Why have a DF at all??

[SC Uilechumachtach]

Yeah I met some of those guys too S and T they caled themselves

[luchi]

THey must have been really old. I think S&T was disbanded about 20 years a go!!!!!

[DeV]

Reorg of DF was started in 1996/7. S&T existed then.

The majority of the Irish public (young & old) in my experience don't know anything (or very little) about the RDF, what we do, where we are located, that females are allowed join, etc.

[luchi]

Reorg of DF was started in 1996/7. S&T existed then.

Actually for the FCA (RDF) the S was dropped long before the reorg.

The majority of the Irish public (young & old) in my experience don't know anything (or very little) about the RDF, what we do, where we are located, that females are allowed join, etc.

Ah but they know of the existance.
They have all the hear say miss information.
Not so long ago I was asked did we still use hurleys to practice arms drill. (the guy was serious) His son wants to join up after seeing some bebo and then looking up the web.

But this is getting away from the idea. Which would the public prefer to see doing the day to day mil tasks like guarding a cash in transit
A. a couple of lads that dress up and play soldiers (this is a perception I come accross)
B. a person that does the job as a professional.

It may be hard to tell the difference but you can be guaranteed that if the RDF started to replace PDF the media hype would let everyone know the difference.

Its a bit like asking which would you prerfer to attend you at the scene of an accident
a. professional ambulance crew
b. a couple of lads with a van that did the same course but don't have much oppertunity to put it into practice.

[Kevin. B]

Well, in summer last year I was at work and fresh out of 4th year I didn't have a clue what I wanted to do. I then decided that if I still didn't know what I wanted to do when I left school I'd join the Army as not to become the type of person who lays about at home all day with no job/prospects. Then when in work someone mentioned that another guy in work was away at his FCA training. I hadn't a clue what this was and when someone mentioned it was the army reserves, I thought I'd join up to see what it was like..

Point is, I asked my friends if anyone wanted to join with me, none of them knew what it was either...
Then in September they came into my school recruiting and everyone wnated to join and suddenly everyone knew what it was..

More recruiting in schools? Advertising integration while you're at it?

[NORTHforce]

Hello,
(1st time poster, long-time-lurker.)

I felt strongly enough about this to register & post.

The point was made earlier about "an independant nation", etc. with national military structures being a very real, tangible expression of nationhood. History shows the DF to be a result of the events to 1916 to 1923.

Thus the current state of the DF is a historical result i) of those events, and subsequent happenings -primarily ii) the Emergency of WWII, and iii) the Troubles in the North.

From this it could be argued that the purpose of the DF was:
i) Supression of dissident activity/threat to treaty structures.
ii) National self-defence from invasion (Nazi or otherwise....)
iii) as per i) but slanted towards events across the border (controversial)

A 4th event was the participation in UN peacekeeping, but arguably that was
-and should always be- a supplemental role that the DF maintain the ability to participate in, NOT it's raison d'etre.

The need for "a Force of last resort" is essential to the upkeep of any state, espcially one where the internal-orientated civil forces (ie. the Gardai) are unarmed.
The need for this force of last resort is also essential for the aid of other government bodies in an emergency - as has been illustrated by examples on this thread.

The insurance analogy is sound, but its not just for military defence against foreign aggression...

[Prolatarian]

The df today today,as has been pointed out can not fully defend the state from determind armed agression.the main reason for this is that in the current political climate it dose not need to.if this was to change there would be considerebal warning from the tense relations with the agressor.then the role of the army and reserves would be to fourm the nuclius of a force that coulde defend the state

[Truck Driver]

The df today today,as has been pointed out can not fully defend the state from determind armed agression.the main reason for this is that in the current political climate it dose not need to.if this was to change there would be considerebal warning from the tense relations with the agressor. then the role of the army and reserves would be to fourm the nuclius of a force that coulde defend the state.

Unfortunately, at this point, it would already be too late for us.

i'm sure those who currently post on the subject are better than their spelling capabilities,,
Please rememeber if you feel the need to post that it has to be read by some one

Unfortunately, those who suffer from dyslexia cannot help this, Murph.
We have one self confessed dyslexic on the board.