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  • congratulations

    Let me be the first to congragulate you lads

    Looking foward to serving across the pond with you

    especially those of your members who are not male and are slightly loose morals wise


    Reservists to join full-time soldiers in UN missions
    Conor Lally, Crime Correspondent

    Members of the Reserve Defence Force will soon be deployed with full-time soldiers in United Nations missions in international trouble spots such as Darfur and Liberia, the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieut Gen Jim Sreenan, has said.

    The most able of the 13,000 reservists will be "hand-picked" and deployed on a strictly voluntary basis. They will be paid for their service.

    In an interview with The Irish Times Gen Sreenan said he believed reservists would help to alleviate pressure on the 10,500 full-time soldiers, as the Defence Forces became more involved in increasingly "complex and robust" missions overseas.

    He rejected suggestions that increased participation in such missions and in UN battle groups compromised Ireland's neutrality, saying international military deployments were vital to securing the working environment in developing countries for NGOs and other agencies.

    "With military force you can develop security. But as Kofi Annan has said, there is no development without security, and there is no security without development."

    While many missions would be dangerous and volatile in the future, such risk was necessary.

    "People are inclined to think that 'ah, we're going to go in because it's safe'. But if it's safe, what's the point in going in? There's no need."

    On equipment, he said immediate priorities were the replacement of three vessels in the Naval Service fleet and the acquisition of light tactical vehicles for overseas missions.

    Gen Sreenan said Army intelligence officers and the Garda had to remain vigilant to the threat posed by Islamic extremists in Ireland who, he said, might seek to launch an attack on Britain from here.

    The Army's intelligence service was a lot more active now than before the attacks in the US on September 11th, 2001, he said.

    "There's a threat on our back door, in the UK. And there's always a danger that people would use Ireland as a back door to the UK.

    "You only have to look across the water in England to see what has been happening since 9/11. You only have to look at the Continent and see what, in Madrid in particular, has happened. One would be very foolish to presume that something couldn't happen here," Gen Sreenan said.

    He said that while the Army deafness compensation controversy had been damaging to the Defence Forces, he believed they had now "climbed out" of much of the negativity.

    The military parade at Easter had been very well received by the public and he had received "a flood of letters" from members of the public after it. "There was a tremendous reaction to it."

    © 2006 The Irish Times

    PS What Jim the tin roofer says and what actually happens are poles apart
    Last edited by hedgehog; 27 December 2006, 11:07.
    Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
    Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
    The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere***
    The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
    The best lack all conviction, while the worst
    Are full of passionate intensity.

  • #2
    Hedgie there's a job free as my S-2 are you interested !
    "Are they trying to shoot down the other drone? "

    "No, they're trying to fly the tank"

    Comment


    • #3
      Army to join its first EU battle group in 2008


      Troops are playing a vital role in managing crises, army chief, Lieut Gen Jim Sreenan, tells Conor Lally.
      The Defence Forces will become involved in its first EU battle group in January 2008.
      Irish troops will begin working closely with their battle group partners in the next three months, with the first major international training exercise set to take place in September in Sweden.
      The Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieut Gen Jim Sreenan, has confirmed to The Irish Times that Irish soldiers will be deployed alongside soldiers from Sweden, Finland, Norway and Estonia. He said Ireland will make 80 troops available for the first six months of 2008.
      These could be called upon at short notice to be deployed under UN sanction to any trouble spot around the world. If a deployment is not called up during Ireland's six-month period on the international roster, our troops will be stood down at the end of June 2008.
      "Then it's probable that we wouldn't go on the roster again until about 2011 at the earliest," Gen Sreenan said.
      Asked if Irish troops could soon be involved in such a mission in Darfur he said: "From a military point of view I wouldn't have a problem with that."
      However, any involvement in Darfur is not possible now given our overseas commitments, particularly in Liberia, Lebanon and Kosovo. There are 330 troops in Liberia, 200 in Kosovo and 160 in Lebanon.
      Gen Sreenan said he saw no reason why Ireland's involvement in Liberia would not come to an end in the summer as planned.
      Most of the equipment and vehicles currently in the country would need deep maintenance when the mission was over. This would take two to three months, during which time the Defence Forces could not commit to any further international missions.
      The deployment in Kosovo is to be augmented by 70 troops before the Irish contingent assumes the lead role, or framework nation, for one of the four regions in that country on August 1st.
      Some 2,000 troops, including Finns, Czechs and Latvians, will be under Irish command in the KFOR mission. The area the Irish will be responsible for is the multinational taskforce centre, a region that includes the city of Pristina and a number of extremely volatile Serb enclaves.
      "After the UN gives their judgment early in the new year with regards to the final status of Kosovo . . . there's going to be certain tensions - it probably wont please everybody. There will be uncertainty and that's something we will have to manage."
      Gen Sreenan said the nature of all overseas missions in which Irish troops would be involved in the future was becoming more difficult.
      In Liberia the sight of professional Irish troops and soldiers from other countries was enough to face down factions that had carved out empires through civil war and the use of drug-addicted boy soldiers who were forced into battle.
      However, there were some "skirmishes" early in the mission and it would be wrong to believe there were not further dangers ahead.
      Gen Sreenan described as "misleading" the use of the terms "peace keeping" or "peace enforcement" to describe the nature of the Defence Forces' work overseas. Irish troops were now playing a vital "crisis management" role. They were helping to bring security in the developing world. In doing so they were paving the way for NGOs, security sector reform and other development work.
      All soldiers were trained and tested rigorously before deployment.
      "If [ a soldier] is encircled and ambushed there's no point in him holding up a placard saying 'we're peacekeepers'. He's got to be able to handle himself, to protect himself and to fight his way out of the situation."
      He believes the Irish troops currently in Lebanon are doing "invaluable" work in providing protection to Finnish soldiers engaged in reconstruction there. Irish involvement will be reviewed after one year.
      Gen Sreenan rejected suggestions that the triple-lock mechanism - under which a deployment can only take place following UN, Dáil and Government approval - slowed down the deployment of troops when they were urgently needed.
      The mechanism had never forced Irish soldiers to delay a planned departure on any mission. While involvement in Darfur was a possibility, the prospect of Irish troops being involved in any UN mission in Iraq after a British and US withdrawal did not arise at this time, he said.
      PLAIN SPEAKING: Lieut Gen Jim Sreenan's views on ....
      Complaints by the Naval Service they are spending too much time at sea:
      "When you join the navy you must expect to find yourself at sea."
      Deafness claims:
      "The overall damage was very high but I think we've climbed out of that. A huge amount of money went on legal fees. It probably got a bit out of hand."
      Overseas missions:
      "The very nature of a quick reaction force means that whatever incidents arise, difficult incidents that other people can't handle, you are called in."
      Possibly going to Darfur:
      "From a military operational point of view I don't have a difficulty with that."
      Our deployment to Lebanon:
      "Who can predict the Middle East? We're there for one year to be reviewed."
      Irish citizens being taken hostage abroad:
      "I've no doubt that the Army Ranger wing has the capability to deal with hostage situations."
      The threat from Islamic extremists:
      "There's a threat on our back door, in the UK. And there's always a danger that people would use Ireland as a back door to the UK."
      © 2006 The Irish Times
      www.twitter.com/mickthehack

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Dublinmick View Post

        PLAIN SPEAKING: Lieut Gen Jim Sreenan's views on ....
        Complaints by the Naval Service they are spending too much time at sea:
        "When you join the navy you must expect to find yourself at sea."
        Deafness claims:
        "The overall damage was very high but I think we've climbed out of that. A huge amount of money went on legal fees. It probably got a bit out of hand."


        © 2006 The Irish Times
        What an ignorant, ill informed response!


        Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

        Comment


        • #5
          I didn't realise it needed explaining.
          1.The issue is not about being at sea, its about the time spent at sea.

          2.The second point suggesting it "got out of hand", brushes off the fact that it was negligence on the Part of the DF in the first place, and the failure to address it, in anything but a tight fisted manner caused much of the problems.


          Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

          Comment


          • #6
            Public perception is that soldiers took the piss and maybe a few did but if most soldiers iv met who have a long period in the army during that time frame have serious hearing problems. I know one guy who was told to take hearing protection off because "it wasn't issue". Iv cut a few civvies at the knees on this before, they really know nothing.

            I agree with GF's 2nd point. The DF should have owned up, they let it get out of hand. Then again the pencil pushers in DoD didnt help im sure.

            Comment


            • #7
              I wouldn't take Sreamin' Jim too seriuosly after all its all going to be out of his hands very shortly.And given the pace of the reorg...and the restrictions still in place ..its not going to happen any time in the near future

              as for his other comments..just goes to furthur prove the mans ignorance.
              Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Goldie fish View Post
                I didn't realise it needed explaining.
                1.The issue is not about being at sea, its about the time spent at sea.
                Same thing. Some members of the NS refuse to serve at sea. Therefore the real sailors must spend more time at sea.

                Originally posted by Goldie fish View Post
                2.The second point suggesting it "got out of hand", brushes off the fact that it was negligence on the Part of the DF in the first place, and the failure to address it, in anything but a tight fisted manner caused much of the problems.
                The DF will not take the blame for anything.
                sigpic
                Say NO to violence against Women

                Originally posted by hedgehog
                My favourite moment was when the
                Originally posted by hedgehog
                red headed old dear got a smack on her ginger head

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hedgie there's a job free as my S-2 are you interested !

                  Will I tell you the first time I served in S2 Overseas,

                  and I would make you cry if I tell you where I served in J2



                  When the full timee fca lads left the dark side and came to the good guys

                  there was the question as to whether they could go overseas

                  a bollox of a BQ said to oneof them that the only thing they could do is go on the roof of

                  haddatha house with the rest o the sand bags
                  Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
                  Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
                  The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere***
                  The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
                  The best lack all conviction, while the worst
                  Are full of passionate intensity.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    He should get onto the Minister then and ask him to add it to his Defence Bill, as untill that it done it is illegal for members of the RDF to be deployed on PSOs.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by trellheim View Post
                      Hedgie there's a job free as my S-2 are you interested !
                      Hedgehog and Intelligence, of any kind, don't naturally spend too much time in one another's company, and things should be left that way.

                      The threat from Islamic extremists:
                      "There's a threat on our back door, in the UK. And there's always a danger that people would use Ireland as a back door to the UK."
                      Er... I thought that would mean that the UK views us as a threat, not the other way round?:confused:

                      Comment

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