Alcohol on Camp

[riflemangundy]

Before i get into this im aware its going to ruffle a few feathers but i couldnt give a *uck!!! I was on camp during the week like so many of us RDF people and i was surprised to see just how young some of the people drinking were!!! I know you must be 17 Years old to join the DF and 18 years to drink alcohol.
The incident i saw: A group pf prob about 8 recruits outside the mess shit faced acting all big and tough but they were only children like.. Im only young myself but i thought this behaviour was totally out the window. In fairness to the bar staff he followed one individual out of the mess and conficated the Cans in question!!! this leads to another question that needs to be answered , if the barman didnt serve the young pers who got it for him.. Only saying what i saw,, finish training and off to get locked is far from the way we NEED the RDF moving too...

Please dont post names of the units or location of the camp as it would be bad form.

I might point out that during the day the recruits were training very hard which was a credit to there unit but the alcohol must be curbed

[MOD: I'm allowing this thread to unfold but keep it tidy.

Riflemangundy: You might want to tone down your attitude on this board. You don't need to be

acting all big and tough

. Keep the language respectful to peoples opinions and posts, other wise I might 'not give a f*ck about moderating you indefinatley.]

[Goldie fish]

I think its more to do with Irelands drinking culture than just that of young members of the reserve.

Moderation is the key folks. And not the Zulu style moderator moderating. The ability to go for "one" and just have "one" is lost in this country. Yet our brothers in the UK are quite capable of having a beer on their lunch break, and returning to work after, having just had a single drink.

There are some in the RDF who quite correctly believe the training day should be long. At the end of it, those on training, particularly recruits, should be too tired to go on the tear. However there are others, some holding positions that directly impact on the system of training who think that those on annual training, particularly recruits, should have plenty of time to "socialise" and "bond" with their fellow recruits.

It has often been said here, the RDF is not a social club.
However there is nothing wrong with having a beer or two to relax and wind down at the end of a tough days training. However for too long the FCA was the place where teenagers begun drinking. I fear that now the RDF has for whatever reason regained that title, only now they aren't beginning to drink while away on annual training, instead they are mastering the art of being Larger Louts during annual training.

All too often the BOS and Orderly officer end up acting as Babysitter for these people. This is not what they are supposed to be doing.

We need to take a long look at our drinking habits during annual training. Do we really need it? Why not leave the consumption of alcohol for the last night of camp only and spend the rest of the time training, or preparing for the following days training?

[riflemangundy]

Fair enough i recieved a bit of a warning from the mod. for my attitiude to this situation,, and he was dead right.
I was so mad to see this ,,well not mad more disaappointed like,, all the mammies wave off there young people when there off with the RDF but come end of training they can run free!!! Im aware this isnt the situ in all units.

If my lang. or attitude towards this subject has upset or maddened anybody i sincerely apologise.

Gundy

[Dazzler]

When I did my Recruit training last year on Bere Island, I didn't touch a Drop. I found it more fun to just have a laugh and drinking in the RDF (and in real life) invaribly leads to fights. I can and do go to the Mess for Just one Pint. (I had actually ran out of money so thats all I could afford but still.)

While there is no real need for alcohol it is a good thing for the DF. But as Goldie said its all about Moderation and most 17/18 year olds do not know how to drink in Moderation, They go out to get pissed. I personally don't see the point in not remembering the night before, (Even though it has happened on more than one occasion.) I prefer to have my few drinks and score with some random girl than to try and start fights!!!

[Hello Alaska]

If they're doing their Recruit Training, they shouldn't be allowed drink on Camp at all.

[fred the red]

If they're doing their Recruit Training, they shouldn't be allowed drink on Camp at all.

Very true our lot are not allowed untill the last night and then only if they are over eighteen.

[popeye]

NSR Recs are not allowed to drink on their Rec Training in line with the NS, They might be allowed to go to the mess on the last night but there would be a duty NCO in the mess with them to sort out any trouble. As has been rightly said most Recs are 17 and should not be drinking anyway. We are there to be trained and if Recs are all dying with hangovers what is the point in.
Officers and NCOs are to blame here not the Recs.

[hptmurphy]

I found over the last few years on camp the drinking culture got out of control and no amount of baby sitting was enough to control the situation.

Nothing wrongg with one or two after a hard days graft but even I had to give up on this one as there was no sense of moderation.

Some of the scenes I was witness to could only be compared with the days of the roman empire.

As far as I could see there was very little willingness from NCOs and officers to ensure their people were fit for a days work after a night on the tiles.

Personally I got to the stage where I encouraged work to continue as late into the evening as was feasible as I got pissed off trying to do work with people who were too hung over work properly.

I would be in favour of closing messes or working on a dry canteen basis until the last night and when the weeks work was done they could blow off some steam.

Trying to get people to function was a nightmare .

If the younger people can't show self retraint it should be forced upon them.

All this volunteer enthusiasm and student reserve is totally wasted if the people are going to spend their time wasted.

The drink culture within the reserve is out of control and the reprocussions are that those who try to do a days work are being undermined boith from above and below in the name of a few social drinks.

[Truck Driver]

Officers and NCOs are to blame here not the Recs.

In the case of recruits - that's true.

A Duty NCO should be on hand at all times out of hours with Recruts, so
a good call there.

They are there to complete basic training, and this does not
include basic training in getting locked.

Also agree that recruits should not have the time to drink during their training.

I' m all for earning the right for a few on the last night of camp.

But again, some run amok on the last night aswell.

[Dazzler]

I was on a Camp recently and I would see all the recruits out at night. I didn't have time to go to the mess Most nights because I had an inspection every morning so I was fixing up and Cleaning my Kit. (After a day of crawling through sheep shite and Muck.)

I don't see how recruits can have the time to get to the mess. In fairness though I think I know what recruits the OP is on about and I have to say during the day they had to carry bigger Packs than I did during recruit training on Bere!!! On bere last year I didn't even have CEFO and these guys were wearing CEMO alot of the time!!!

During my recruit camp last year it was the same for me as what I was doing this year. I would have to actually have as clean kit as humanly possible with a scrubber and some water!!!

[johnny no stars]

I was on a Camp recently and I would see all the recruits out at night. I didn't have time to go to the mess Most nights because I had an inspection every morning so I was fixing up and Cleaning my Kit. (After a day of crawling through sheep shite and Muck.)

I don't see how recruits can have the time to get to the mess. In fairness though I think I know what recruits the OP is on about and I have to say during the day they had to carry bigger Packs than I did during recruit training on Bere!!! On bere last year I didn't even have CEFO and these guys were wearing CEMO alot of the time!!!

During my recruit camp last year it was the same for me as what I was doing this year. I would have to actually have as clean kit as humanly possible with a scrubber and some water!!!

exact same situation I found myself in! About 16 recruits in my billet... only 2 of them ironed their uniforms and cleaned their boots every night. The rest had swimming trips, movie screenings, trips to newbridge, trips to the chipper and friendships with NCOs to build and so did.... nothing. Meanwhile I was busy sorting my kit out and not really left with time for the mess. Only had enough time to leave the billet on 2 nights out of 7.... including the very first night after a day of no training at all.....


why are recruits being treated like they're in daycare?!

[concussion]

why are recruits being treated like they're in daycare?!

Because those with responsibilities are afraid that recruits will be scared of or will report them for whatever they get away with. People should realise they are joining the RDF to be soldiers and should be treated as such.

[johnny no stars]

I was unaware that recruits could report NCOs for not polishing their boots for them, or for not taking them to the chipper, or for not showing them films every night....

[concussion]

I forgot to put laziness in there. If recruits don't bother polishing their boots or ironing their uniform after a days training it means they don't care about the inspection the next morning. This means their instructors either don't care about standards or they don't want to be mean to the poor darlings in case they get scared off or try to get away with a bullying allegation.

Don't twist what I was saying.

[johnny no stars]

so don't twist what I was saying