Morale in the Defence Forces?

[Goldie fish]

Deputy Willie O’Dea: I do not accept that morale is low in the Defence Forces. The Department of Defence has been very responsible in expenditure since the White Paper. It is probably the best behaved Department in the State from the point of view of public expenditure.

Willie says Morale isn't low in the DF. What do you thin?

[Bravo20]

Big time

[ZULU]

There's a lot more to Morale and Esprit de Corp than spending money and tight controls on the spending of money Willie O'Dea TD

[Barry]

Strange how he seems to think that capital expenditure is the only factor in morale. No point in having gucci new kit if you're spending 8 out of every 12 months overseas using it, and you're not getting the tech pay you're entitled to for using it because of the promotion ban.

[Dazzler]

Strange how he seems to think that capital expenditure is the only factor in morale. No point in having gucci new kit if you're spending 8 out of every 12 months overseas using it, and you're not getting the tech pay you're entitled to for using it because of the promotion ban.

Am I reading you wrong here? Gucci Kit is better over seas is it not?


And who spends 8 month's out of 12 overseas?


Don't they volunteer to go?


Would they not be making a rakeload of money if they spend that much time overseas?

[Truck Driver]

And who spends 8 month's out of 12 overseas?

http://forum.irishmilitaryonline.com...&postcount=954

As for morale in the DF, I reckon it's as bad as it was prior to the introduction of the 5 year
contracts for enlisted personnel

This recruitment ban could have major repercussions for the RDF aswell

Anecdotal evidence here and elsewhere shows that many long timers in the PDF are considering
jumping ship. The only thing holding them back would be the fact that there is not a hell
of a lot of available work out there...

[hedgehog]

AS an insider I can tell you that the day to day situation is pretty much the same as always

what is impacting on a lot of people is the uncertainity

no one can actually say whats going to happen

When will the promotion ban be lifted- will the grat be taxed- what baracks are going to be closed

if the Dept would only tell os now all in the one go

instead of slowly pulling the sticking plaster off- whip it off in one.


Willie,

quell the uncertainty- we are big boys we can take bad news
its the not knowing is killing us

[greyfox]

id agree with thinks been too drawn out i can only speak from the RDF side but it seem s to me like a death of a thousand cuts ,
id say morale is pretty much the same as it was amongst some , however it is at an all time low amongst ncos and officers , personally i dedicated a lot of time to the recruits this year and all my efforts were too no benefit , having to be present when they were told thanks but no thanks " was one of my most unpleasant days ever in the reserve ,
the uncertainty amongst those who's camps are on and off , and the uncertainty that there will be a reserve amongst even the officers is beginning to weigh heavy .:confused:

WILLY MORALE IS LOW IN THE RDF , join the forum and we will happily debate it

[Truck Driver]

WILLY MORALE IS LOW IN THE RDF , join the forum and we will happily debate it

Two hopes of that:

No hope and Bob has left town............

[Dazzler]

Was up at training the other night. Aside from those who are Recruits and on Career Courses we had 4 Gunners. Which is terrible given that we are supposed to be the Biggest Bty.

In fairness alot of the lads are doing their Leaving Cert's this year. But I don't know how many will come back after Camp this year. (Alot of them will probably go.)

[greyfox]

Two hopes of that:

No hope and Bob has left town............

willy left town long ago,
just cause he wants morale to be high in the defense forces does not mean it will be , he is saying that in a public service riddled with doubt and uncertainty that the defense forces is a shining beacon of high morale yet he is answering questions about disaffection in the reserve with last few weeks ,, what ever about political prowess , the man has balls of brass or a frontal lobotomy

if i could put myself in a PDF mans 24bs i could nt imagine my morale to be much higher ,

its hard to maintain interest in a reserve that is offering less and less especially for those not on a course as courses become rarer then interest will wain ,

[Truck Driver]

Was up at training the other night. Aside from those who are Recruits and on Career Courses we had 4 Gunners. Which is terrible given that we are supposed to be the Biggest Bty.

In fairness alot of the lads are doing their Leaving Cert's this year. But I don't know how many will come back after Camp this year. (Alot of them will probably go.)

Similar story with us - not a whole lot of Ptes on parade with us either - bus at least it was
at least double the numbers you referred to - and NONE of the Ptes in question are doing
the LC.

Recruits are a different matter, though.

Thankfully we got approx 14 attested before the axe fell.
Army numbers back and all - hopefully getting them kitted out next week...

Regarding your comment about people not coming abck after Annual Training, I would
make one or two points on this:

• It is down to your brass to make the unit as attractive as possible to retain the personnel
  (variety of training, etc.)

• Are these people aware that should they leave, they will not be coming back to the RDF
  again in a hurry (even if they have ambitions to enlist in a DIFFERENT unit) ?

• Are personnel aware that their lack of attendance will work against the possibility of them
  qualifying for the (untaxed) grat ?

[hedgehog]

when you say left

Do you mean

they actually went on their ticket

or were transfered

[Cosantor]

I think Dwight D. Eisenhower said it best - " The best morale exists when you never hear the word mentioned. When you hear it it's usually lousy"

[Dazzler]

Similar story with us - not a whole lot of Ptes on parade with us either - bus at least it was
at least double the numbers you referred to - and NONE of the Ptes in question are doing
the LC.

Recruits are a different matter, though.

Thankfully we got approx 14 attested before the axe fell.
Army numbers back and all - hopefully getting them kitted out next week...

Regarding your comment about people not coming abck after Annual Training, I would
make one or two points on this:

• It is down to your brass to make the unit as attractive as possible to retain the personnel
  (variety of training, etc.)

• Are these people aware that should they leave, they will not be coming back to the RDF
  again in a hurry (even if they have ambitions to enlist in a DIFFERENT unit) ?

• Are personnel aware that their lack of attendance will work against the possibility of them
  qualifying for the (untaxed) grat ?

I just think a good few will not be regular attenders when college starts. I will be quite surprized if half the current 2*'s come back after the Leaving. I am hopeful, but still.

There were actually enough NCO's up that night though to have 2 NCO's and 1 Officer to every Gnr!!! But Still those of us who were up are now training for a bit more of a specialist job for summer camp which is good.