Unifil(3)

[DeV]

Not every overseas unit gets a visit from the President and the Minister. The protocol call is a Captain's Guard of Honour, that is what DFRs say.

I'd say that getting a visit from our President is a bit of a morale boost.

There is a Ministerial Review of any unit prior to departure of Chalk 1 on any tour, on a number of occasions it has been done through various towns around the country.

AFAIK the medal parade is normally held in the mission area, it is usually presented by the SIO or the FC (or someone in their chain of command).

The point is that not all members of the unit will get the medals, only those on their first UNIFIL tour or first ever tour. Those on a second or subsequent tour get a number to put on the medal, this may be only done at home (not sure).

AFAIK there is usually no home coming parade as the unit will come back over 1/2 weeks probably in 3 chalks. After the admin they will be on leave and getting back to what is important for the next while - family and friends!

As others have said there will be normally press (and definitely DF photos) on any medal award.


If memory serves the first medal parade held at home in public was the ARW coming back from East Timor in Michael Smith's neck of the woods.

[DeV]

Award a battalion (An Cead Cath/3 Bn etc) freedom of a particular town? Have a parade to exercise this "freedom" each year?

Is it something Irish towns can award?

[hptmurphy]

I'd say that getting a visit from our President is a bit of a morale boost.

Even one just leaving office.

I doubt if its seen as morale booster by the 100 guys on a GOH, and the guys who have to paint every rock in the place etc. etc.

Ministerial visits are usual treated with the contempt the politicians deserve, Presedential from experience is just hassle.
Try take the president on a week long Patrol on a naval vessel and see the shit thats attached.

Had the displeasure of Paddy Hillery for a week many years ago,lets just say he wasn't the gentleman the press made him out to be.

[Steamy Window]

Is it something Irish towns can award?

No idea

[danno]

[QUOTE=Seanachie;35268

Had the displeasure of Paddy Hillery for a week many years ago,lets just say he wasn't the gentleman the press made him out to be.[/QUOTE]

Maybe the trip didnt have the same outcome as his trips to Dunleary.

[terrier]

Is it something Irish towns can award?

If Jack Charlton can get the Freedom of Dublin then I suppose it is.

[DeV]

The cities can not sure about towns?

[RoyalGreenJacket]

it would be a very kind, respectful and fitting gesture if they did.

[Goldie fish]

Even one just leaving office.

I doubt if its seen as morale booster by the 100 guys on a GOH, and the guys who have to paint every rock in the place etc. etc.

Ministerial visits are usual treated with the contempt the politicians deserve, Presedential from experience is just hassle.
Try take the president on a week long Patrol on a naval vessel and see the shit thats attached.

Had the displeasure of Paddy Hillery for a week many years ago,lets just say he wasn't the gentleman the press made him out to be.

To be fair, paddy the golfer was probably the worst president in the history of the state.

[sofa]

A pension collector if ever there was one

[Turkey]

To be fair, paddy the golfer was probably the worst president in the history of the state.

Your forgetting chuck daly, or somwhat grandly, Cearbhall O'Dalaigh, 1974 - 1976.



Now, just to be nice to me, if for no other reason, can we get this thread, even a little bit back on topic?

[Goldie fish]

Your forgetting chuck daly, or somwhat grandly, Cearbhall O'Dalaigh, 1974 - 1976.



Now, just to be nice to me, if for no other reason, can we get this thread, even a little bit back on topic?

O'Dalaigh didn't occupy the Aras for 14 years of invisibility.

[hedgehog]

Even one just leaving office.

I doubt if its seen as morale booster by the 100 guys on a GOH, and the guys who have to paint every rock in the place etc. etc.

Ministerial visits are usual treated with the contempt the politicians deserve, Presedential from experience is just hassle.
Try take the president on a week long Patrol on a naval vessel and see the shit thats attached.

.

I tend to agree about the Ministerial visits- a right royal pain in the arse,

I was in the Leb on the 82nd when Mary Mac came to vist and hers was the only vist

that actually raised our morale (82 was a shitty trip) she was unbeleivable in how

nice she was to everyone from Bn OC to the lowest of the low - (Gunners)

Of all my overseas trips and morale bursting tours- Mary Mac is up there with

Christie Brinkley visiting us (and some Americans) in Sarajevo.

However the biggest drama queen I ever met with his Maria Carey type demands

was that druggie Gerry Ryan when he came out to the Leb- he was a pain the hole and

we had to be ordered not to tell him that to his face- second to Ryan in the I am great

stakes and first in the fattest arse competion is that gee bag half man half troglidite

Brendan DOnoghue - Ryan and DOnoghue thought they were doing us a favour

and they thought they were something from the era of the Raj.

[GoneToTheCanner]

Anybody ask the Presidents their opinion of seeing endless GOHs? Or Ministers' endless reviews? Like the old joke about Queen Elizabeth II, she thinks everywhere smells of fresh paint. As do GoCs, Bn Commanders,etc,etc. Mary Robinson is on record as trying to get the size and number of GOHs reduced and recieving strong opposition from DF hierarchy and DoD pencilnecks. One of our old GoC Air Corps was notorious for his love of parades and his especial love of being photographed inspecting them. He was a mischievous soul, too, as he loved asking "what's behind that locked door?", which led to several near heart attacks as nixers were frantically covered over or there were hasty attempts to divert him from his newly chosen path. He eventually instigated an open-door inspection policy, which pissed off a lot of entrepreneurs
Hate parades? I bet the President does,too.

regards
GttC

[Goldie fish]

I remember doing a GoH for Noel Dempsey back around 1991 or 1992. He told the Officer in charge that it was the best GoH he had ever seen.

As it happens it was also the first.

Widdle DeeDee was a right pain while he was minister for Defence too I understand(No doubt Apot will correct me) in his overly frequent visits, as minister to Sarsfield Barracks, expecting the full spit and shine each time.