Armed Forces, but political science or any of the so-called 'hard' science degrees are acceptable, and in some cases, necessary.

tac

Friend's Fiancé has a degree in Art History and is currently in officer training for some section of the British armed forces (no idea which, I've only met him twice).
So I don't know how accurate your claim that degree's have to be relevant is.



*Just throwing this out there because I only met the lad for the first time a few weeks ago and we were chatting about how training was going and I asked him how he ended up applying and he said basically he had a degree and no idea what he wanted to do with it, his father was a retired soldier and he decided he'd give a career in the armed forced a go (I'm sure it wasn't just on a whim) and that when he made inquiries about signing up was advised to go for officer training. Was stunned when he told me his degree and a levels, and he said he was surprised at first too as he'd assumed something like an engineering or science degree would be needed.

Irish friend, Fiancé is from Swansea.

tac foley

Told you I was out of date.

Please ignore anything that I have to say in future.

However, the bit of the Army that I was in liked officers who had any kind of a degree to have a science or language degree, rather than newt-strangling, 'media' studies or the rise and fall of wrought-iron church door furniture in pre-reformation Bohemia.

tac

delta-boy

Seaneh wrote: »

Friend's Fiancé has a degree in Art History and is currently in officer training for some section of the British armed forces (no idea which, I've only met him twice).
So I don't know how accurate your claim that degree's have to be relevant is.



*Just throwing this out there because I only met the lad for the first time a few weeks ago and we were chatting about how training was going and I asked him how he ended up applying and he said basically he had a degree and no idea what he wanted to do with it, his father was a retired soldier and he decided he'd give a career in the armed forced a go (I'm sure it wasn't just on a whim) and that when he made inquiries about signing up was advised to go for officer training. Was stunned when he told me his degree and a levels, and he said he was surprised at first too as he'd assumed something like an engineering or science degree would be needed.

Irish friend, Fiancé is from Swansea.

A friend of mine going down the officer route was told in no un-certain terms that he had to have a "proper" degree for a certain Infantry regiment to take him. Must be a mixture so.

Seaneh

delta-boy wrote: »

A friend of mine going down the officer route was told in no un-certain terms that he had to have a "proper" degree for a certain Infantry regiment to take him. Must be a mixture so.

tac foley wrote: »

Told you I was out of date.

Please ignore anything that I have to say in future.

However, the bit of the Army that I was in liked officers who had any kind of a degree to have a science or language degree, rather than newt-strangling, 'media' studies or the rise and fall of wrought-iron church door furniture in pre-reformation Bohemia.

tac

Yeah, in fairness, like I said I've no idea if it's RAF, Army or Royal Marines or what department he's signed up for and have little or no knowledge of the birtish military system so somewhere in the thousands of positions in there it's entirely possible some of them don't need specific degrees and others do. For all I know he could end up in some office job or working in a military museum or something...

tac foley

Seaneh wrote: »

Yeah, in fairness, like I said I've no idea if it's RAF, Army or Royal Marines or what department he's signed up for and have little or no knowledge of the birtish military system so somewhere in the thousands of positions in there it's entirely possible some of them don't need specific degrees and others do. For all I know he could end up in some office job or working in a military museum or something...

Royal Marines are part of the Royal Navy.

He might end up in an office job or in a military museum AFTER he retires from whatever he is joining right now. The British Armed Forces tend to use their officers for leading men and women, not sitting on their collective asses in offices or taking schoolkids around museums.

tac

mr.2

tac foley wrote: »

Royal Marines are part of the Royal Navy.

He might end up in an office job or in a military museum AFTER he retires from whatever he is joining right now. The British Armed Forces tend to use their officers for leading men and women, not sitting on their collective asses in offices or taking schoolkids around museums.

tac

Yeah you tell em! And don't forget getting involved in unnecessary bloody conflicts all over the world. Taking schoolkids around a museum almost sounds like a real job. Playing toy soldiers in a foreign army?! Get over yourselves.

All this Brit Army X-Factor BS about 'heroes' and 'be the best' is sickening. Almost as sick and gut wrenching as seeing an Irishman wearing a poppy. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

*MOD* This kind of crap will not be tolerated, its off topic, unhlepful and honestly trolling *MOD*

goldie fish

And this weeks troll is....

tac foley

Thank you, Mr 2, on behalf of the generations of brave Irishmen who joined the colours and served, my grandfather included. He got a military cross in WW1, and is buried underneath it in France.

Your thoughtful and apposite comments are well worth considering before any present day citizen of the Republic joins a foreign army, but the precedent was set hundreds of years ago by the Wild Geese, and the Gallowglass, who sold their military skills as mercenaries all over Europe.

Have a nice day.

tac

delta-boy

mr.2 wrote: »

Yeah you tell em! And don't forget getting involved in unnecessary bloody conflicts all over the world. Taking schoolkids around a museum almost sounds like a real job. Playing toy soldiers in a foreign army?! Get over yourselves.

All this Brit Army X-Factor BS about 'heroes' and 'be the best' is sickening. Almost as sick and gut wrenching as seeing an Irishman wearing a poppy. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

2AM few beers in ya' my friend?


Must be the time the bars kick out now, or else you've finally came out of your 50 year old mindset to turn on your computer. And then went back into it to post this reply.