Is it time for RDFRA to pack it in and Disband?

[Docman]

Given what has been discussed in this Thread, is it time for RDFRA to call it a day?

http://forum.irishmilitaryonline.com/showthread.php?p=230776#post230776

[johnny no stars]

I voted no, simply on the basis that it's always better to have some voice rather than none.

[GINGER ALERT]

I voted no as I believe that we need people to voice concerns and keep on eye on matters.

[Bravo20]

Docman, the money maker statement is not appropriate. You are involved you know that is not the case.

[trellheim]

wtf ? did I miss something ? where the hell did all this come from ?

RDFRA represents us. There's no-one else. After talking to Renmore last week and being openly sneered at by civil servants I realize once more the utter contempt and failure to comprehend what we do by the DOD .

and what's the moneymaker thing all about anyway ?


that said the one big thing for me was no employment protection for overseas and going overseas with a black beret. It is open to the DOD to do it right - and they are wilfully doing it in a method designed to fail and we should have gone to the barricades on this. [ What's worse is that it wouldn't cost them as much and they will get many more soldiers out there, therefore a larger group to play on the stage ]


In "Yes Minister" speak this is known as playing the man and not the ball

[Chief Bubblewrap]

No, definitely not.

There may be problems with it (I can't really comment due to ignorance) but the RDFRA is there for the sole purpose to improve the quality of service for reservists. I've taken enough shit over the recent years to from both the PDF and RDF to have a lot of respect to anyone or any organisation which tries to improve any aspect of my service.

I have no time for the anti-RDFRA crowd who wobble round poking fun at people who are endeavouring to help them.

I appreciate the work that the RDFRA are doing and I will continue to pay my €6

[Bosco]

I voted no,better the gobshite you know....
My expectations of them are always low so they generally cant help but achieve i.e. the same way you would expect a monkey with an inner ear imbalance to fall off of a branch low.

[GINGER ALERT]

I would like to ask Docman where in RDFRA do people make money. If you are on a Bde Committee and this is how he feel about RDFRA why don't you step down from the committee.

[turbocalves]

i voted yes.

because in all honesty I distrust politicians and in my eyes the RDFRA are politicians in green berets......

[hptmurphy]

If you are on a Bde Committee and this is how he feel about RDFRA why don't you step down from the committee

.

Because as an elected representitive he is trying to implement change.

A voice in the wilderness perhaps but at least by getting elected to comitee level he has made the effort to at least try.

He deserves respect for at least having the bollocks to try and be heard.

How many have the courage of their convictions to take his place and least try to make them selves heard on behalf of tyhose who possibly don't agree with what the organistion has become.

[hedgehog]

exactly 1.5 seconds after the first motion calling for the Disbandonment of RDFRA

the lads in the Dept will be high 5ing each other

dont disband

find out whats wrong and regroup

[irishmilitaria]

No it's not.

Having RDFRA there is better than nothing at all.

RDFRA is it's own worst enemy.

A combination of infighting, not keeping the members's informed of what's happening, arse licking and high fiving the DOD and the MA rather than putting it up to them from the very start and a certain element of the top table being more concerned with their own public image and getting into as many photos as possible rather than what the grassroots think has led RDFRA to be where it is at this moment in time.

RDFRA can be good, it should be good but will it have the balls to do anything about where it is at the moment.......well we'll have to wait and see. You would never think it anyway by reading the RDFRA website at the moment.

But one thing is for certain.....if RDFRA is not seen to be fighting for and keeping members informed about the whole grat issue, then it's as good as dead in the water and so far on this issue, the amount of information posted on the website in relation to the issue is abysmal. In fact, the whole Christmas message thing on the website gets more attention with both the RDFRA President and General Secretary high fiving and brown nosing the MA and the DOD when they should be making it known in no uncertain terms that the war is not over yet in relation to grat but instead it makes it sound like everything is ok. Talk about rubbing member's noses in it.

[Vickers]

When the representative bodies were formed I personally, was very much against them. It just was not military. It was against what I had been taught i.e. that leaders were responsible for the welfare of their troops. I later realised that they had an important role, mainly because the powers that be, both military and DoD were not doing their job. RACO and PDFORRA appear, from an outsiders view, to be able to hold their own. RDFRA does not. As an association it just needs to grow balls.

I voted No.

[cooley]

I would not favour disbanding this or any of the representative associations. Most don't realise that what they (RACO, PDFORRA, RDFRA) have done for their members. RDFRA are not perfect and don't have the experience of their PDF counterparts which puts them at a disadvantage but it would be better to have them than not.

[Goldie fish]

I remember there was a time when some members of the GS didn't feel the GRA was adequately representing the ordinary Dublin Garda. So they set up a new organisation(which was technically illegal) known as the Garda Federation.
To shorten a short story, the Fed vanished, but the GRA made more of an effort. They had become complacent. These days, the minute there is any negative publicity about the GS, a GRA member is there all over the media, defending them to the last.
But I see where Docman is coming from. Rather than shouting from the rooftops at how the DoD are ignoring the genuine concerns of the RDF membership, the President is telling us all how everything is great. We all know this is not the case. Compare this to the christmas greetings of his counterparts in SIPTU, PDFORRA or the GRA. Few of them will tell their membership "everything is going great, the bosses are fabulous".