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Alas, as I wrote in the PM, my information is 12 years out of date, and in the meantime, there are REAL soldiers on this forum to give REAL advice, not old hasbeen stuff of what it was like way back then.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

Maoltuile

delta-boy wrote: »

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.

As opposed to those of us who apparently prefer to go back 100 years to serving "the empire on which the sun never sets".

A 50-year-old mindset - bringing us to a non-aligned independent country in the 60s - is infinitely preferable to the other.

delta-boy

Maoltuile wrote: »

As opposed to those of us who apparently prefer to go back 100 years to serving "the empire on which the sun never sets".

A 50-year-old mindset - bringing us to a non-aligned independent country in the 60s - is infinitely preferable to the other.

Hardly "Empire on which the sun never sets" and stop twisting it.

The simple answer is my friend is that this is 2013, yes, 2013 and the vast majority of the people in this country couldn't care if you're white/black/half cast/purple etc... Nor do they care in what profession or career you choose to take in life. It's the tiny, tiny majority that seem to let it annoy themselves and an even smaller crowd than that would like to wreck harm on people for doing it.

Maoltuile

delta-boy wrote: »

Hardly "Empire on which the sun never sets" and stop twisting it.

That you can say this a couple years after the UK has again invaded Iraq and Afghanistan - exactly what they were doing a century ago, just the excuses have changed - speaks volumes about who's living in denial here.

The simple answer is my friend is that this is 2013, yes, 2013 and the vast majority of the people in this country couldn't care if you're white/black/half cast/purple etc... Nor do they care in what profession or career you choose to take in life. It's the tiny, tiny majority that seem to let it annoy themselves and an even smaller crowd than that would like to wreck harm on people for doing it.

Actions do have consequences, and there is such thing as personal responsibility and morality. Joining an organisation which has so much blood on its hands isn't like deciding whether to be a brickie or a banker - you're going to be continuing the old tradition of kicking in the doors of non-Western nations, literally or metaphorically.

(And no amount of 'likes' to your posts from current or former BA members will change that reality)

DipStick McSwindler

This post has been deleted.

amurph0

Maoltuile wrote: »

(And no amount of 'likes' to your posts from current or former BA members will change that reality)

I'm in the PDF bud...

Never been in the BA and I liked his post.

Maoltuile

IrishFeeney92 wrote: »

Mighty sick of all these threads being hijacked, Maybe Boards should implement comment moderation on the military thread, seeing as though it attracts uncivilized behavior........

sing a new song lads

I saw *two* sides getting stuck in before I had my own spake. I see no sign on the forum saying that BA groupy behaviour is sacrosanct and off-limits for criticism.

(If there were a proper FAQ for this and the weekly DF recruitment threads, we'd cut out the noise that apparently upsets you so much.)

tac foley

With around 4000 Irish men and women from the Republic serving in the British Armed Forces [2011 figures], the Irish Army has barely twice that number in the whole part of the PDF.

It's hardly surprising that it has such a post count on this Irish board. However, the acrimonious slagging of the British Armed Forces is not appreciated by those who 'crossed the water' to join there, having had no success in joining the Irish Defence forces because of the very limited recruiting figures.

If you want to party and THAT particular party is full, why not go somewhere else?

All the unpleasantly snide and often insulting posts in the world won't stop those who have made their minds up to follow that particular direction.

tac

tac foley

Maoltuile wrote: »

That you can say this a couple years after the UK has again invaded Iraq and Afghanistan - exactly what they were doing a century ago, just the excuses have changed - speaks volumes about who's living in denial here.

I'll remind you of that comment the day after the first moslem suicide bomber takes out half of O'Connell Street.

tac

Lemming

Maoltuile wrote: »

That you can say this a couple years after the UK has again invaded Iraq and Afghanistan

You do know that there are members of the defense forces currently deployed with ISAF right? And that Afghanistan is covered by UN resolutions.

Joining an organisation which has so much blood on its hands isn't like deciding whether to be a brickie or a banker - you're going to be continuing the old tradition of kicking in the doors of non-Western nations, literally or metaphorically.

Two things. One observation, one question.

All armies have blood on their hands to some degree or other and at some point in their national history. Which leads me to my question to you:

At what point is the application of martial violence acceptable vs. unacceptable? Blood on one's hands is blood regardless of quantity. Applying moral relativism is hypocrisy given your claims of moral high ground.

Maoltuile

tac foley wrote: »

I'll remind you of that comment the day after the first moslem suicide bomber takes out half of O'Connell Street.

tac

You really do sound like you're looking forward to that prospect. A lot.

Maoltuile

Lemming wrote: »

You do know that there are members of the defense forces currently deployed with ISAF right? And that Afghanistan is covered by UN resolutions.

The UN has been dragged in and left holding the baby here, as in many other places. Didn't notice any DF personnel in the initial US/UK invasions of either Iraq or Afghanistan.

Two things. One observation, one question.

All armies have blood on their hands to some degree or other and at some point in their national history. Which leads me to my question to you:

At what point is the application of martial violence acceptable vs. unacceptable? Blood on one's hands is blood regardless of quantity. Applying moral relativism is hypocrisy given your claims of moral high ground.

Rather depends on the foreign policy of the country in question. wouldn't you think? A country which has a historic policy of non-aggression, non-alignment and UN-mandated peace-keeping has very little or none. On the other hand, an imperial power - waxing or waning, French, US, Russian, Chinese or whatever are likely to frequently cover themselves in the stuff.

Choosing who you're going to fight for isn't a values-free proposition.

Maoltuile

tac foley wrote: »

With around 4000 Irish men and women from the Republic serving in the British Armed Forces [2011 figures], the Irish Army has barely twice that number in the whole part of the PDF.

It's hardly surprising that it has such a post count on this Irish board. However, the acrimonious slagging of the British Armed Forces is not appreciated by those who 'crossed the water' to join there, having had no success in joining the Irish Defence forces because of the very limited recruiting figures.

If you want to party and THAT particular party is full, why not go somewhere else?

Like I said to the other guy, choosing who you go soldier for is a decision with consequences. You can't claim ignorance of the uses that the British Government puts their military to.

All the unpleasantly snide and often insulting posts in the world won't stop those who have made their minds up to follow that particular direction.

Fine. But you can't dictate on a public forum that the British Army even today - leaving the old atrocities, empire-bulding and occupations aside - is sacrosanct, and never to be criticised. It's Political Correctness gone mad.

Lemming

Maoltuile wrote: »

The UN has been dragged in and left holding the baby here, as in many other places. Didn't notice any DF personnel in the initial US/UK invasions of either Iraq or Afghanistan.

But they're there. Serving under the nations flag, which - as I'm sure you're aware - would not be possible without a UN mandate.

Rather depends on the foreign policy of the country in question. wouldn't you think? A country which has a historic policy of non-aggression, non-alignment and UN-mandated peace-keeping has very little or none. On the other hand, an imperial power - waxing or waning, French, US, Russian, Chinese or whatever are likely to frequently cover themselves in the stuff.

It doesn't "depend" at all. The action of Joe Bloggs from Carrick-on-Shannon, wearing a blue beret, having to aim down his rifle at another human being and squeeze the trigger either by necessity or by order differs very little from the actions of Joe Bloggs from Barnsley, wearing Yorkshire colours, having to aim down his rifle at another human being and squeeze the trigger either by necessity or by order. And Joe Soap, his friends, family, and countrymen in whatever country they're in will not care for distinction either I'm sure. Even less of a rats ass for foreign policy of some other nation.

Blood spilt is blood spilt. And trying to claim "a little" is ok is right up there with Stalin's cynical quote about killing millions simply becoming a statistic.

In any case, there has unfortunately been more one Irish soldier who has not been kept safe by a blue beret or flag over the years. And when bullets start flying, all notions of "oh, they're a friendly nation really" goes out the window. As witnessed in the Belgian Congo, as witnessed in East Timor, the Lebanon, and of course ... during the civil war.

Maoltuile

Lemming wrote: »

But they're there. Serving under the nations flag, which - as I'm sure you're aware - would not be possible without a UN mandate.

You want to have a separate discussion on the UN and ISAF, go ahead. What I was referring to was the primarily US/UK invasion of Afghanistan, which was in response to the 9/11 attacks.

It doesn't "depend" at all. The action of Joe Bloggs from Carrick-on-Shannon, wearing a blue beret, having to aim down his rifle at another human being and squeeze the trigger either by necessity or by order differs very little from the actions of Joe Bloggs from Barnsley, wearing Yorkshire colours, having to aim down his rifle at another human being and squeeze the trigger either by necessity or by order. And Joe Soap, his friends, family, and countrymen in whatever country they're in will not care for distinction either I'm sure. Even less of a rats ass for foreign policy of some other nation.

You really don't appear to have much clue of the difference between UN peacekeeping and making war (declared or undeclared). I'm guessing to you it's all the same, since they both involve guns, right?

Blood spilt is blood spilt. And trying to claim "a little" is ok is right up there with Stalin's cynical quote about killing millions simply becoming a statistic.

Ok, I'll bite. So what 'blood' does the Irish Army have on its hands, then?

In any case, there has unfortunately been more one Irish soldier who has not been kept safe by a blue beret or flag over the years. And when bullets start flying, all notions of "oh, they're a friendly nation really" goes out the window. As witnessed in the Belgian Congo, as witnessed in East Timor, the Lebanon, and of course ... during the civil war.

"In any case" doesn't speak well for that proof of supposed blood on Irish soldiers' hands, I guess. Civil wars are civil wars, and we were talking about foreign military adventurism. What invasions or occupations has the Irish Army been involved in?

c-90

As a rambo once said " you either live for nothing, or die for something."

If kicking in the doors of the east saves just one western life then I'd gladley be the soldier on the other side of the boot, and I have the uthmost respect for those who do.

I supposed next we'll be hearing about the all the oil being taken and babys being killed.

You can sleep safe in your bed knowing that the possibillity of a terrorist attack from the middle east in Ireland is significantly reduced thanks to U.S. and the "empire on which the sun never sets".

Morpheus

[MOD]I go away for a couple of days and this is what happens!

Everyone calm the f**k down. Mr.2 was obv a troll, he has been slapped, rest of you put up the gloves and stay on topic or ill close the thread simply because its slewed terribly close to being completely off topic.[/MOD]

Morpheus

[MOD]I go away for a couple of days and this is what happens!

Everyone calm the f**k down. Mr.2 was obv a troll, he has been slapped, rest of you put up the gloves and stay on topic or ill close the thread simply because its slewed terribly close to being completely off topic.[/MOD]

tac foley

Maoltuile wrote: »

You really do sound like you're looking forward to that prospect. A lot.

That, Sir, is entirely your imagination at work, I'm afraid. Unilke you, I've actually been where the bombs are, and would not wish them on anybody.

You are now on my ignore list.

Have a nice day.

tac