Afghanistan

[Muzzle]

Any PDF in Afghanistan atm? (just curious)

[andy]

correct me if I am wrong but I think there is 7 officers out there

[Come-quickly]

Its a staff cell of officers and Senior NCOs or at least it was, Im not sure if the deployments are still going.

[DeV]

Irish contingent serving with ISAF in Afghanistan consists of:

Lt Col - 1
Comdt - 3
NCOs - 3
Total - 7

(correct as at 30 June)

[irishrgr]

I went looking for them last year when I was in the neighbourhood, but no one there (ISAF) knew anything about the Irish contingent. Mind you there were quiet a few countries with small detachments like that, so no suprises.

However the tricolour was proudly flown at Bagram by a New York Reserve MP unit who are predominantly Irish/Americian. It lasted for a few months until they were told to take it down by HQ as it was giving the impression Ireland was providing the MP unit. The lads were very pround of their Irish heritige and it was great as the MP building was one of the first one's you saw as you walked off the flightline. I have a picture somewhere I'll try and post. Cheers, A

[ODIN]

There was an Irish contingent out there as I know a BSM who served out there but I thought it was only 4 people....i'll try find out more

[faughanballagh]

Originally posted by irishrgr

However the tricolour was proudly flown at Bagram by a New York Reserve MP unit who are predominantly Irish/Americian. It lasted for a few months until they were told to take it down by HQ as it was giving the impression Ireland was providing the MP unit. The lads were very pround of their Irish heritige and it was great as the MP building was one of the first one's you saw as you walked off the flightline. I have a picture somewhere I'll try and post. Cheers, A

I think you're referring to the 69th Infantry Regiment. They date back to the "Fighting 69th" of the Civil War, which was a regiment made up primarily of Irish immigrants.

[irishrgr]

tricolor

No, it was not the "Fightin' Irish" of the 69th. I went in and talked to the lads, they were an MP Company from the New York area, don't remember their exact unit, but not the 69th. Interestingly enough, later in my tour, I met a UN worker from Newry who had been a constable in the RUC. She said she felt safer unarmed in Afghanistan doing aid work than she ever did in the North.........