Where is the RDF going to end up?

Tubsandtiles · 18-02-2011 02:37PM

Some good views on here, so what's everyones verdict-get rid of the Rdf or keep it and try and sort it out ?.

OS119 · 18-02-2011 04:43PM

Tubsandtiles wrote: »

Some good views on here, so what's everyones verdict-get rid of the Rdf or keep it and try and sort it out ?.

you need a strategic defence and security review that looks at a 20+ year picture, decide what you want to be able to do, decide what the potential/likely threats are likely to be - and whether you think its worth trying to counter them - and only then deciding on what structures you need to carry you through.

deciding on this or that structure without deciding what you want to do with it first is just madness.

SamuelFox · 18-02-2011 08:54PM

OS119 wrote: »

you need a strategic defence and security review that looks at a 20+ year picture, decide what you want to be able to do, decide what the potential/likely threats are likely to be - and whether you think its worth trying to counter them - and only then deciding on what structures you need to carry you through.

deciding on this or that structure without deciding what you want to do with it first is just madness.

Well said! The problem with that, as the UK have found out each time they do this, is that sometimes the answer is not popular and Fine Gael might have enough on their plates for the next while.

Plus it means debating neutrality.......

OS119 · 18-02-2011 09:14PM

FG seem to want to ditch the triple lock - so it appears they have some appetite at least for offending people they might otherwise not have...

not particularly wanting to get into the 'neutrality' debate, but it seems to me archly hypocritical for FF to retain the TL when they asked the UK to provide air policing in the wake of the 9/11 attacks - something which, under the TL, Ireland couldn't do in return and, if extended to other states, other people couldn't ask for either.

Runner_11 · 19-02-2011 12:23AM

It will be intresting regarding the TL system if FG get into power, it looks like they are the only ones that have put forward a defence policy for the general election.
I have got a lot out of the reserves due to my own personal reasons i cant go full time but i would like to make a bigger contribution to the defence forces and i hope some day the powers that be realise that they have a huge group of people willing to do just that, if they just let them and give them the tools to do the job!!

Poccington · 19-02-2011 12:38AM

Runner_11 wrote: »

It will be intresting regarding the TL system if FG get into power, it looks like they are the only ones that have put forward a defence policy for the general election.
I have got a lot out of the reserves due to my own personal reasons i cant go full time but i would like to make a bigger contribution to the defence forces and i hope some day the powers that be realise that they have a huge group of people willing to do just that, if they just let them and give them the tools to do the job!!

I wouldn't say a huge group but there's certainly a core group of Reservists dedicated to their work.

Now it's up to the DoD and the General Staff to utilise them, whether it be in all Units or CS and CSS Units.

OS119 · 19-02-2011 09:44AM

Poccington wrote: »

....Now it's up to the DoD and the General Staff to utilise them, whether it be in all Units or CS and CSS Units.

absolutely - there are lots, and i mean 10's of thousands - of blokes in the UK willing to put in 2 or 3 weekends a month, 2 nights a week, personal time for fitness, and several weeks FTT a year to be effective reservists, and these blokes put themselves forward for seriously hard tours everyday.

assuming the genetic makeup and character of Irish blokes isn't that different from that of TA soldiers, then there is no reason why an Irish reserve force could acheive the same effectiveness.

trellheim · 22-02-2011 01:20PM

The RDF and PDF ( the DF) were set up by the Oireachtas.

Given the current economic situation, I believe the Govt. should decide to

1) make use of the RDF and give it a focused, real role. Demand and enforce accountability ( including full liability to Military Law, you can't just piss off back to your civvy job if you f**k up or lose a Kite ). One Standard for everything. PDF need to accept this and find a real space for RDF that allows the PDF to benefit not the RDF. If thats back doing regimentals initially then fine but there must be a progression i.e NCO doing NCO Job, CS/CQ the same, and an officer having a role, when trust is built. RDF need to accept that the definition of a volunteer="I will make it my priority to parade, for 3 years - if I can't - I'm off " NOT "Something better's come up- better do that instead, who gives a toss about the baggers"

Yes we're our own worst enemy, but as in any relationship both sides need to work at it, to make it happen.
or

2) Disband it.

Tubsandtiles · 22-02-2011 03:58PM

Cryos wrote: »

Great to see the thread not go to the usual "Disband those RDF tossers"

Alot of good points that do converge on most issues and do provide educated insight as to where things could go !

I have to admit I am for disbanding the RDF but would never consider them tossers as a member myself. It's such a positive thing although without a fundamental role anymore. There is some very good idea's on here that could save the RDF maybe ?. It's nice too see people like yourself that put a positive look into it, people like you and some other posters here are the reason the RDF can be a joy to take part in

.

Tubsandtiles · 22-02-2011 04:01PM

trellheim wrote: »

The RDF and PDF ( the DF) were set up by the Oireachtas.

Given the current economic situation, I believe the Govt. should decide to

1) make use of the RDF and give it a focused, real role. Demand and enforce accountability ( including full liability to Military Law, you can't just piss off back to your civvy job if you f**k up or lose a Kite ). One Standard for everything. PDF need to accept this and find a real space for RDF that allows the PDF to benefit not the RDF. If thats back doing regimentals initially then fine but there must be a progression i.e NCO doing NCO Job, CS/CQ the same, and an officer having a role, when trust is built. RDF need to accept that the definition of a volunteer="I will make it my priority to parade, for 3 years - if I can't - I'm off " NOT "Something better's come up- better do that instead, who gives a toss about the baggers"

Yes we're our own worst enemy, but as in any relationship both sides need to work at it, to make it happen.
or

2) Disband it.

Best two idea's on here.

davetherave · 25-02-2011 11:49PM

I heard that my sub unit are having mandatory fitness test for all personnel on camp this year. It's a start anyway.

Remains to be seen whether it will actually be all ranks or if some people will be busy or out of contact for those few hours :rolleyes:

trellheim · 26-02-2011 11:34AM

In about a fortnights time hopefully I'll be having my 4th mandatory fitness test in 6 years.

2005 - needed for a course ( first mandatory ITs in the history of the RDF/FCA)
2008 - needed for a course
2010 - needed for a course
and
2011 - needed for a course.

Most of the really active personnel have done ITs multiple times now; its required for all career courses bar three star and it looks like its coming down that road too.

concussion · 26-02-2011 09:36PM

Required for all new recruits as well

eroo · 27-02-2011 07:39PM

As a former member of the RDF, I would hold the opinion it should be either;

a) Disbanded

or

b) Trimmed down so you have small specialist units i.e. drivers, medics, signals.

My personal experience was the RDF was full of people with no ambition or pride who were happy to do nothing, and who had a ridiculously high opinion of themselves despite this. I still hold that view on the organisation as a majority, but there are some who could be utilised to benefit the PDF. And that is all the RDF should do.. supplement the PDF. So maybe it has a role in supporting PDF training.

But I still believe the RDF should be disbanded. We have enough PDF personnel to deal with ATCP or any other situation the Defence Forces may be requested to do i.e. floods, patient transport during winter etc. Integration never got off the ground, and unlike the UK, the RDF will never serve abroad. Nor should they when we have PDF personnel crying out for overseas deployment.

RDF training is too irregular and simply inefficient. Sitting in old buildings stripping Steyr's and performing drill wont make them soldiers. The TA and National Guard work because they are needed for deployment, and train to meet that requirement. The RDF doing one or two exercise's a year where confusion is the theme, will not make them soldiers either.

Final point.. yes it is unfair to those who put the effort in but the RDF is seen too often by it's members as a social club rather than a military organisation, and is not taken seriously. As someone said before, the RDF's own worst enemy is the RDF.

air assault · 27-02-2011 11:01PM

I have been a member of the FCA and then the RDF for six years.

When the organisation became the RDF nothing changed except the name and some of the units were disbanded and joined together.

The RDF was supossed to have an ATCP role which in six years i have never seen.

The facts are simple the FCA was established as the LVF during the emergency, training was local and not of a great standard. So whats the difference between the RDF and the LVF nothing apart from the unifroms and weapons.

The RDF has no use, intergration was a disaster if your unit wasnt in or near a barracks.

These IT's for fitness are a joke espescially the fact that you dont need to be physically fit to join up.

What should have been done when they changed it to the RDF, all members be discharged and the RDF be set up along the lines of the TA. Proper fitness tests and interviews carried out.

My point is the RDF is a joke and should be shut down.

Tubsandtiles · 01-03-2011 07:59AM

davetherave wrote: »

I heard that my sub unit are having mandatory fitness test for all personnel on camp this year. It's a start anyway.

Remains to be seen whether it will actually be all ranks or if some people will be busy or out of contact for those few hours :rolleyes:

We all hear about things that are going to happen but never do.

concussion · 02-03-2011 12:57AM

air assault wrote: »

These IT's for fitness are a joke espescially the fact that you dont need to be physically fit to join up.

You do now. It won't be long before it's required for all troops, not just those going on career courses, and now recruits.

BigDuffman · 02-03-2011 02:00PM

Tubsandtiles wrote: »

We all hear about things that are going to happen but never do.

I beg to differ. The new recruits will be recieving instruction on ITs by PTLs and will be expected to pass an IT.

With at least one PTL advising per Bn this should not be an issue considering the small numbers involved. Centralisation of rec training makes things even easier.

All it takes is for the BPEO to turn up one weekend and can pretty much go through an entire recruit platoon.

Now all we need to do is introduce an fitness entry test and interview (pass / fail) prior to attestment. Don't give people the finger as it will leave a sour taste in their mouth. Invite them to try again next year. As we all know from "exclusive" clubs it will attract more attention if every joe soap who does not meet the requirement is not allowed in (hopefully it will also attract super models and slutty B list female celebs).

mhorda · 02-03-2011 11:13PM

So what level are these recruits expected to achieve in their ITs? are they just expected to pass the general entry assessment of 1.5mile & 20 push/sit-ups in the alloted time or are they expected to pass a certain grade on the scale?

concussion · 02-03-2011 11:55PM

The unit will advise - I'm not posting anything from the new syllabus, I only mention it has become a requirement as this info was posted on another board. Sorry.

mhorda · 03-03-2011 12:01AM

concussion wrote: »

The unit will advise - I'm not posting anything from the new syllabus, I only mention it has become a requirement as this info was posted on another board. Sorry.

Thats OK, the only reason I ask is because we were not alloted a recruit intake in my unit so I was curious.

concussion · 03-03-2011 12:03AM

No problem. Your sub-unit should have received the new recruit syllabus by now, you should be able to read through it.

mhorda · 03-03-2011 12:09AM

We are quite an isolated unit and have to hunt everything back up along the chain so I doubt it

Ill hit up my contacts in the mean time

Morpheus · 07-03-2011 05:42PM

Dunno where we will end up but FG bailed out on the DF over triple lock with the poxy labours.

http://www.worldandmedia.com/europe/ireland-coalition-partners-compromise-on-climate-change-aid-0703.html

ruserious · 10-03-2011 08:23PM

any members of the NSR on here?

Alkers · 10-03-2011 10:00PM

Yes, Dublin Unit.

ruserious · 10-03-2011 10:32PM

Simona1986 wrote: »

Yes, Dublin Unit.

Cork unit myself

Morpheus · 11-03-2011 10:05AM

ooh sailors! whats the service with NSR like? Im a ground pounder. Do ye get out much on patrols?

Alkers · 11-03-2011 03:56PM

It's grand yeah, get out on patrol at least once a year. Some people like to stick with the one ship or whatever if they get on well with the crew, I've served on them all except for the two Peacocks and I've been in 5 years.

Morpheus · 11-03-2011 04:19PM

Not hard with only 8 ships lol

Not knocking the navy, just the govts lack of funding, we need a larger fleet IMO.

Sounds cool, often see you lads hanging around the back of CB in dublin, did my PNCO course out there last year.

How integrated are you guys into the crew on board?

For example,
can you train for and take part in, boarding operations?
can you train as an 76mm gunner (or irish navy equivilant)?

Assume its interesting enough, probably beats tabbing across the wicklow mountains to kill the enemy in a section in attack with blank pyro!!!

Where is the RDF going to end up?

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