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  • Wasting our time?

    The reserve defence force is nothing but a social gathering in the eyes of most people.

    It is by no means a defence force in any way shape or form and save for a few hardcore elements that want it to reach its full potential, it will never be taken seriously as a military organisation.

    I for one am sick to death of the whole sandbagger mindset that has been burned into us. It will take a series of drastic changes to improve the standard of the force and I don't think this is ever going to happen.


    Don't get me wrong, the craic is great but I could have the craic in my local. Are we all wasting our time pretending to play soldiers?

    Seriously, those of us that could not join the PDF for whatever reason need to feel like they are actually doing some sort of proper soldiering. Frustration with the idleness, the lacklustre training and the general crappiness of the reserves is beginning to get my nerves!

    Does anyone else feel like this or am I going mental?


    Eldavido

  • #2
    I know exactly how you feel

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    • #3
      Can I blame you Bravo? You bloody got me started!

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      • #4
        I was told I could not run the Dublin marathon in uniform!

        I had planned for some time to run my second Dublin marathon in uniform to represent the resevres and a charity of my choices, I asked my CO what were the chances of the powers that be letting my do this, he told me in a word "no" .
        I still plan to run the marathon but I was dissapointed that I could not promote the image of the reserves in this way.
        Then I asked about the option of the unit adopting a charity and doing fund runs etc, I was told "no" to this request as well.
        If this is how our own treat us it is understandable that the public have a low opinion of the reserves, I know the British TA do a lot of charity and high public profile work and yes they get slagged off as well for being reservists but at least the TA can have a half decent career as a reservist without major dissapointment!
        I plan to stick out the reserves for another year and then it's off to the UK for me and in my year left I plan to try and do my best to change what I can.
        There's my two cents on the whole thing.

        P.S Eldavido don't loose hope!

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        • #5
          The term flogging a dead horse comes to mind.

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          • #6
            I dont see why you should take your membership of the reserve seriously. Apparently the Department authorities do not.
            An audit is required. I have said it before and I repeat it here. If it meant that my services would be dispendsed with in return for a better force I would gladly go. But in the meantime all one can do is try and hold the whole thing together while annual training becomes a 7 day drink and shagathon,interrupted occasionally by military training.

            And though you like to say otherwise,if they took away the social aspect you would never get the current low numbers.
            When people give up their free time for a voluntary organisation,do they not expect a certain social aspect to go with it?


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

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            • #7
              So the RDF is a social gathering in uniform then?

              I do think it is important to have a social aspect for comraderie etc but for god's sake can we not do anything to improve the level with what we have?

              When a civvie looks upon the RDF and sniggers we call them ignorant because we want them to believe that we have a purpose and that we are a good military force when it comes down to it. Sadly this is not true and if each of us who love soldiering takes a step back to look at the RDF for what it really is, I think morale would sink to even newer lows.

              Can the top lads see what's happening?
              Why do we even bother?

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              • #8
                Every time an individual soldier (thats what we are, even if in the reserves) takes his job and training seriously, it improves the situation,... even in a minute way.
                If another one follows suit (perhaps by example), it improves it further.
                There will always be the Drink culture untill we decide to change it, so set the righ example and even try give at least one other soldier the right mindset.
                If we each manage to set one fellow soldier into the right mindset, then before you know it, you are half-way there.
                change is slow in the army, that's just the way of things.
                Nobody can deny that things have improved over the years, we just have to keep it up.
                I get annoyed when I see people take the piss and not act seriously during training, and I get even more annoyed when I see NCO's allow it to happen, but I will do my best to ensure that my house is in order and not worry about other peoples business.

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                • #9
                  As for the charity thing : we helped with Trocaire for 3 years collecting on O'Connell St. in Dublin in uniform .

                  I can't reiterate more enough that lot's of this is a personal decision every time to be professional.

                  Seek responsibility is a leadership principle.


                  I've seen training based on 'go easy or you'll lose them' and
                  training based on 'Do it right and treat them like adults' .

                  The second one worked.

                  If yer an officer (C OR NC ) set the example and LEAD !


                  What was it on the SAS lines wall : "Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way "

                  LordFlash is right
                  "Are they trying to shoot down the other drone? "

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

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Indeed you are both right.

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                    • #11
                      Went for a job interview, and on My CV. member of the RDF etc,etc,etc.
                      The reply was "whats that", then I said FCA. He replyed "o that" . So I said **** it with the interview and asked him what did he mean. He was in the FCA for 6 months, but left it to go the college. He tried to go off the subject, but a trained killer as I'm. Got him back onto it. I ran through a list of things/courses/overnights/ground work etc that i have done. I pointed out to him what was the the most harmful thing to his job. No reply, what was mine.

                      "Misfire on a 84"
                      "in the Butts"
                      "gerade throwing"
                      "trip flare setting them up" at night, no lights
                      "bunk beds, and pushing people off them for snoring"

                      well you should have seen his face. I decide to let fly at him
                      On the benefits of military service etc.
                      Next interview was with HR, i complained about the last interviewer
                      taking the piss out of my CV, And I didn't like his attitude to me.
                      I said I was going to complain to HQ for the handling of the interviews
                      Guess what I got the job, But didn't take it, moving to limerick soon

                      Doom on you
                      hurry up and wait, are you back yet

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                      • #12
                        Fair play to you clean it again!! Take no shite for what you are proud of doing.:flagwave:

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                        • #13
                          well done that man/lady


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

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                          • #14
                            Nice one centurion!
                            Covid 19 is not over ....it's still very real..Hand Hygiene, Social Distancing and Masks.. keep safe

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                            • #15
                              All I can say is that were lucky that were not in the Finish Reserve Defence Force because my finnish friend told me how crap and degrading it was and they dont even get paid a decent wage (national service i think) the stuff they do was so funny that I really thought he was in the boys scouts. He was proud of his service.

                              Well I for one am proud of putting on the uniform and smile happily when I look over to my shoulder and see the magificant Irish tricolour!

                              Some of us here want to join other armies (take the Queens shilling and all that) and contstantly compare unlike with unlike, such folly! I have no time for such ideas.

                              Bear in mind this country has only came out of 3rd world status in the last decade so I wouldnt be so hard on it.

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