Pots Course MKII

[FMolloy]

Perhaps there's a need for a regulation stipulating that relatives of officers or senior NCO's are prohibited from joining the same unit as them except under certain circumstances (e.g. it's the only unit around).

[maverick]

As much as I don't like to see this happening, I feel that restricting the joining of a unit would be a tad unreasonable. As is the case in many units around the country, there is a strong family tradition present, in my own unit, the father of the current C/O was the C/O donkeys years ago. I reckon it's up to the NCOs to make their feelings heard to the B/S or higher, after all it's the NCOs that are going to be the ones compensating for incompetent colleagues when it comes down to training.

[FMolloy]

I agree with you Maverick, there is strong family connections in certain units and that's a good thing. But it seems most of the members I've talked to have stories of a similar nature, my own battalion is no exception. A friend of mine was in the cav for a while. He was due to sit his driving test when he was bumped so the CO's son could do his.

Is nepotism as endemic as I think it is? If it is then something official has to be done.

[Infy]

i know of a fella down the country who left the rdf joined another branch of the df got medically discharged and because daddy was high up he got back into the rdf and held the same rank. whats that about, i mean the regs for enlistment state that you cannot join if you have been previously discharged on medical reasons.
If the regs arent being adhered to whats the point in having them. if thats the case we could all wake up CO's in the morning just cos someone else was looking out for you.

[Big Al]

There is a lot of truth in
"its not what you know its who you know"

why should the army be any different?

though i do think that a Sgt after 2 years should stand out a mile, and is a little too obvious.

[Guest]

Ever heard of reverse nepotism, my relation left the unit and only then zoomed from A/B to PO (3 star to Sergeant).

With regard to promoting pubescent corporals, have a care when it comes to integrating with the PDF. In the NS the youngest LS would be 25 or 26, don't know about the army, but do you really think they will take a 19 yr old with two stripes seriously?:confused:

[EagleEye]

Well i did my Pot's course with the individual in question and i can tell you that he stood out a mile, but again nobody was able to say anything to this guy because of who his dad was. It was a joke some of us had up to 6 years pervious experience before this course and then you had the likes of this guy coming straight in, "the back door" you could say ! And again i know people from my unit that did their standards course with him and it was the same story. How could you really have respect for somebody like this. Was he just being groomed for the Cadets ??

[Big Al]

I would assume that he was been groomed for the cadets but surely the interviewers must have seen something odd when a sgt with 3 years of experience turned up?

[sparks]

"though i do think that a Sgt after 2 years should stand out a mile, and is a little too obvious."

I Know an individual who zoomed up the ranks, Rec, 2*, 3*, Cpl, acting Sgt(no course)and finally 2/LT. Not bad in 5 years and nothing to do with the fact she was engaged to the cadre QM son.

[Infy]

wouldnt think so nepotism whats that!

[maverick]

I wouldn't see that as being groomed for the cadets myself, if anything, he would just see the NCO ranks as absolute crap and have no respect for them. It should be a unified team effort.

Looks to me like token segreants and corporals are the norm in a lot of units nowadays anyway. In my unit alone there are a number of people of both genders that hold rank which they are totally unqualified for, god only knows how they passed their pNCO courses.

EagleEye, one of the pots that did our course has recovered fully from his course injury and is currently teaching recruits the right turn at the halt "taraigh airm de reir uimhreacha, tairigh airm haon...", "on recieving the command I imediately forced my body through an angle of 90 degrees to the right..." oh the joy of it all.

Whoever started this post in the first place, you shouldn't be worried about your pots course, on courses like that you will always have individuals that excel and others that do not, thing is at the end of the day both types end up being the same rank. It's true.

[Khumbu]

I am just wondering, Has anybody out there ever heard of anybody failing a POT's course? i certainly haven't....mmmmmmm .......... that says alot...... or maybe we are just soooo brilliant and of a great standard.......mmmmm ....Whats that you say?....... but what about fat-lard-ass Seargent bloggs, the 3 armed, two headed goat who has the IQ of a goldfish, answer= daddy has friends!!!!!!

Oh ya , i noticed earlier that someone suggested that you had to apply to do a POT's course. Is this true? i never heard of that one, i thought you had to be nominated . If thats the case, i could have been an NCO a lot sooner than this. I was offered a place,(after 6 years of service) and didnt even know you could apply (thats if you can)
.

I agree with Maverick on the whole "token" seargents and corporals, i have seen certain individuals get promotion for absolutely no apparent reason (ie it wasnt based on there own merits). they were just given stripes coz they were in the unit so long, or they were short a couple of females, or daddy had friends in high places.
But i dont begrude them, the only thing i dont really like, is that i have the embarrssment of wearing the same rank markings as them. Its kinda de-grading...... LOL............... seriously

[Earhart]

As far as I am aware the regulations still say that a person is to be promoted on years of service as opposed to merit! The good NCO's will always shine anyways!

In regards to that young student on the Standards course: he gave grief one day because a female MP stopped us leaving barracks. He didn't think that she had the right to prevent us from going to the shop without a pass!!!! It got better and better.


Maverick: Everyone makes mistakes and that corporal has been under my strict supervision for the last while and has not instructed recruits to turn using the command 'tarraigh airm do reir uimhreacha' yet.

[Loque]

The real problem with these token NCO's is that the good NCO's often fell they have to cover for these morons, this only makes their incompetence less apparent to Officers and other NCO's. Inexperienced NCO's should be helped but spoon-fed so that they eventually "cop-on" to themselves.
An NCO should prove him/herself as a an asset to their unit, they form it's backbone.
There should be 2-3 year time of satisfactory service before a PTE be sent on a PNCO course, after all these days a recruit can go from 2* to 3* in one year.
There should also be 3-4 year time of satisfactory service before a CPL should be promoted to SGT, this is long enough to weed out the wasters who are hanging around for "Service Stripes" from the dedicted CPL's.

[Infy]

heard of one nearly failing a training nco said he had the forms wrote up to fail her but after genlte/loads of persuasion he had to let her stay