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Garda Reserve Force - (See Moderator note in first post #1)

69sparkie69

hi..just wondering if anyone applied to the garda reserve,and if so,how did they get on.???:cool:

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wex

given that most of the chatter about the reserve force on boards has been "curtain twitching busy bodies", I doubt that anyone would actually admit to being a member.
Saying that a mate of mine is a member of the pilot scheme, and all is going well, as usuall the press reports are over exagerated, she has had no problems other than getting the time to fit in the training, which is far from the 48 hours published and banded about by the gra.

iandromiskin

I'd love to know the anwer to that question too, but I presume the lack of posts is because few people hear are in the reserve or are full time Garda. I'am not a Garda by the way, but I did put my name in the hat when the recruitment started last year. I have now gotton notification of interviews in my area (Louth/Meath) and I have to decide what to do next. I may well fail at any of the hurdles, but I might give it a go. We'll see. I've also read a lot of either neutral or negative comments further on this board site, but it must be remembered the reserve is new and should at least be given a chance to prove itself.

But has anyone applied for the reseres and been throught the interview, exam etc ? I would love to know what its like and what kind of things they ask. Do you have to emphasis your charity or community envolvement ? Do they show you a video of a dramitised crime and you have to detail from memory what you say ? What is the physical exam like ??? All these things.

I'am 34 and I wear glasses, but within the limits. But I'd love to know what is involved in not only the interview, but the training. The last post mentioned that the training is much longer that the specified hours, and this I can believe. But does anyone have any insight or advice for someone thinking of going for the interview ?? Positive feedback please, no 'don't do it' kind of posts please.

Ian in Louth.

Bren1609

Anyone out there in the reserves? I'm in the process of signing up. Any thoughts?

Steyr

Bren with that nickanme im guessing your RDF?

69sparkie69

bren.
how do you mean signing up..??? have you been accepted..??

69sparkie69

hi wex..
why dont you get your female friend to give us an update on the reserve`s..
re; how`s the full time are treat them,interviews,etc.. it would be great to hear from someone in it..
cheers.
sparkie..

Bren1609

Ok here it is step by step.

I applied by phone in Sep 06. They sent me out an application for which i completed and returned.
(Oct 06) A few weeks later I was called for an interview and a written exam. The interview was about 1/2 hour and I was interviewed by a public servant and a Superintendent of some sort. The interview was along the theme of "challenges" and "what would you bring to the Gardai", "Why do you want to join the reserve", "would you or have you ever considered joining the full time Gardai", alot about challenges in your own job and what type of challenges have you encountered and how u overcame those challenges. They also asked about any other community involvement and volunteer work.

(Nov 06) I was then sent an e-mail with a form GR2 (background check) which takes ages to fill out. You have to give the details of all your family members including aunties & uncles. You also have to give your PPS number and all the addresses where you lived and all previous employment details aswell as 2 written references.

(Dec 06) They send you a medical cert asking about illnesses and any allergies. You also have to make an appointment to go for a medical in HQ in phoenix park. This will take up a full morning. The medical is very straight forward, if you're in an shape at all you'll pass. They check eyes, ears, heart, urine, blood pressure, weight, height and then they grab your balls and say cough (seriously).

(Jan 07) I was called in for another interview in the local Garda station with the Sergeant. It's more of an informal chat "ever in trouble with the gards" ask about friends family etc. He just tries to get a feel for what type of person you are.

Jan 07 Called in for another interview with the superintendent, not as informal as previous interview but throws a few tricky questions at you "what would you do if u felt a Garda wasn't acting appropriately and what procedures would you follow"?

Feb 07 I got a call from HR to say that I can expect to b called up in early March 07

However, as of today I have not received any formal notification that I have been accepted.

Steyr, what does RDF mean?

Fyr.Fytr

RDF = Reserve Defence Forces

Steyr guessed you were in RDF as the Bren gun is a support weapon they use

wex

Bren,

Were you given any indication where you would be stationed, I posted a thread the other day in the wrong forum asking the question, so dont know if the thread will be closed. A friend of mine is a Reserve, she was on the pilot scheme. I think 50 recruits are now in station training at the moment, and a further 50 going to templemore in march.
There doesnt seem to be a lack of recruits, but a lack of room in templemore to train them, given the size of phases of regular student Guards. the thread I posted is "Garda Reserve Stations", I posted it on "News & Media", muppet.

Bren1609

No, havn't been offucially accepted as of yet.

Steyr

Fyr.Fytr wrote:

RDF = Reserve Defence Forces

Steyr guessed you were in RDF as the Bren gun is a support weapon they use

Correct but the Bren is gone and has been replaced by the GPMG and 0.5 HMG.:D

iandromiskin

"If you're in an shape at all you'll pass. They check eyes, ears, heart, urine, blood pressure, weight, height and then they grab your balls and say cough (seriously)."

Hi, I have an interview tomorrow believe it or not (Tuesday 20th). When you say in good shape, do 34 years old men with a bit of a beer gut count ??? Not a big one now, just your average mid thirties belly.

Ian

Bren1609

Good shape as in, If you can run you'll be fine.

69sparkie69

hi bren
just wondering,do you have to do a physical test..??? like what the regular guards have to do..???

iandromiskin

Hi Bren, I had the interview and test yesterday. Thought the interview went very well but raging over the test as I think I mentioned two or three bits of unnecessary information. I only included them as relevent information as in a way it was a fact, just maybe not relevent.

Ah well. See what happens.

Good luck with your application.

Ian.

69sparkie69

hin again..
not getting much help on this subject..except from iandromiskin,thanks mate,. well i`m up for the high jump and interview and test this tuesday,14 march..anyone out there with anymore info or comments..come on down.. cheers..
sparkie..

wex

Howya Lads,

I think everyone is a little shy on the replies, as its still early days with the Reserve as a whole, but if its any use to you, a friend of mine is a serving Reservist and she is getting on fine. Good luck to both of you.

Wex:

robbiedublin

Hi 69,
I am a member of the reserve and can tell you that the interview is pretty much based around community development. The focus in my case was on how I felt about the force and how I would be of benifit to the Gardai as a whole.
Much of the questiooning deals with how you are involved in the community and how you might deal with situations in a community setting.

Best of luck

wex

Hi Robbie,
Where you on the pilot scheme, or one of the following phases, interested to find out which stations are now coming on line.

Wex

iandromiskin

Hi Robbie,

Thanks for that. Reassured me a lot. Still have to finish off the as my partner is ringing around her extended family getting details etc. How do you find the reserve working to date ? What sort of things are you doing as a member - ie are you on desk or station duty or on foot patrol most of the time and how many hours and time of day do you work ???

Ian.

69sparkie69

hi robbie.
thats exactly what they asked.. re; the force,community,life experiences..and of course team work.!! I`m confident enough about it ,as i`ve been involved in voluntary emergency service`s ( search & recovery /diving) since i was 17..
the interview went well, as well as the aptitude test. did fine in it i think,but christ,ha, my hand writing has gone to ****e,and i`ll definitely wont get any points for it..they are doing 4 days of interviews and tests,in castlebar..with 12 / day..only 8 turned up yesterday..3 guys and 5 women..and asking the administrator, she said it was a ratio off 2-1 in favour of women..fair play..more women in uniform..!! ha ha.
nice though.. so hopefully robbie,ian and i will be successful, and will start weight watchers,so whats the medical like..??and whats like being at station and attitudes from regular garda`s..a local Sgt. that i know, cant understand why anyone would do it for nothing..why risk injury or death..i`m involved in the rnli..and do that every time that we are called out,and look for no financial gains..

iandromiskin

69sparkie69 wrote:

will start weight watchers

Forgot to mention. I stopped drinking and other fat retaining practices for lent and for the medical, if i get that far, and I've already lost half a stone. Down from 11.6 to 10.11. Not bad.

testicle

Steyr wrote:

Bren with that nickanme im guessing your RDF?

Add dan to Bren and what do you get?

69sparkie69

hi ian,
well i got word last week,past the interview, and called for a medical,and report to training at the end of april..great news i thought..till i was told by my other half that we are away on holidays that week.. brill..!!!! not... so i`ve arrange to go for the intake in june,hopefully i`ve lost more weight,to pass the medical..hopefully..haha...!!!!!...fair play on lossing weight. its not easy..but it gives something to aim for.. so any news on your end..??

iandromiskin

Hi,

Congratulations !!!! Thats brilliant. Well done. I'am still waiting. I handed in my GR(2) about two weeks ago and I got a call from a Garda Sergeant last night about arranging an interview to go over my charactor. I'am expecting a call from him soon to talk to him today. Other than that not much. Still no word on going for the medical. I know my background check is still in progress too, so maybe I'll get my orders soon. Still off the drink, but seem to have cusped at 10.11. I've got holidays at the end of August too to go to a wedding, so If i do get into the late april group I just might make it, otherwise I'll have to hang on for a while.

Well done again. Really envious now. But maybe my time will come eventually.

wex

69sparkie69 wrote:

hi ian,
well i got word last week,past the interview, and called for a medical,and report to training at the end of april..great news i thought..till i was told by my other half that we are away on holidays that week.. brill..!!!! not... so i`ve arrange to go for the intake in june,hopefully i`ve lost more weight,to pass the medical..hopefully..haha...!!!!!...fair play on lossing weight. its not easy..but it gives something to aim for.. so any news on your end..??

Hi 69,

congrats,

did you get word on where you are to be attached.

wex

69sparkie69

hi wex
thanks for that.. well i guess it will be in the western region..as thats were i`m from..either the castlebar/ballina/or westport districts..hopefully..or perhaps down protecting the gas line,in belmullet,, ha ha.."no smoking around here." ha ha.. but on a serious note.. have to achieve the bmi..and thats going to be hard enough...

iandromiskin

69sparkie69 wrote:

have to achieve the bmi..and thats going to be hard enough...

What is the figure for the BMI do you know ?

Oul Wan

I have two friends who've applied for this. One got a phone call yesterday to say that she's to report to Templemore for training at the end of April. She has gone through all the procedures. The other has also gone through all the procedures but no word yet. Needless to say she's up the walls now worrying that she doesn't have it. But, everyone seems to have done the interviews/report writing etc. at different stages. So maybe they don't phone everybody at the same time. Anyone any ideas on this?

Oul Wan

Preset no. 3, both my friends have told me that there was no medical practitioner appointed to give the form to. One of them went to her regular doctor, the other went to a doctor that she's never been to before as she's moved house recently.

In my opinion you may as well try for it if you think you'd like it. What have you to lose?