Good day all.
To disband the RDF I believe is in all sense of the word, crazy. The RDF is boundless in its potential, with plenty of enthusiactic young and not so young men and women.
Sadly the RDF does have its share of wasters, forgive me if I'm too harsh and useless layabouts. If the RDF is to survive the current economic climate then dead weight does need to be shed. I believe that,
1. Fitness tests should be mandatory if trying to enter the RDF. Yearly fitness tests should also be mandatory.
2. Each battalion should have to create a yearly training plan that should include what is planned for recruit training, 2* training, 3* training, advanced 3* training, refresher courses for NCO's and so on. This plan should be reviewed by the DFTC and either giving the green light or refused on which case the battalion should be assisted by DFTC staff on re writing the plan to the required standard.
The plan should in turn be implanted from battalion level to company level to platoon level.
3. Simulate PDF training in the RDF i.e. make the training as close to PDF standards as possible. For example, take the PNCO course. The course was re structured in the Eastern Brigade to mirrior the PDF PNCO course as closely as possible.
4. Change how the yearly assessment is carried out . One assessment a year is clearly not enough. The assessment should not be made entirely by RDF officers and NCOs. PDF officers and NCOs should be involved.
5. Integration should be a must. We need to be sining off the same hymn sheet as the saying goes.
On a personnel note, last year I went integrated. I'm with the 67th Res Batt and was put in as No.4 rifle man of a PDF section of the 27th Inf Batt. The first week was pre-lim training for a week long exercise in Kilworth in Cork. The experience I gained was priceless.
Training and working with men and women who do the job full time allowed me to learn lots of tips, experience plenty of greenfield tactics, sectional attacks and patrols at a level not possible in the RDF at current. I even got to do FIBUA which was a first for me. Integration is invaluable.
To disband the RDF I believe is in all sense of the word, crazy. The RDF is boundless in its potential, with plenty of enthusiactic young and not so young men and women.
Sadly the RDF does have its share of wasters, forgive me if I'm too harsh and useless layabouts. If the RDF is to survive the current economic climate then dead weight does need to be shed. I believe that,
1. Fitness tests should be mandatory if trying to enter the RDF. Yearly fitness tests should also be mandatory.
2. Each battalion should have to create a yearly training plan that should include what is planned for recruit training, 2* training, 3* training, advanced 3* training, refresher courses for NCO's and so on. This plan should be reviewed by the DFTC and either giving the green light or refused on which case the battalion should be assisted by DFTC staff on re writing the plan to the required standard.
The plan should in turn be implanted from battalion level to company level to platoon level.
3. Simulate PDF training in the RDF i.e. make the training as close to PDF standards as possible. For example, take the PNCO course. The course was re structured in the Eastern Brigade to mirrior the PDF PNCO course as closely as possible.
4. Change how the yearly assessment is carried out . One assessment a year is clearly not enough. The assessment should not be made entirely by RDF officers and NCOs. PDF officers and NCOs should be involved.
5. Integration should be a must. We need to be sining off the same hymn sheet as the saying goes.
On a personnel note, last year I went integrated. I'm with the 67th Res Batt and was put in as No.4 rifle man of a PDF section of the 27th Inf Batt. The first week was pre-lim training for a week long exercise in Kilworth in Cork. The experience I gained was priceless.
Training and working with men and women who do the job full time allowed me to learn lots of tips, experience plenty of greenfield tactics, sectional attacks and patrols at a level not possible in the RDF at current. I even got to do FIBUA which was a first for me. Integration is invaluable.
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