What are the army doing?

Poccington · 07-01-2010 07:15PM

martinr5232 wrote: »

What manual is that in ?

It was just drafted in this week, when the CoS realised that everyone was outraged at the fact that an Army wasn't out gritting roads, directing traffic, rescuing ducks from frozen lakes and whatever else people crib about.

Really, you'd swear the DF didn't have their own work to be doing. Rather than existing solely to step in when everyone else makes a balls of dealing with a situation.

/Rant.

ctrl-alt-delete · 07-01-2010 07:17PM

What are they going to grit the roads with? bullets?

The main reason the roads are not being gritted is not because we don't have the people power,

and after this weekend it is going to be a lot worse if you believe what they are saying about grit supplies.

Sid_Justice · 07-01-2010 07:21PM

Poccington wrote: »

It was just drafted in this week, when the CoS realised that everyone was outraged at the fact that an Army wasn't out gritting roads, directing traffic, rescuing ducks from frozen lakes and whatever else people crib about.

Really, you'd swear the DF didn't have their own work to be doing. Rather than existing solely to step in when everyone else makes a balls of dealing with a situation.

/Rant.

i'm not being a twit but what do the defence forces do?

Ruu_Old · 07-01-2010 07:23PM

Out with pickaxes and shovels! Oh wait..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwNnixk9Qc8

rednik · 07-01-2010 07:23PM

Their duties.

Poccington · 07-01-2010 07:23PM

Sid_Justice wrote: »

i'm not being a twit but what do the defence forces do?

Overseas missions, CIT's, Regimental Duties, Protection of Vital Installations, Courses, Exercises etc.

We don't just sit in a barracks all days waiting for snow or floods to pop up.

Praetorian Saighdiuir · 07-01-2010 07:24PM

martinr5232 wrote: »

What manual is that in ?

Its in the new Tac-Aide........."TM complain about the army, cut the pay, promotions, equipment and overseas service then wonder why they are not out doing someone elses job"

...Its at the back.

Sid_Justice · 07-01-2010 07:25PM

Poccington wrote: »

Overseas missions, CIT's, Regimental Duties, Protection of Vital Installations, Courses, Exercises etc.

We don't just sit in a barracks all days waiting for snow or floods to pop up.

bear with me please?

Ok, I respect the fact the guys in the lebannon can't be out gritting roads, how many army men are serving overseas?

other than that... just saying.

Steyr · 07-01-2010 07:29PM

Sid_Justice wrote: »

bear with me please?

Ok, I respect the fact the guys in the lebannon can't be out gritting roads, how many army men are serving overseas?

other than that... just saying.

Educate Yourself : http://www.military.ie/

Map: http://www.military.ie/overseas/images/UN_DF_map_large.jpg
:-)

Poccington · 07-01-2010 07:29PM

Sid_Justice wrote: »

bear with me please?

Ok, I respect the fact the guys in the lebannon can't be out gritting roads, how many army men are serving overseas?

other than that... just saying.

The missions to the Lebanon ended a few years ago.

We have just over 700 troops deployed Overseas. Then add another 700 troops that will be taking part in a form up period before going Overseas. Then another 700 troops on leave after coming back from Overseas.

That's over 2,000 troops out of country.

Praetorian Saighdiuir · 07-01-2010 07:33PM

Sid_Justice wrote: »

bear with me please?

Ok, I respect the fact the guys in the lebannon can't be out gritting roads, how many army men are serving overseas?

other than that... just saying.

Ok, what do you want the Defence Forces to be doing?

We cannot grit the road, theres no grit.

The roads are still icy as feck, do you want them out in 10 tonnes trucks skidding all over the road?..this would make matters worse, especially if you want to use the trucks to ferry people home because there are no busses?

We are not trained to direct traffic or assist in car crashes...we can do it, but there are plenty of Gardai and reseve Gardai to do this job.

Any ideas?

CrazyRabbit · 07-01-2010 08:30PM

benwavner wrote: »

Ok, what do you want the Defence Forces to be doing?

We cannot grit the road, theres no grit.

The roads are still icy as feck, do you want them out in 10 tonnes trucks skidding all over the road?..this would make matters worse, especially if you want to use the trucks to ferry people home because there are no busses?

We are not trained to direct traffic or assist in car crashes...we can do it, but there are plenty of Gardai and reseve Gardai to do this job.

Any ideas?

Can you go out and shoot all the eejits trying to drive at 60kph on icy roads?

Seriously though, I don't think the DF can help just yet. We have to wait for all the snow to melt so the flooding start. Then the DF's skills with sandbag placement will be invaluable.

Archeron · 07-01-2010 08:36PM

Ideally we should use magic to bring all the counties snowmen to life and get those feckers to clear the roads. It is THEIR skin after all.

Then when the weather picks up they just melt, so we dont even have to bring in grizzly bears to eat the snowmen.

Simple solutions are never considered......

spadder · 07-01-2010 08:38PM

Watching Eastenders?

Nolanger · 07-01-2010 09:16PM

davyjose wrote: »

Irish Soldier: "I eh ... I cleared away some snow"

and was an extra in Braveheart!

sunnyside · 07-01-2010 09:18PM

spadder wrote: »

Watching Eastenders?

That made me laugh:D I don't really know what the army do either apart from overseas missions and transporting cash but now I've got this image of the army people who are not overseas sitting around in the barracks having tea and biscuits while watching Eastenders while half the country is wating to see them out clearing snow and gritting roads.

spadder · 07-01-2010 09:22PM

sunnyside wrote: »

That made me laugh:D I don't really know what the army do either apart from overseas missions and transporting cash but now I've got this image of the army people who are not overseas sitting around in the barracks having tea and biscuits while watching Eastenders while half the country is wating to see them out clearing snow and gritting roads.

You're bang on there!
If you ever want to invade Ireland, just plan your attack around the Coronation st. double bill!

SoupyNorman · 07-01-2010 09:23PM

Never mind the Army, at least they are in the country unlike Noel Dempsey who's off on holliers.

Ah sure Cowen said it's ok as even though he is minister for Transport the current issues are not concerned with capital funding. Alls fine though as Gormley will chair a daily committee in a nice warm boardroom with fresh coffee and pinapple and laugh at clips of old people falling on their arses.

This is another example of when it comes to the crunch, when actual action is required these fat inept bastards really fu.cking shine.

They are such a bunch of cnuts.

Hard Larry · 07-01-2010 09:26PM

Yes send the Army on the snow filled streets!

Put them under command of the Local Authorites.

Each Local Authority could take a small amount of soldiers under its wing...
hmm soldier sounds a bit violent lets call them 'workers' and send them out and about in the local council areas to grit roads and footpaths.

Wow this is a great plan a dedicated body of Council Workers to help the Local Authority!

wait a minute...

sunnyside · 07-01-2010 09:28PM

SoupyNorman wrote: »

Never mind the Army, at least they are in the country unlike Noel Dempsey who's off on holliers.

.

That is such bad timing, it's not as if he could really do anything if he was here but it looks so bad for him. Is he gone somewhere nice?

spadder · 07-01-2010 09:31PM

sunnyside wrote: »

That is such bad timing, it's not as if he could really do anything if he was here but it looks so bad for him. Is he gone somewhere nice?

He could sell his poxy e-voting machines and buy some snow ploughs!

Captain_Generic · 07-01-2010 09:42PM

spadder wrote: »

He could sell his poxy e-voting machines and buy some snow ploughs!

Or hollow them out and sit in them

Gone West · 07-01-2010 10:04PM

davyjose wrote: »

US Soldier: "I killed fifty Iraqi militia men yesterday."

British Soldier: "I killed sixty Al Qaeda yesterday"

Irish Soldier: "I eh ... I cleared away some snow"

TBH its better to be in your home country saving lives than to be abroad taking them...

stovelid · 07-01-2010 10:28PM

genericguy wrote: »

"in america we..."

Overheal is from America?!

sunnyside · 07-01-2010 10:33PM

I'm really freaked out about this weather after watching the news and I live in Cork where it's nothing like Dublin.

They don't have a hope of getting the salt or grit I'd say. The roads are only part of the problem, loads of people have no water because of frozen pipes. Others have run out of food. There are elderly people who haven't seen anybody in days. People are really vulnerable in this weather.

Maybe the army could go door to door like they did during the floods when they distributed water. They could deliver water, basic food supplies. I don't even know if that's possible but there are so many people out there who need help.

davyjose · 07-01-2010 11:32PM

Meh, I drove 20 miles to work this morning, no bother. There's the odd eejit who goes out driving in snow, when they are unable to cope with it, so end up going at five miles an hour and crashing into the kerb. Thereby delaying everyone behind them.
Otherwise ... piece of piss. Getting the army in is reactionary, and unnecessarily pannicky.

icanhearjimi · 07-01-2010 11:34PM

Playing pool, watching telly, drinking tea, playing cards, shining their boots, being shouted at, shaving their heads. Any of the above.

Borneo Fnctn · 07-01-2010 11:51PM

The army are busy doing their job, unlike the people who are actually responsible for making the roads passable. If you've never served in the military, keep your smart arse comments to yourself.

sunnyside · 07-01-2010 11:58PM

davyjose wrote: »

Meh, I drove 20 miles to work this morning, no bother. There's the odd eejit who goes out driving in snow, when they are unable to cope with it, so end up going at five miles an hour and crashing into the kerb. Thereby delaying everyone behind them.
Otherwise ... piece of piss. Getting the army in is reactionary, and unnecessarily pannicky.

I was thinking of elderly people. The ones who live alone, don't drive, might not have water because of burst/frozen water pipes, might have fallen on the ice and nobody has found them or they could have run out of food. Lots of those people buy daily groceries when they go to mass, not big weekly shops. Maybe they have no money bacause they can't collect their pension.

I'm 31, not 81 and I'm feeling a bit isolated because all social calls are cancelled due to dangerous roads. We aren't all as brave on the roads as davyjose. I have heat, food, local Tesco, internet, can pick myself up when I fall on the ice. Other people are much more vulnerable than the general demographic of boards.ie posters.

I personally do not require help from the army but I'd like to think they were out there helping the elderly and others who are in danger because of the weather. I agree they can't really help with the roads but it's not just about roads.

icanhearjimi wrote: »

Playing pool, watching telly, drinking tea, playing cards, shining their boots, being shouted at, shaving their heads. Any of the above.

Any jobs going?

Local-womanizer · 08-01-2010 12:15AM

icanhearjimi wrote: »

Playing pool, watching telly, drinking tea, playing cards, shining their boots, being shouted at, shaving their heads. Any of the above.

Or even, their duties,exercises,weapons training,course,overseas,CITs plus being shouted at and and polishing boots as well as the rest that comes with the military life. Jesus christ,everybody forgets that the rest of the authorities fail to deal with the snow and just point blame at the easiest group, ie the Army. The council fecked up with grit supplies,blame them.

Just to mention that the Air Corp are flat out as Air ambulances. No cribbing from them flying all day in dangerous conditions. Fair play!

What are the army doing?

Comments