Defence Forces Stand Ready, Willing and Able to Assist.

[trellheim]

The Sunday papers ( POST IIRC ) led with PDFORRAs claim for ATCA.... ohhhh yeaaaahhhhh.

[Truck Driver]

Or hit with one...

I like this idea better...

[Flamingo]

There was soldiers clearing ice at Heuston station yesterday. A guy decided to tell them they were doing it wrong. It was suggested he would be issued with a shovel.

Or hit with one...

[Victor]

ATCA should be only in real emegencies and try and be as differeniated/specialist as possible. Lads out shovelling snow is greatly appreciated and well done to them but you're right that soldiers are not auxiallry council workers and shouldn't be viewed as such.

There was soldiers clearing ice at Heuston station yesterday. A guy decided to tell them they were doing it wrong. It was suggested he would be issued with a shovel.

[Jessup]

Could be going to back to the 70s & 80s - maintenance of essential services

We don't want that!!!!!!

Or out fire beating in Kilworth..........on DF and non DF land!

[hedgehog]

I think the Chief and all the lads on top

should be stressing that this is merely

because its an emergency and it shouldnt be the norm.

Do we really want to go back to the days when Soldiers were sent out to help landowners

with their harvest and bringing in turf.

The lads are Soldiers first and foremost and sin a bfhuil.

[DeV]

The DF are doing a bang up job

and to be fair I am sure the lads would prefer to be home with their loved ones

but orders are orders;

One major thing that worries me is

if the DF do such a good job on this and the flooding etc

the govt and the general public will see them either not as soldiers but as all around handymen

to be used when ever and what ever the govt or local authority needs

or the govt and joe public will erode the role of what a soldier is and say yeah its great to have

a whole lot of dogs bodies on standby for what ever may come and them lads even can carry weapons

if needst be,

I am not being a scrooge- but I think the DF should pull back slightly before the thin end of the wedge

goes through the eye of the needle and eaten bread is soon forgotten

meaning the bird in the bush etc etc

Could be going to back to the 70s & 80s - maintenance of essential services


We don't want that!!!!!!

[Jessup]

HA HA! Get rid of USAC and the pension too EXCEPT for those who have already benifitted.

[hedgehog]

We'll agree on this one

Forget that

get them lazy soldiers out on the street.

[Jessup]

We'll agree on this one. The entire ATCP and ATCA has to be a finely balanced approach. "Not too much, not too little, just right".

ATCA should be only in real emegencies and try and be as differeniated/specialist as possible. Lads out shovelling snow is greatly appreciated and well done to them but you're right that soldiers are not auxiallry council workers and shouldn't be viewed as such.

There seems to have been a very deliberate partnership with the HSE using 4X4s to ferry staff to hospital and transport medicines. That's a little more specialist with vehicles, skills and coordination and more likely to be in support of "real emergencies" at hospitals and also the homes of those who need the medicine.

[hedgehog]

The DF are doing a bang up job

and to be fair I am sure the lads would prefer to be home with their loved ones

but orders are orders;

One major thing that worries me is

if the DF do such a good job on this and the flooding etc

the govt and the general public will see them either not as soldiers but as all around handymen

to be used when ever and what ever the govt or local authority needs

or the govt and joe public will erode the role of what a soldier is and say yeah its great to have

a whole lot of dogs bodies on standby for what ever may come and them lads even can carry weapons

if needst be,

I am not being a scrooge- but I think the DF should pull back slightly before the thin end of the wedge

goes through the eye of the needle and eaten bread is soon forgotten

meaning the bird in the bush etc etc

[Jessup]

There's a very good picture on the Air Corps Flickr site of two TCVs clearing snow in Baldo.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/irishaircorps/5222959185/

Does anyone know any info about the snow ploughs attached to the front of the TCVs?

Are they temporary fittings?

Does the vehicle require any special modifications for fitting?

How long does fitting/unfitting take?

Any idea on a unit cost (how much cheaper would one without the spray be)?

The DF is getting very good PR at the moment as they did during the floods. The could do more then and now IF the Government spent some money smartly on some pieces of contingency kit. What about a few of these tucked away in each barracks well greased up and protected for that "snowy day". It would be a lot cheaper than the loss to the economy with all the carry on at the moment?

[Truck Driver]

That notice comes across as if troops on standby in barracks did nothing. From my own experience in my Unit, standby troops were guaranteed to be out during the day clearing paths in various places, then confined to barracks for the night and usually a few lads were caught to be up at silly o clock to bring HSE staff to work.

That's not even including the drivers in the Unit that were working ridiculous hours, they got absolutely rode.


The DOD are ****ing flutes.

Yep, the Vikings got a mention on the Six One news last night (a Lt was interviewed on
College Green)

[Hello Alaska]

That notice comes across as if troops on standby in barracks did nothing. From my own experience in my Unit, standby troops were guaranteed to be out during the day clearing paths in various places, then confined to barracks for the night and usually a few lads were caught to be up at silly o clock to bring HSE staff to work.

That's not even including the drivers in the Unit that were working ridiculous hours, they got absolutely rode.


The DOD are ****ing flutes.

[DeV]

Bad conditions are back.....and DOD are arguing over money
http://pdforra.ie/news/?p=505