Thinking of joining the RDF

.22 Lover

Can I still be in secondary school and still apply/join?

concussion

No problems. Besides the current miniscule recuitment that is.

concussion

We were informed on parade last week that 1 Bde. RDF had been given permission to enlist x number of recruits. Anyone interested in joining should contact their local unit. I don't know whether 2 or 4 Brigade RDF are recuiting at this time.

Brigade formations can be found here

http://www.rdf.ie/maps/

xxboylarzxx

hey all,
my mate and i really want to join,
is the RDF 65th Batallion in swords?is thats what its called?
could someone post a contact number so i can see if they are taking on new recruits please.
thanks,
Andy

concussion

Click the link I posted and zoom in on Swords to see. All the information is there.

BigDuffman

PMed with relevant info.

concussion

RDF Recruitment -


3 Air Defence Battery in Sarsfield Barracks, Limerick, is taking applications for a limited recruit platoon. PM me for further information. Training time is 7.30 pm every Wednesday night.



No word as yet on PDF recruitment or Cadet Competition.

theirishguy

any one hear anything from the 33 reserve infantry battalion in regards of recruiting?

Riderlad

I really need to know if the colour blindness test is as strict as they said on the website. Do we even have to take one?

Donny5

Riderlad wrote: »

I really need to know if the colour blindness test is as strict as they said on the website. Do we even have to take one?

You do, and it is.

concussion

theirishguy wrote: »

any one hear anything from the 33 reserve infantry battalion in regards of recruiting?

Ring them and see, their contact details are on the link I poster earlier.
They can also be found here

http://www.1bderdf.com/33infbn.htm

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Any recruitment going on in the Greystones area? I was in the reserves for 5 years and got an active discharge, I was in college and couldn't attend training in my final year. I was in the 10th Inf in Carlow. Any suggestions would be great, thanks

abcdggs

Any more information on the recruitment freeze?

DubMedic

abcdggs wrote: »

Any more information on the recruitment freeze?

www.military.ie.

portroe10

I have read that the upper age limit of 35 for the RDF can be waived, does anyone have any info on this. I was in the FCA a long time ago 1986-1988 and was in the Cavalry in the US Army 1999-2005 (04 to 05 was in Iraq). I am moving back to Ireland next summer and was interested in the Cav unit in Dublin.

concussion

All covered by Admin Instruction R5

Section 6 wrote:

To be eligible for enlistment, applicant’s must:-

(a) be not less than 17 years and not more than 35 years of age, provided, however,
that applicants in the following categories shall be eligible for enlistment:-

(i) former members of the Permanent Defence Force who have had not less
than one year’s full-time military service and who are not more than 40
years of age on offering themselves for enlistment;

(ii) former members of the Permanent Defence Force who, immediately prior to discharge, held the rank of Sergeant or Petty Officer as appropriate or higher non-commissioned rank and who are not more than 45 years of age
on offering themselves for enlistment;

or

Section 27, Paragraph 2 (b) wrote:

(b) A person (including a reservist) who is in possession of a university degree or diploma or an equivalent qualification, or who possesses other special qualifications of military value, may, subject to the existence of a vacancy in Establishments for which his particular qualifications are appropriate, be nominated to be appointed to be an officer of the Reserve Defence Force provided that they -

(i) are not more than forty-five years of age on the date on which they are examined by the Interview Board referred to in subparagraph (iii) hereunder;

(ii) have a medical classification not lower than - year of birth - 22 - 512 - as defined in Defence Force Regulations A.12 (Part VI), and

(iii) is recommended by an Interview Board nominated by the Chief of Staff.

No person shall, however, be nominated to be appointed to be an officer under the provisions of this subparagraph to fill a post as Engineer Officer in the Army Reserve unless they hold a university degree in Engineering or a university degree in Architecture or is a Member of the Royal Institute
of Architects of Ireland or a Corporate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland or a Graduate member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers or of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (who was elected or transferred to such Corporate or Graduate membership as a result of
passing the examinations prescribed and conducted by these Institutions).

portroe10

Thanks for the info Concussion. I have a Business Degree from an American University and 6 years of Cavaly experience. I will be 42 when I move back to Ireland and am still in excellent physical shape (I run 6 miles per day). So it sounds like the officer route may be the way to go. I was chosen to go to OCS (Officer Canditate School) while in the US Army but ended up deployed to Iraq instead.

concussion

Direct entry as an officer would be dependant on there being a vacancy for which you are qualified due to your degree; usually this is for medical doctors and engineers. I'll look through CS4 and see if there are positions requiring business degrees but I don't think theres much of a chance to be honest.

This is a real shame as someone with your experience would be a huge asset to any unit.

portroe10

Thanks again Concussion. I could try visiting a unit and talking to them when I move home and see if they could allow me to join with my US Army experience in lieu of PDF experience. I see the upper age limit for prior PDF is 45, I may be worth speaking with them. If not, there's always the Coast Guard.

concussion

RNLI, mountain rescue or Civil Defence could be worth looking into aswell; best of luck anyway, no harm in enquiring anyway.

portroe10

I will check into all of them......I need my adrenaline fix......lol.

Ghestos

just want to ask couple of questions,maybe they could sound stuped,but ow well...
I am doing now my leaveing cert last year,could i nly get at sat and sun to do my training there?or what days is it?i am thinking of joining rdf for now maybe few mounths and reading this topic it doesnt sound bad at all,sounds good to me...Could I join if I smoke and im not irish?But iam from Europe..I am doing some physical actvities,will that give me an advantage to get in little bit easier,or it just dont matter?

concussion

Ghestos wrote: »

just want to ask couple of questions,maybe they could sound stuped,but ow well...
I am doing now my leaveing cert last year,could i nly get at sat and sun to do my training there?or what days is it?

You will need to attend weekly training (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday depending on your unit) in order to be eligible to attend Recruit Training over the summer. There are no issues with missing weekly parades in the run up to the exams but you couldn't miss the whole year. In any case, three hours on a week night isn't much out of your study time, and gives you a chance to think about something other than your exams.

Ghestos wrote: »

Could I join if I smoke

Yes

Ghestos wrote: »

and im not irish?But iam from Europe

Are you an EU citizen? Non-EU citizens need three years unbroken and legal residency in the State plus a Certificate of Residency.

Ghestos wrote: »

..I am doing some physical actvities,will that give me an advantage to get in little bit easier,or it just dont matter?

It will be of no advantage whatsoever unfortunately. You will train as hard as the weakest man :mad:

Doylers

I sent an email today to see if they had any news. see below.


"Hi Sean
There is a recruiting ban at present but it is expecetd to be ease shortly conctact your local centre they will help you ph 051 374425

regards "

I also rang my local unit(33 Reserve Infantry Battalion) and he said he doesnt have a clue when they will be recruiting and to ask Brian cowen or get them to stop dumping money into banks

I really want to join I have so much free time that I could dedicate to the RDF.

Nuttzz

portroe10 wrote: »

Thanks for the info Concussion. I have a Business Degree from an American University and 6 years of Cavaly experience. I will be 42 when I move back to Ireland and am still in excellent physical shape (I run 6 miles per day). So it sounds like the officer route may be the way to go. I was chosen to go to OCS (Officer Canditate School) while in the US Army but ended up deployed to Iraq instead.

You wouldnt get in via the officer route, RDF units are very clicky about who they promote, and some outside isnt going to be parachuted in despite his experience.

I trained in the RDF (fca) as it was then with an ex dutch marine, despite his experience he started life as a recruit (and left about a year later when he realised he had been sold a pup)

concussion

Doylers - that email is certainly news to me. As of last week, we were accepting applicants, having been allocated x number of recruit places. I will confirm at training this week.

Nuttzz - while I agree with your post, I do sense some shift since promotion on seniority was replaced with promotion on aptitude/courses/commitment etc. I have seen it with NCO's but haven't yet seen it with commisioned officers. Maybe in a few years we'll see those with extensive military skills being welcomed into the organisation.

Doylers

concussion wrote: »

Doylers - that email is certainly news to me. As of last week, we were accepting applicants, having been allocated x number of recruit places. I will confirm at training this week.

So you are taking people?? I seem to be getting conflicting information from people so I dont know what exactly is the current situation is.

concussion

As of last week, yes. We have 4 times more applicants than places so we are applying to Bde. for more I believe. Will confirm more when I have it.

Doylers

concussion wrote: »

As of last week, yes. We have 4 times more applicants than places so we are applying to Bde. for more I believe. Will confirm more when I have it.

Ok I see, and by applicants do you mean people who have handed in forms and stuff our just people who have shown an interest. I have gave in my name and number, but is there anything else I can do?

concussion

People who have filled in, or who will soon be returning, their paperwork.

I would go up to the barracks on a training night and talk to the recruiting staff there, they should give you a better idea. Another option, if you have transport, would be 31 Cav based in Clonmel. Either way, if you do go up and get paperwork, but think they won't call you back, just tell them you can't remember your PPSN or something. Once they have sent off the documents it could be tricky joining another unit.