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  • Natural Wastage

    i'm becoming increasingly concerned about the amount of wastage in PDF units...most is unavoidable...but why is the underlying trend so high.

    I think if some of the older guys posting look around their own unit and look ant the amount of people who were in the same recruit class and are still active ,,,they will be concerned too.

    I've got 14 years done and there are only two of us left....


    how many recruit classes have vanished altogether?

    The only time that the FCA seemed to thrive was when we had low employment and a recession...people needed to fill the time so they recruits and old timers were in abundance........the celtic tiger arives ...and the whole reserve is in decline ..physically and numerically...tis worrying lads
    Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

  • #2
    Originally posted by hptmurphy
    i'm becoming increasingly concerned about the amount of wastage in PDF units...most is unavoidable...but why is the underlying trend so high.
    Take it you mean RDF units, Murph?

    I've just completed 16 years in the Reserve - you don't see it go, is the answer I get when
    people at home ask "Are you still in the FCA?"

    In my case (and I'm not in my original unit now), I can account for about 5 or 6 bods.

    No.1 - Commissioned into the PDF after Cadet School - now a Capt, and a nicer lad
    you couldn't meet
    No.2 - Same
    No.3 - Got an Air Corps apprenticeship, dunno if he's still in blue or not
    No.4 - left
    No.5 - transferred to another unit, now a Sgt
    No.6 - still in the unit (my first one), now a Sgt
    No.7 - me - had to transfer due to work committments, presently a recruit instructor

    - after that, things are a little foggy as to how many more there were and what happened to them.

    I would agree with you on the subject of the Celtic Tiger. When I joined up first, mobile phones
    were only in their infancy, now even 10 yr old kids have them, courtesy of the "Ready To Go" setup.
    Playstations and Sky Movies vie with other activities for the attention span of young kids (which as
    I'm finding out at the moment with one or two, is akin to that of a goldfish !!!).
    As Docman keeps saying in his posts Re: recruitment, etc., the death of a unit is the lack of
    activity. Lack of a proper programme for recruits, or when they progress to 3*, relevant courses.
    Not everyone wants to dive straight into a Pot NCO Cse, and 10 candidates does not go into 2-3
    places, depending on the unit size, etc. People lament the passing of a volunteer ethos in many
    areas, e.g; young fellas stop playing GAA because no money in it, why give a dig out with the local
    Scout unit when could be getting pissed/working for extra money, etc. I suppose it depends on
    what you want out of your spare time. I can't even remember what initially spurred me on to
    signing up for the FCA, but I know I' ve never regretted it ! I' ve met some great people from
    other units. Indeed our Pln Offr, when giving the new recruits a pep talk, told them to look around,
    that they were looking at future lifelong mates. I hope that I' ll be able to continue on as I have
    been, but a few things are on the horizon that may well impact somewhat on my committments.

    I'd be interested to see what other people on the board think myself.....
    Last edited by Truck Driver; 4 February 2005, 20:50.
    "Well, stone me! We've had cocaine, bribery and Arsenal scoring two goals at home. But just when you thought there were truly no surprises left in football, Vinnie Jones turns out to be an international player!" (Jimmy Greaves)!"

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    • #3
      I would agree young people nowadays just aren't as interested in the reserve or the FCA as it was when i joined fourteen years ago. True there was high unemployment and the Govt. had pratically frozen recruitment to the Army and NS, most of the guys I had joined with had joined with a view to joining the PDF and as a lot of them were unemployed or working in shitty jobs the FCA was a great outlet for them. However people like this nowadays get snapped up by the army and navy staight away. A lot of recruits nowadays just don't have the interest. They can't go on field days coz there too hung over to be bothered making the effort. I'm preparing lessons during the week for a field day on a Sunday and only a couple of people would showing up after me travelling nearly 90 miles to barracks. Its a joke! A lot of guys feel the same way there will be a lot of old sweats leaving in the next few years the organisation is just falling down around our ears.
      I think the powers that be are expecting to much from RDF personnel. RDF personnel will be soon doing the same work as the PDF cadre staff, thats a full time job, the PDF cadre aren't being replaced as they leave/retire so who is going to do all the admin jobs in the future like organising transport rations etc........ Its ****ed I'm tellin ye, and there's no point closin the gate when the horse has galloped.

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      • #4
        This is always going to happen with the current reserve setup. There is no point recruiting in schools and telling them all about the great things the reserve do and then stick them on 3 months of COFD and never show them the "good stuff". I think we should move away from this 2 hours a week lark and have least 1 weekend a month, you will achieve more that way.
        You're even dumber than I tell people

        You might have been infected but you never were a bore

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        • #5
          I have to agree with both of the above...and am relieved to hear that I'm not the only person witnessing the decline,

          now the big question can it be stopped ..and what realistically...will it take?

          I say this as I believe that within 5 years the organisation will have deteriorated so much that it will be disbanded.......

          I know that some would say the prospect of disbandmnet is impossible in the DF

          Word of warning...prior to the delivery of the sweepers in 1970...there was a plan to wind up the navy.......
          Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

          Comment


          • #6
            1 weekend a month would be a far better idea than the current 2-4 hrs a week.
            Amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic.

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            • #7
              Many have suggested that the reorg will provide a paper army to the non integrated element. everyone will agree that there are probably only about 3000 regular attending members of the rdf. the Integrated element makes up about 2700. That leaves the other 300,and all the other non effective rdf people to make up the balance of the non integrated element. The establishment will be retained,maybe,but no further input wil be required...

              anyone see where i'm going?


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

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              • #8
                Disoloution through disinterest!
                Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

                Comment


                • #9
                  Disoloution through disinterest!

                  It is actually surprising the FCA survived the lack of interest shown in it by the gov and army through the 80s and early 90s.

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                  • #10
                    Ditch the idea of a weekly parade night. Its far to much hassle for not alot of training. Instead maybe 2 weekends a month which should be PAID. Pay them like professionals and they'll act like professionals. Also have designated roles in the reserve ie in an inf bn have the whole anti-tank, reccy elements which can be rotated around, whatever. Make it at least not seem like its a social club!

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                    • #11
                      Much of the social club element is the fault of the members wanting it to be so.


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

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                      • #12
                        Recruitment in schools should be banned, what happens is you get a crowd of giggling schoolgirls and spotty schoolboys who never heard FCA and most are just joining on a whim. We have a couple of young ladies and gentle who are just the most childish bunch of ****ers I've ever come accross can't raise your voice to them or they'll go home upset and you'll never see them again which isn't a bad thing really!
                        Recruitment should be done properly, proper interviews should be conducted, all you need is someone who is interested and has a perception of what they'll be expected to do as soldier. The ranks are full of gobshites who are just filling spaces that could be filled by someone better.

                        As for stopping parade nights and doing two weekends a month thats just a waste of time. If people can't commit to 2hrs a week they certainly won't commit to two weekends a month paid or not. I for one have a life outside of work and FCA/AR.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by secondlewey
                          Recruitment in schools should be banned, what happens is you get a crowd of giggling schoolgirls and spotty schoolboys who never heard FCA and most are just joining on a whim.
                          Maybe the problem is not with the schools but with your recruiting technique.

                          Everyone gets the "giggling schoolgirls and spotty schoolboys", but training will knock that out of them.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Goldie fish
                            Much of the social club element is the fault of the members wanting it to be so.
                            Totally agree

                            I am definitly leaning towards the idea of a minimum required obligation to training...
                            Sex - Breakfast of Champions!

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Docman
                              Maybe the problem is not with the schools but with your recruiting technique.

                              Everyone gets the "giggling schoolgirls and spotty schoolboys", but training will knock that out of them.
                              I totally agree with you training should knock the shit out of them and it does however, I'm 29yrs old I don't want to be taking playschool out on the ground every time we go out on tactics. We need to take on people who have staying power, that are prepared to put up with the shit thats thrown at them, people you can depend on. Get rid of the people who are in it for the social club aspect. I want to do a bit of soldiering for a change!

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