donegal11 wrote: » If the army went on strike would anyone notice? What exactly do they do on a day to day basis?
realies wrote: » anything else
Lab_Mouse wrote: » baby sit cattle and petrol on the border?
donegal11 wrote: » What exactly do they do on a day to day basis?
RichieC wrote: » weird, I thought it was about protecting yourself from the evil gubmint?
dodgydes wrote: » Em.. defuse bombs?
Isabella Incalculable Bridle wrote: » Who are you asking about?. The infantry soldier on a mission readiness exercise preparing for deployment to Lebanon?.Or the CIS personnel providing communications for that exercise, or rear link back home from over's missions to providing comm's to a host of other duties performed on a regular and on going basis in aid to the civil authorities/power's?. Or the sailor out at sea protecting our coasts from drug smugglers, or illegal fishing or in aid to the met service and a collection of other state agencies. Or would you like to know how the chefs provide for the needs of those above, who btw are not working 9-5 Monday to Friday. Or in the case of a medical evacution, do you think the heli/plane flies without a support element?.. Maybe you want to know about the medic who provides a medical service to serving personnel at home and abroad, plus he/she is probably providing a free clinic to locals in Lebanon, Chad, Liberia etc?. Dunno, maybe your waiting to hear from the EOD personnel on 24/7 365 day standby who will suit up and go & make safe a pipe bomb, or fertizer bomb on the border - or even an IED or unexploded ordnance oversea's.. So tell me, who's job do you want to know about?.
apoeiguq3094y wrote: » . Seriously, the defence forces are good value for money.
realies wrote: » The main function of any defence forces is to protect a country from external threats but our small and neutral country has few threats.
realies wrote: » I agree that the defence forces perform many useful functions such as snow removal, bomb disposals and anti-smuggling operations but all these tasks could easily be performed by a revamped police force and do not constitute a reason to keep a standing force with expensive equipment that we seldom or ever use.we will still manage to spend €908m next year to pay for 10,500 full-time defence staff and 13,000 reserves. That's about two-thirds of what it costs to run the gardai which has 15,000 full-time members.Yes we have overseas peacekeeping missions but is that what our Army is primarily for .
Bannasidhe wrote: » Told my sister-in-law that himself (an NCO) is actually doing the bit highlighted - not, despite the evidence of her eyes, sitting on the sofa most of the week scratching himself. Her reply was unrepeatable. I have several friends and relations in the military (army mainly) - from privates to very high ranking officers and I would defy anyone to say each and every one of them put in a 40 hour week, every week with only the statutory days off per year. And no-one has even mentioned that day (is it one or two days lads?) every year the whole bloody army has the day off. Yup. At least one day a year the whole army has the day off. What if we get invaded then? The fact is that a small, neutral, nation does not need a standing military force of 8,000. We could easily do with half of that - in particular the army. Put that money into the Gardaí and increased civil defence (membership of which could be part of National Service).
Isabella Incalculable Bridle wrote: » Preparation for the defence of the state against armed attack, both internally and against external enemies
Assisting the Garda Síochána (police force), including the protection of the internal security of the state.
Peace-keeping, crisis management and humanitarian relief operations in support of the United Nations. Policing the fisheries, in accordance with the state's obligations under European Union agreements. Miscellaneous civil contingency duties requested by the Government such as search and rescue, air ambulance provision, providing secure air transport for ministers, assistance in the event of natural and other disasters, ensuring the maintenance of essential services, and assisting in dealing with oil pollution at sea.
Isabella Incalculable Bridle wrote: » More fantasy.. Tell me, what is THAT day off?.. Seriously because I might be owed a few of 'em. Is it THAT (WINK, WINK, NUDGE, NUDGE) day?... hilarity central with you trolls guys
Delancey wrote: » From a position of purely national self-interest ( and temporarily ignoring humanitarian considerations )the question has to be asked : Just how do overseas peace-keeping missions benefit the people of this country ?
Bannasidhe wrote: » It's no more fantasy then the old 'loaded gun' allowance the army used to get ...about 1994 what was it - £8...;).
Isabella Incalculable Bridle wrote: » Seriously, what in the name of sweet baby Jesus are you going on about?.
Bannasidhe wrote: » Members of the army used to get an allowance for handling loaded weapons - back in the 1990s this was £8 a day. This was confirmed to me by a (now retired) Lt Col - who was less then impressed that I even knew about it. However, no matter how loudly he shouted - I was under no obligation to tell him 'who bloody well told me about that!' Additionally, I have been led to believe there is an 'army day off' every year (not sure if this includes navy/airforce) when the entire force in Ireland gets the day off. Either that or the 7 privates, 4 Sergeants, 1 Quarter Master Sergeant, 2 captains and a Colonel (stationed in different units/barracks some of whom do not know each other) I know are all lying to their OH's when they claim they they have no work as it is the 'army' day off - amazingly - they all do this on the very same day. If they are lying - I know a few people would be very interested to hear that. Personally its no skin off my nose but I would quite enjoy watching the fireworks - esp from the Colonel's wife of some 25 years :P
Additionally, I have been led to believe there is an 'army day off' every year (not sure if this includes navy/airforce) when the entire force in Ireland gets the day off. Either that or the 7 privates, 4 Sergeants, 1 Quarter Master Sergeant, 2 captains and a Colonel (stationed in different units/barracks some of whom do not know each other) I know are all lying to their OH's when they claim they they have no work as it is the 'army' day off - amazingly - they all do this on the very same day.
Isabella Incalculable Bridle wrote: » Honestly, I don't know where to start. I'm a member since 1985 and have never been in receipt of, or have heard of an allowance to member's who have handled loaded as opposed to unloaded weapons.. I think this is a figment of your imagination. Are you feeling ok?. Btw, Col's do not do duties and although we've all heard of the nutty Col with gout I think he hear's less voices than you at present.
Bannasidhe wrote: » Tell me this - is it a good example for a MOD - albeit in another forum - to resort to insults? What ever happened to the attack the post not the poster rule? I have been led to believe by members of all ranks (by the way - the Colonel was surprisingly enough not always a Colonel so he did actually 'do duties' during his career) within the PDF that there is an army day off every year when the entire force stationed in Ireland are all on leave on the same day. Do you deny this? I was also led to believe that at least in the 1990s there was a 'loaded gun' allowance - when I asked a then serving Lt Colonel about this in front of witnesses he confirmed it. Was he lying even as a dinner party of people laughed about it?
Bannasidhe wrote: » Isabella Incalculable Bridle wrote: » Honestly, I don't know where to start. I'm a member since 1985 and have never been in receipt of, or have heard of an allowance to member's who have handled loaded as opposed to unloaded weapons.. I think this is a figment of your imagination. Are you feeling ok?. Btw, Col's do not do duties and although we've all heard of the nutty Col with gout I think he hear's less voices than you at present. Tell me this - is it a good example for a MOD - albeit in another forum - to resort to insults? What ever happened to the attack the post not the poster rule? I have been led to believe by members of all ranks (by the way - the Colonel was surprisingly enough not always a Colonel so he did actually 'do duties' during his career) within the PDF that there is an army day off every year when the entire force stationed in Ireland are all on leave on the same day. Do you deny this? I was also led to believe that at least in the 1990s there was a 'loaded gun' allowance - when I asked a then serving Lt Colonel about this in front of witnesses he confirmed it. Was he lying even as a dinner party of people laughed about it?
realies wrote: » We could save a large amount of money if we would abolish the Army and the Department of Defence with it - and be as peaceful and neutral as we always pretend to be.The Navel service and the Aer corps could be amalgamated into a new and strengthened Coast guard, which could also have some land-based units. It should be governed by a restored dept of the marine, which should also get responsibility for Fishing and Natural Resources. And finally we could have an even better Police force maybe even a paramilitary force. So in my opinion we dont need an Army as in the one we have now,
Isabella Incalculable Bridle wrote: » Ireland's favourable geographical location, on the north-west border of the European Union, makes any external threat or future invasion unlikely. The state has a long-standing policy of non-belligerence in armed conflicts that included neutrality in World War II. For these reasons, the states military capabilities are relatively modest. However having said that, the state has a long history of involvement in United Nations Peacekeeping operations (UNFICYP, UNIFIL, UNISOM, UNMEE, EUFOR-Chat) . Functions of the Defence Forces include: Preparation for the defence of the state against armed attack, both internally and against external enemies Assisting the Garda Síochána (police force), including the protection of the internal security of the state. Peace-keeping, crisis management and humanitarian relief operations in support of the United Nations. Policing the fisheries, in accordance with the state's obligations under European Union agreements. Miscellaneous civil contingency duties requested by the Government such as search and rescue, air ambulance provision, providing secure air transport for ministers, assistance in the event of natural and other disasters, ensuring the maintenance of essential services, and assisting in dealing with oil pollution at sea. Your figures re. army strength are at least three years out of date. I think you said earlier in the thread you have family members in the defence forces, if your quoting those people they're idiots who know All (we call them 'empty heads') or your making up stuff. You're not very good at this. Next.
K-9 wrote: » Switzerland is as neutral as you get and has a big army. Part of the point of neutrality is you don't rely on others for defence, say us just relying on the Brits. People like the idea of neutrality, not the reality. Conscription could be a part of being truely neutral too, we don't like that type of thing usually.
Isabella Incalculable Bridle wrote: » I'm in bed now and the phone is not so flexible as the cimputer to reply. 1. I don't mean ant insults but what your posting is pure madness. 2. There has never been an allowance for handling a loaded weapon as opposed to an unloaded one. Oh the day off.. Your commission friend is trying to make a idiot out of you - defriend him.
