Joining the Army

calibre

Hi,

I'm starting in the Army in a few weeks and I was wondering if anyone on here is in it (or used to be)

If so, any advice on do's and don'ts, what stuff you bring to the Curragh etc.

Cheers

Rew

More info available from http://www.irishmilitaryonline.com/board

Are you going in as a recruit or a Cadet?

calibre

cadet

its_only_me

Don't know anything about the army but I've live on thed Curragh all my life.
I've heard the training is very tough (and from what i've seen, i believe it) so fair play to you.

I have no idea what you should bring but I would like to let you know what your in for with the locals (if you haven't already heard). The children in Pierce (where you will be staying) have a reputation for abusing the junior cadets. It has calmed down in the past two years but still happens. And if you've ever heard stories of the young girls, most of it's true. You will notice them hanging out around the shop, BEWARE!!!

Don't get me wrong. You will come across a lot of very decent people too.

We only have one shop (you won't get there till late in the evenings) with atm, one cafe you will probably never see the inside of and a small army supplies shop. And you will get to go to Newbridge most Saturdays/Sundays.

Best of Luck with the Training.

mcguiver

Have a look in the shooting forum, send Woody a pm...he's army...should be able to point you in the right direction.

Some simple tips:

Who do u salute? Answer, no one, you salute rank, because it's been earned!

+ Never say...shoot guns, it gets u a kick,, u shoot targets, or fire guns.

Enjoy your new career!

BrokenArrows

mcguiver wrote:

+ Never say...shoot guns, it gets u a kick,, u shoot targets, or fire guns.

I never thought about that before. Ive always said i like shooting guns etc. Now that i think about it it sounds stupid.

Rew

Well only the artillery fire guns the rest of us stick to rifles and pistols

calibre

I've seen the shop down there (had to go there for fitness test and other stuff)

What sort of training have you seen them doing? Loads of running and stuff like that?

its_only_me

Plenty of running, tactical excercises, not sure what it is ye do in the pool but you'll be in there in full uniform at some stage. You'll also be spending at lot of time on the square getting shouted at about anything and everything. Always keep your uniform perfect (to bull your boots, use a candle, put a little polish on them, light the candle, run it over the boots and then use a pair of 15 denier tights to shine them).


Oh and i'll look forward to hearing you sing in the carol service at christmas.

By the way, when do you start? Think I saw a few of the seniors floatin around already.

calibre

I was doing a lot of running but eased off on it in the last few weeks. Going to get back into it today (goin to gym at lunchtime)

I start in 4 weeks, Oct 3rd.

If you heard my singing, you wouldn't be looking forward to it!

I found out that we are allowed to bring a laptop, must do some shopping for 1 now. Getting time to use it would be a different matter though....

its_only_me

None of the previous classes could sing either.

Ah you get time in the evenings and a bit more at the weekends and there ain't much else to do with it.

calibre

A laptop and a load of DVD's and games are on my list then!

testicle

Don't bother, unless you want the Cadet Master to make full use of them.

calibre

Sure the letter I got from the army said I can bring a laptop (and a musical instrument, radio and a bicycle!)....I'll just rip all the DVD's onto it so I don't have a heap of discs with me.

Whose this mystical sounding Cadet Master? I've only heard the Military College Sgt Major mentioned so far....

its_only_me

There is no Cadet Master. There is a Commandant (i.c)(this could be your mystical cadet master), captain (2 i.c), company sargeant, 2 platoon sargeants and lots of corporals.

The CO is only there to oversee the training, write reports and sign docs etc.

"testicle" does have a point though. While a cadet you will be seen as the lowest of the low. Even to the RDF (as a former member, i've seen it).

its_only_me

Asked around and the most popular advice I was given so far is:

Just expect the unexpected, work hard and don't mind the stories they'll tell you. The training differs from year to year. Be a team player, you and the other 30 or so will all help each other through it.

Keep up the training too, you'll need to be fitter than you think.

And best of luck from all my friends

Rew

There is an Lt over the cadet as well class as far as I know.

calibre

Cheers for the advice

I'm an RDF NCO at the minute so hopefully that will make it a little bit easier to pick up the basics....but I'm not going to act like some of the RDF people I've met where they think they now it all.

There's 35 Army Cadets this year and we'll all be in the same boat so the teamwork will hopefully come easily.

I'm looking forward to the fitness part as well as everything else......it'll be good to do something challenging instead of what I do in my current (soon to be ex!) job.
Do you know how much time off cadets get later in their training? The letter I got doesn't say.

srdb20

The best advice i can give you about the army is stay out of the firing line

"BE THE GRAY MAN"

What ever your asked to do, do it! (with very few exceptions)

and please man dont bring anything like a laptop with you, trust me!

calibre

and please man dont bring anything like a laptop with you, trust me!

Why not? The letter I got specifically says you are allowed to bring them, mobile phones and a radio

Rew

I would bring one, it will be a big help with the course work you will have to do.

calibre

It says cadets can bring a laptop but "they are not compulsory as computer facilities are available in the military college"

It'd be v. handy for the coursework, plus the odd DVD or something during any downtime

marcsignal

I joined the FCA (Now the RDF) in 1982 and served for 8 yrs and loved it, I signed up for the Regular Army also in the 80's but unfortunately there was a ban on Army Recruitment in Ireland in the 80's the economy was so bad so i ended up just getting a civvie job in the end and staying in the FCA.
I wouldn't advise bringing a laptop I must say, there is thieving in the Army just like everywhere else so just use your loaf if u do bring one and don't be seen flashing it about, like it's been said 'Be the gray man' it's definitely the best approach, also don't worry if u **** up for the first few weeks and are shouted at a lot, next day it'll be the guy beside you, it's nothing personal and it helps build your character. Be a team player always, no one likes a smart arsed 'maverick know all' and they won't be long squeezing any aspirations like that out of you, former FCA friends of mine from way back joined the Regs and all said they tried their best to forget they had any previous military training at all in order to remain in 'the grey zone' just do as your told (within reason of course) and I'm sure youll get on just fine.
What unit are you going to go to after you finish training ? Infantry, Supply and Transport or what ?
I must say i envy you as the equipment and training are superb nowdays compared to the 80's You can also get into some specialist areas aswell now like communications and all that.
Anyways , the very very best of luck, at 40 i'm a little past it and wouldnt be able for much running around now as when i was 18 but im sure you'll like it a lot

calibre

I haven't really thought too much about what type of unit to go into. I'll concentrate on the training first I think! I'd probably want to go to Infantry for a while to take part in all that training and then maybe move to a different corps later in my career, you can only express a preferance though. The army will send you where they need you. I have worked in I.T. for the last 3 years and have a degree in that so I wouldn't really want to do a similar job in the army, not yet anyway.

Your advice is the same as what I've been hearing so far. I dunno about the thieving because in the cadet school you have your own room etc. but I'm not naive so I'll be careful. To be honest, I never even thought about taking a laptop until I saw the letter saying you could take one.

Rew

Cadet school is more like college then the army, I wouldn't be surprised if 75% of the class brought laptops. There is a big differnace in what recruits do and what cadets do. You will have tp prepare presentations, speaches, plans, essays etc.

FGR

Around 60% of student Gardai are carrying laptops..Why not Army Cadets?

srdb20

Because you wont have any time to use it!!!
By the time you get back to the billets you'll be wrecked and still have to prepare your kit for the next day.

Plus during inspections it'll draw attention to you!
Also it might get damaged!

But hey man to each there own!

marcsignal

on reflection i suppose it'd be ok to bring one from a thieving point of view, there's probably less of that kinda thing going in now, i mean the 80's were pretty grim for everyone and as someone else said u'll have your own room so maybe it'll be ok, certainly will be handy for your course work aswell for sure, especially as ur from an IT background.
Aaah those were the days...... all that muck and shouting... but enough about my 1st marriage......... ur making me jealous u bastd !! ha ha ! if u hear of em re-recruiting any 'geri atrics' with previous experience send me a mail will ya ?
best of luck

calibre

will do marcsignal

The other 2 new cadets I've spoken to are bringing laptops as well

Prob wont get to use it much for the first few months, I'm expecting lots of shouting and "DID YOU SHAVE THIS MORNING YOU FVCKING SCUMBAG!!!!!" type stuff

Bam Bam

Are you sure you'll have your own room. I'm pretty sure you'd share with 2-3 others?

FGR

No, Calibre's right. All officers recieve their own accomodation (be it cadet or 2nd Lieutenant upwards); unless that policy has changed in recent times.

calibre

Yeah, you definitely have your own room. They showed us round the Curragh in stage 2 of the competition. The accomodation was pretty good.

coolhandluke

calibre wrote:

Hi,

I'm starting in the Army in a few weeks and I was wondering if anyone on here is in it (or used to be)

If so, any advice on do's and don'ts, what stuff you bring to the Curragh etc.

Cheers

Don't be posting on the internet and i'll say no more than that !

nesf

coolhandluke wrote:

Don't be posting on the internet and i'll say no more than that !

In fairness, it's not like he's posting up a picture and giving his real name

coolhandluke

He's done enough !.

Rew

Other cadets have been called in and asked to explain their Internet actiities in the past.

nesf

Rew wrote:

Other cadets have been called in and asked to explain their Internet actiities in the past.

Ah, ok. Never heard about that, must query a few of my army friends about it and see if I can extract a few amusing stories

woody

As a cadet you will get more abuse than enlisted recruits but there is a method behind this madness, my advice is not to take the typical line by most cadets, who subsequently get a superiority complex listen to your NCO's, never get boozed up on time off ( a big no no ) be prepared to be beasted by training staff, which are also members (some off) of the Ranger Wing.

Your CQMS is your friend treat him right and you will always have good kit do otherwise and he will bugger you.

Your main goal is fitness, this is hard to attain and easy to maintain, always train even when your tired it will make you feel better believe me.


When you have the chance study and over study, learn your map work inside out, your lesson plans, be enthusiatic but not over enthisiatic, your NCO's are most likely verterans of Lebanon, Somalia and the Balkans these men are fair but hard and they will be your Bible of Knowledge, most officiers there are generally morons bar the Ranger wing officiers and the Naval Officiers.


If you need guidelines, help etc before you go give me a shout, bring plenty of toiletries before you go as you may not get off camp for a few weeks intitally, have all your bank details and tax details ready, also bring plenty of outdoors clothes and invest in a good pair of mendel boots for Outdoor activities as you will need the comfort.

woody

calibre wrote:

Yeah, you definitely have your own room. They showed us round the Curragh in stage 2 of the competition. The accomodation was pretty good.

There is a possibility you could be billeted for the first few weeks this is generally for senior cadets but I could be wrong