New blood

[Shaz]

Alright lads and ladies, I'd like to start by saying hi to all of you and that I am proudly signing up for general service this year. I just have a few questions for all of the experienced service men and women among you.

1. I have only just recently sent in my application and am awaiting word on fitness test, medical and interview.. Do you have any tips for them?

2. Is the recruit camp based in a dedicated training centre or is it held in the closest camp or any camp around the country?

3. This is more a question from my girlfriend haha - Do you get leave at any stage during recruit training to go home?

4. I didn't think I had tue qualifications to apply for a cadetship but I would like to rise through the ranks, is this possible? And if so how far can you ascend?

5. After passing out is it possible to get transferred to a preferred camp?

6. Are there many opportunities for courses? I.e sniper, marksman, driving, cooking etc

7. I would love to serve overseas, what is it like?

Thanks for your patience with my relatively big/annoying post and I hope I can get at least a few of them answered. Incase you guys are wondering I'm a 23 year old chap with a taste for promotion living in drogheda ( I couldn't find an introduction page ) anyway thanks in advance.

Shaz

[hedgehog]

Welcome Shaz and best of luck with your enlistment-

sorry to hear your from Drogheda, but there is creams and therapy that can help.

before the resident ogre's pounce on you mate- have a look through the site

and you will find most of your fears (and your birds) are covered-

if not throw in more questions and there are plenty of lads willing to help you out

with the answers. And dont be afraid to ask a thick question.

[Craghopper]

There is no Mas bas or Cooke allowed in Recruit Trg.... Only Mars bars and coke


If you get the East, you'll train in the East.. Unless due to the small intake they train them all together.. But You'll more than likely get the East because your from the East.. They are normally accommodating....

Cathal Brugha Bks in Rathmines or Gormonstown ... You'll get weekend leave (sat morning to Sunday Night.) but that is dependant on the Training Staff.


If and when you pass out you can apply for most courses.. and you can apply for all the Corp specific related ones to your Corp.. So yes you can apply for Sniper if your in Inf/Arty/Cav.. Never heard of any other Corp get a snipers cse.. open to correction there.


There is no overseas at the minute but next year I believe there will be overseas again next year.. so late 2011 you'll be able to apply for overseas... (after Training)

[SwiftandSure]

Ah, new blood, the thing this forum has been crying out for! Personnally I encourage you ask all the questions you have, I'm sure a lot of lads on here won't tire of dispensing their advice.
I'm no authority on anything PDF related, so I can't help you there; but best of luck with your enlistment and please let us know how you get on.

[luchi]

before the resident ogre's pounce on you mate-

Pot kettle black

Shaz: Beware!!!!

Good luck

[The Prisoner]

Given the unemployment levels and the budget cuts I would say that there will be a lot of people looking for very few places, certainly over the next 12/18 months.

Work on your fitness. Get the details of the tests and train hard, pass easy. In the run up to the medical, no drink, fags or loud music/noise.

The interview will very important. HH has some good pointers on another thread.

Put a lot of effort and time into your application. You may only get the one chance.

Prepare properly for the interview. During the interview engage fully with the interviewers, this your chance to sell yourself. Come across as honest, hard working, team player, dependable, willing and eager to learn and better yourself, etc. etc. All stock answers I know but this IMHO this is what's needed.

And best of luck.

The recruits are the most important people in the PDF.

[Shaz]

Ah cheers for the info lads, and the odd sarcastic comment lol! Ah hedge I know up there in Dublin yous rather use needles than cream haha! All questions were answered bar one which is info on rising through the ranks and how far one could potentially achieve... On the fitness side of things I work out in the gym four times a week for two hours a day so I should be fine, maybe I'll start doing a few laps during the weekend... Anyone know the amount of laps of a football pitch is 1.5 mile?

[RoyalGreenJacket]

Shaz - good luck in your application mate.

Hedgie - don't worry - he is all yours and i'll leave him alone unless things don't work out but hopefully he finds a place in the Irish DF.

once again Shaz - good luck - you have made a fantastic decision to join the Irish DF.

all the best pal.

[Big Al]

I would strongly suggest that while you are on recruit training your girlfriend signs up for the IMO lonely spouse club, she'll be well minded :D

[DeV]

With regard to promotion, we you sign the contract you sign for 5 years (extendable to 12 years).

For most you can only serve beyond that if you are promoted to Corporal, you could get as far as Battalion Sergeant Major but potentially be commissoned (if you get a cadetship (possible for personnel already serving) or IF there is another Commissioned From Ranks scheme)).

Bear in mind there is a promotion ban across the public service (including the DF) until the end of this year.

[hedgehog]

Prisoner raises a good point about the fitness training-

Recruits are pulled crooked with so many things out of their control

however if one has trained properly prior to enlistment- then general fitness shouldnt be a problem.

Dont even bother turning up unless you can do the basic fitness tes- check the web site for details.

from now - go out every day and do a good bloody run- aim for 4 miles- 2 out 2 back

run what you can- then walk- but make sure that every day you are walking less- at this stage dont worry about speed-

once you finished your run- drop and count out 20 proper press ups- everyone can do 100 shite P Ups

dont bother your bollox doing bad ones-

every day add 1 press up to your total so that in 1 month you should be comfortable doing 50 per session

do the same with sit ups-

you will find loads of info on warming up and stretching etc on the web or your nearest gym.

Once your running comfortably- up your speed - a bit at a time- fartlek training is great for this-

a lad I was training told me that he used to run listening to a certain album- his fartlek was per song- 1 song normal - 1 song fast- 1 song for hills etc

that way when I was training him and I would be doing interval training- he would in his mind sing his fast song and it made it that much easier for him-

the weather is fine- your arse is large- the parks and pressups are free- off you go/

[Shaz]

That's some good advice and info lads, thanks alot! It's nice to know the range of which I can get promoted. I know it's very hard to get promoted and I have alot of respect for higher ranks and I should make it my goal to achieve what they have, and more if possible.

On the fitness side of things I'm sure I'll do fine, ive been going to the gym for years 4 days a week so if keep doing what I'm doing I'll have no problem with the fitness test. I'm just home from the gym today and I did a mock test and did 1.5 mile in 11 mins... That's after a week of training the shit outta me legs so granted I can do better with more training and a days rest before the test.

Once again thanks for the info lads, I really appreciate it. The DF's comradary never fails

[California Tanker]

You're doomed.. DOOMED!!! Muahahahahahaha!!!!

NTM

[paul]

You're doomed.. DOOMED!!! Muahahahahahaha!!!!

NTM

I like your style

[Shaz]

What happens next?

Hey guys as mist if you know I've signed up for the DF a while ago and am just curious what happens after the application is sent off?

How long before I get word that I am actually a candidate?

How long before testing starts?

How long before I am in training after initial tests?

I'm not being impatient, I would just like to know so I can plan around work and holidays.