Irish Army Reserve low numbers

Question re reserve recruitment. What is their stance on people from other militaries joining. If for e.g you were an officer in the UK have some skills like FST or JTAC can you or would they allow you to transfer over? I am presuming like others e.g Canada, Australia, New Zealand that this is a thing, wouldn't make much sense not to be. But just wanted to get an insider's view. I presume there would be some cross qualification recognition as well and that specialist course would make you more likely to be accepted.

Or is this not a thing in the reserves?

Is there anyone on here who has joined the Army reserve in the past few years and can provide their feedback on what they have done?

I did the fitness test part of the application back in 2020 but I got fed up with how slow the whole process was so withdrew my application.

I'm slightly regretting that now and considering reapplying. I'm working full time and want to make sure it's worth it as there's plenty other sports teams and volunteer opportunities that I could be spending my time on.

I have a question regarding past use of cannabis. I finished college two years ago and tried it a couple of times during my first two years (and once as a teenager) and it wasn't for me, headaches and heart racing is not my idea of a good time. Other drugs are of no interest to me but that was the 'in thing' within some of my friends as it is in many of younger peoples' these days.

I have been working in a professional setting since then and obviously am aware that drugs and the Defence Forces are a complete no no.

I do however want to enter the RDF as I have always had an interest in it (almost did straight out of school before settling on my course after a year), every year in which a recruitment opened up since I have almost done it but studies got in the way.

Would this history eliminate me as a candidate? (No convictions/formal cautions). I don't want to lie on a form or in an interview regarding this. I would be testing clean for the medical and random checks as my job does tests at random anyway (a Pharma company which will remain nameless).

I just basically wonder is there any point in me applying at all if this is an immediate disqualification or would I just be tested more often (which wouldn't bother me and I could understand). Or if this is something I would have to ask them on the day of the interview or medical?

Thank you.

I figured if it came up in back ground somehow I'd be done. Like a picture of a party or something that is on someones Facebook I know maybe (although I am not on there myself so don't see why it would be). Got stopped with friends who were smoking when we were younger also, the Gardaí asked our names and told us to stop acting the eejit essentially but don't even know if they took our names down! As I said, no court summons/formal cautions/convictions etc.

I figured there were many many people in who had at least in the past but I figured honesty would have been best to start. Especially as I figured the security check goes beyond normal Garda vetting which I have had to do before. If I am going to be clean on all the tests however I guess you make a good point! Its hardly something I am rearin' to get back at.

Also edit* I am quite surprised at that, I figured the PDF lads would be way stricter on it and more testing, I guess cocaine can leave the system faster than other drugs as long as it is not a hair test they get but that is their job on the line at the end of the day.

Yeah its rampant now and so casual to hear people talking about it even. Same people in some cases who won't buy stuff off Nestlé as to how some of their stuff is sourced.

I don't know anyone actually in anymore, my older brother's mates were a few years ago (~8 years), people were getting tested at one stage and they ahd done brownies in Holland a few weeks before but whoever was over them just laughed about it and said it'd be grand but again, this is going back a few years.

I heard they are hurting for numbers, I just have to decide what to apply for Corps wise and I will apply before this round ends! Trying to find an active sub forum on here or IMO to ask people some general questions as I don't want to necrothread or go off topic on one.

I'm too old for Irish reserves so I'm joining the British reserves. Doing the fitness tests in the gym and I'm doing fine. I'm Reasonably fit but I only do fitness classes like kettle bells, hiit, spin, boxercise and so on. Haven't done any actual running for ages so I just started running again. The run is 2km in under 11 mins. So should be ok on that.

Passed the beep test for reserves first attempt today on my own up innthe sports hall. Also passed the medicine ball throw but need to practice press ups and chin ups and need to test myself on dead lift strength.

A mate is in the reserves so he's going to take me for some loaded walks. It's 4km with 40kg in 50 mins and then another 2km with 25gk in 18 mins (I think). But then there's the basic training part 1 week and a further basic training part 2 which is 2 week. And that can be the tough part.

The application takes ages until the UK too. Pity the Irish don't raise the entry age limit.

over 35 (Irish reserves limit) and under 42 (UK reserves Limit). Not being snippy, I'd just prefer not to give exact details online.

Why do you ask?

This is what I'm thinking.

I'm joining the reserves because we'll move back to Ireland at some point in the next few years. If things go tits-up, I want to have some training. I saw the poor divils in Ukraine who had to drop their family at the border and go back to take part in the resistance. I thought the only thing more terrifying than having to fight the Russians is having to fight the Russians and not have a clue what you're doing.

If they need to conscript people up to 60, there would be an awful lot of people who don't have a clue what to do. So I want to have some basic knowledge and experience.

I'm not assuming things will go terribly wrong, and I hope it never happens. I just want to be somewhat useful if things do go wrong.

So with all that in mind, plus the fact that they're not hitting their recruitment targets as it stands, it's a bit mad to not raise the age limit.

Depends on the job and the civillian experience the 2 men have, I suppose. But most likely the younger guy. Wouldn't you think?

If were talking about front oine soldiers, and neither of them had any relevant experience like mechanic or engineer, I'd imagine communication is very important. I presume they put the non Ukrainian speakers together with some ukranian speakers who can take orders and tell the rest what to do. But non ukranian speakers without military experience are probably a hindrance.

They could always do useful things like carrying things or loading and unloading things from trucks, but I doubt they're any great help in combat.

Even then ones without experience 3 months ago, probably have decebt experience by now.

Ha.

I'm wondering about the interview. What do you say when they ask about being foreign? I presume you ultimately say you live here and you'd do your duty.

I've told some whopping lies in my time, but I'd choke if I tried to say that.

I know they're missing all their recruitment targets for the last number of years. I don't know if that has changed since Ukraine though.

Watching some YouTube videos about reserves experience of basic training and one said they started with 38 but ended with 24. Some failed on fitness tests, some dropped out duting the actual practical training drills (a particularly brutal set of hill sprints did-for them) a frw failed the technical stuff like weapon handling, and a couple got injured.

So I'd say they're pretty demanding but the standards are nowhere near the full-time army.