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Balance between military and home

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  • 30-10-2014 1:17pm
    #1
    deadybai
    Registered Users Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭


    Apologies if this is already somewhere but I cant find it.
    I am just wondering what does being a cadet or recruit actually involve? How much do you work during the week? When do you get time off? Do you get to nominate where you like to be stationed? Do you have to stay in the barracks 24/7?
    Could someone break it down for me what you do day to day?
    Obviously everyone situation would be different but I have no one I know to ask.
    Thanks


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    #2
    c-90
    Registered Users Posts: 587 ✭✭✭c-90


    deadybai wrote: »
    Apologies if this is already somewhere but I cant find it.
    I am just wondering what does being a cadet or recruit actually involve? How much do you work during the week? When do you get time off? Do you get to nominate where you like to be stationed? Do you have to stay in the barracks 24/7?
    Could someone break it down for me what you do day to day?
    Obviously everyone situation would be different but I have no one I know to ask.
    Thanks

    Your talking about 7-15 months training (recruit-cadet) where leave is a privilege. you will be away the majority of the time, As training goes on you may be granted weekend passes/ local leave, and you usually get a week off at Xmas. You'll be in barracks 24/7 otherwise and leave/passes aren't entitlements!

    In regards to what you do on a daily basis it's all on the df website....


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    #3
    deadybai
    Registered Users Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭deadybai


    Does that go for just the training phase? When you are finished training, do you get more weekends off as you rise through the ranks?


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    #4
    lapsed
    Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭lapsed


    deadybai wrote: »
    Does that go for just the training phase? When you are finished training, do you get more weekends off as you rise through the ranks?

    It takes years to rise through the ranks. Your first target - and it's not all that hard - is 3 Star Private. And that's where you'll do your soldiering. NCO courses come after a few years of experience. Be warned, there are plenty of lads going for interview with very good Leaving Certs, even some with third level quals. As for cadets, don't even dream of going for it without a degree; the DF aren't going to pay for your education any more.


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    #5
    deadybai
    Registered Users Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭deadybai


    lapsed wrote: »
    It takes years to rise through the ranks. Your first target - and it's not all that hard - is 3 Star Private. And that's where you'll do your soldiering. NCO courses come after a few years of experience. Be warned, there are plenty of lads going for interview with very good Leaving Certs, even some with third level quals. As for cadets, don't even dream of going for it without a degree; the DF aren't going to pay for your education any more.

    I will have a bachelor degree at the end of this college year in Marketing and advertising. Just weighing up my options at the moment.


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    #6
    lapsed
    Registered Users Posts: 103 ✭✭lapsed


    deadybai wrote: »
    I will have a bachelor degree at the end of this college year in Marketing and advertising. Just weighing up my options at the moment.

    Look for an open day somewhere where you'll be given a taste of what the DF want. You can always go to military.ie and email them as to when an open day might be, if there's not one advertised already on the site. Cadet acceptance is very tough ; even the profiling tests are tough. There'll be about 2 thousand initial applications any given year these days, and they want to weed out the people who " are thinking about it " and only want those who are genuinely interested in soldiering.


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    #7
    Wadi14
    Registered Users Posts: 878 ✭✭✭Wadi14


    Look about joining the RDF you will know then if army life is for you, and with the RDF being part time you can still have a look at other options for your career, another bonus to the RDF is if you decide to try and join the Defence Forces it will be looked on favourably during the interview process.


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    #8
    deadybai
    Registered Users Posts: 1,465 ✭✭✭deadybai


    Thanks lads. So say you wanted to go for the cadets, is it possible to go for the recruits at the same time in case you don't get into the cadets? I think an opening day would be my best option. Thanks I will inquire about that.


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    #9
    Wadi14
    Registered Users Posts: 878 ✭✭✭Wadi14


    Cadetships will be advertised in the national press and training takes place in the Curragh camp , Recruit training when it happens could be in a few locations around the country, as mentioned earlier check out military.ie


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    #10
    c-90
    Registered Users Posts: 587 ✭✭✭c-90


    deadybai wrote: »
    Does that go for just the training phase? When you are finished training, do you get more weekends off as you rise through the ranks?

    Yea just the training phases when you pass out as a 3* private / get your commission as an officer you'll work a normal week getting off every day and weekends unless your on duty, a course or a detail. However your on call 24/7 365 days a year.


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    #11
    Topper Harley
    Registered Users Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭Topper Harley


    lapsed wrote: »
    As for cadets, don't even dream of going for it without a degree; the DF aren't going to pay for your education any more.

    That's not true at all, plenty of school leavers still get cadetships.


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    #12
    SIRREX
    Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭SIRREX


    c-90 wrote: »
    Yea just the training phases when you pass out as a 3* private / get your commission as an officer you'll work a normal week getting off every day and weekends unless your on duty, a course or a detail. However your on call 24/7 365 days a year.

    However you have no god given right to live out of barracks and even if given a pass it can be withdrawn. More importantly, in answer to OPs original questions, you will serve where the defence forces want you. They may ask where you would like to be posted, but that will be a distant second to operational requirements


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