RDFRA Motions 2012 - discuss

[Cryos]

Folks..
Can you not see the Government is getting damn all back from the existence of the
Reserves, the Naval Reserve sublement the fulltimers on the Vessels, i believe..
However what in the name of Jaysus do the Army reserves do...
the VFM report should be interesting...
By the way i spend nearly 20 in the FCA/RDF and comparing to what the Garda Reserves do, there's a big difference..
Garda Reserves turn up mainly on a friday or a Saturday night which can be busy, get their €1,000 a year..whereas you could turn up for weekend and get marked in for 8 hours..might be a paid weekend or mightn't...

Nice fancy motions but tell me i'm wrong the RDFRA is peopled by older members and for the most part RDF Officers..
i would love to see the RDF as been usefull for doing something beside Guard duties for the PDF..but the Cival Defence are more hands on...

Wow talk about sweeping statements; Btw do i write the Chief of staff or Michael D Higgins to tell him i never got my commissioning papers ? Im a "young" Unit Rep in the RDFRA and let me say this, its a far different organization than it was!

Sure you could say that the Gov gets SFA back from the DF as a whole ? You cannot compare the Garda Reserve to the DF, AGS Provide front line services which are visible to the public; Half the fellas in the RDF are running this country in their civi lifes! If after 20 years you could not see what value the FCA/RDF provide i would be very shocked; You sit there and talk with some of the old PDF skins and ask them about the RDF you might get a very different story.

I know what the Army Reserve does, most of the people in the DF know what the reserve does and in the coming years the reserve may have to do alot more with alot less.

Im a proud member of the reserve and i cannot believe someone is telling me the countless hours i put in is not value for money, i pay around 6k in tax each year and i have to buy my own Private Health insurance, same for my pension; Are you telling me that i haven't earned the 400 a year i get off the DF of my own money?

[Docman]

Folks..
Can you not see the Government is getting damn all back from the existence of the
Reserves, the Naval Reserve sublement the fulltimers on the Vessels, i believe..
However what in the name of Jaysus do the Army reserves do...

i would love to see the RDF as been usefull for doing something beside Guard duties for the PDF..but the Cival Defence are more hands on...

It isn't what they do or don't do - it is what they are ALLOWED to do. It is easy to say that an organisation has no value for money when any chance they have of showing that value is prevented from happening.

I'm sure if the PDF was confined to barracks with no ATCP, overseas or emergency role, out of sight and out of mind, there would be major Qs as to their value.
But we all know the value of the PDF because of all the roles and jobs that they do perform. The RDF has a lot of potential value but is not allowed to show it.

Why, well that is is another question.

[Goldie fish]

Folks..


Nice fancy motions but tell me i'm wrong the RDFRA is peopled by older members and for the most part RDF Officers..
i would love to see the RDF as been usefull for doing something beside Guard duties for the PDF..but the Cival Defence are more hands on...

You are wrong.

[ollie]

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to negotiate with the Department of Defence an end to the promotion embargo on the reserve forces and allow all outstanding promotions ASAP Probably no movement until after the VFM report

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to negotiate with the Department of Defence a recruitment drive for the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve. same as above

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to negotiate with the Department of Defence the provision of a training centre for displaced reservists in Mullingar without further delay no problem with this except should ve been dealt with by now.

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to negotiate with the Department of Defence to ensure that the training hours that could not be fulfilled by membership of No. 3 Gun Battery 54 RAR due to the closure of Columb Barracks Mullingar will be allowed these hours in lieu thus allowing for qualification for gratuity. [COMPOSITE MOTION SUGGESTED] reasonable request due to the circumstances

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to ensure that the training hours that could not be fulfilled by the membership of our battery due to the local barracks closing will be allotted these hours in lieu and qualify for gratuity. [COMPOSITE MOTION SUGGESTED] as above

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to negotiate with the Department of Defence to ensure that the training hours that could not be fulfilled by members due to the closure of Barracks will be allowed these hours in lieu, thus allowing for qualification for gratuity. THIS IS THE PROPOSED COMPOSITE MOTION reasonable request if applied to those with a record of attending and not just applied to all

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to engage with the relevant authorities to progress the payment of tech pay for all relevant members of the RDF as per CS4 should be the case already, if they are entitled to it.

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to negotiatewith the Military Authorities that any recruitment to the RDF in the future would be carried out separately to the PDF, and that potential recruits enlisted to the RDF would not be eligible for employment in the PDF until a twelve month training period had elapsed. posted my thoughts already, non runner imo

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to engage with the Military Authorities that sufficient qualified Medical Personnel are available to conduct approved medicals for recruits and course participants in the future for all formations in a timely manner no issue with this, if there are qualified people to do so

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to ensure that the current rural based sub units of the reserve defence force are retained, and where the reorganisation of the Defence Forces takes place that no effect is inflicted on the sub units concerned. No action till post VFM, imo such units are living on borrowed time

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to commence discussions with the Department of Defence & the Military Authorities to prevent the reoccurrence of the problems in communication that led to the late announcement of mandays for recruitment and prevented potential recruits from attending training periods within formations WTF ??

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to engage with the military authorities to ensure that adequate staffing levels for administrative purposes be maintained for RDF sub units after the proposed reorganisation of the defence forces and the current level of retirements from the current PDF cadre. Dept looking to reduce cadre no increase

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to help get outstanding FCA medals issued to our members. This was AN ISSUE when i left 4 years ago and its still one ?

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to pursue the issue of the new RDF service medal be issued to all members of the Reserve that have 7 years service since 1 October 2005 has the new medal even been minted yet or what exactly is the issue ?

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to liaise with the Military Authorities to ensure that all personnel who currently qualify for Annual Training Camps and courses next year will be facilitated, given the current mandate that all personnel over the age of forty years must have an annual medical completed prior to presenting for training camps. looks to me like someone is looking for a way to get those who are unfit and wont pass the medical onto camp anyway

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to enter into negotiations with the Military Authorities to ensure that all senior NCO vacancies available to trained and experienced personnel should not be blocked by the appointment of a retiring PDF NCO. explain this to me please ?

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to reduce the RDFRA membership fee from 4.5% to 2% from 2012 until the current austerity have receded sufficiently to allow for a review and to allow members and potential members a more competitive organization for the future. already posted about this

my 2 cents worth

[Docman]

The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to pursue the issue of the new RDF service medal be issued to all members of the Reserve that have 7 years service since 1 October 2005 has the new medal even been minted yet or what exactly is the issue ?

I have a letter dated 2010 saying the new RDF Service Medal was already being manufactured and would be ready for issue "shortly".

[ollie]

I have a letter dated 2010 saying the new RDF Service Medal was already being manufactured and would be ready for issue "shortly".

The great thing about "shortly" is that it can mean minutes, days, or for the DF, years

[Greengiant]

Why didn't the integrated sections take off, i was involved in that, early 2007, it was what the RDF should be all about..getting fit and been able to jump into the PDF role as practical as possible..
i believe it is now mandatory to have the IT's (fitness tests/runs etc) done before you are allowed on a promotional or career course...should have been done ages ago..look at the Army Reserve over in the UK, (formally TA)..start the evening with a parade do your training and end it with a run! ..(well that's what we used to do in the late 80's in Cardiff) could have changed..

in reply to the above , ya the motions are great, but the Govt is starving the Org of recruits..

even to get your service medal is hard work!

National Executive Committee is full of older men! i wouldn't say auld fellas for the most part
who don't represent the type of people who would naturally be in a reserve defense forces i.e. younger males and females..

i am sorry to say, but most people think the RDF is a bit of crack and you do feck all except dress up and drink!

but when it comes to your AGM, Shatter will be down there in the Curragh or wherever and praising ya, and saying he believes in the concept, but not backing ya!

[Greengiant]

Wow talk about sweeping statements; Btw do i write the Chief of staff or Michael D Higgins to tell him i never got my commissioning papers ? Im a "young" Unit Rep in the RDFRA and let me say this, its a far different organization than it was!

Sure you could say that the Gov gets SFA back from the DF as a whole ? You cannot compare the Garda Reserve to the DF, AGS Provide front line services which are visible to the public; Half the fellas in the RDF are running this country in their civi lifes! If after 20 years you could not see what value the FCA/RDF provide i would be very shocked; You sit there and talk with some of the old PDF skins and ask them about the RDF you might get a very different story.

I know what the Army Reserve does, most of the people in the DF know what the reserve does and in the coming years the reserve may have to do alot more with alot less.

Im a proud member of the reserve and i cannot believe someone is telling me the countless hours i put in is not value for money, i pay around 6k in tax each year and i have to buy my own Private Health insurance, same for my pension; Are you telling me that i haven't earned the 400 a year i get off the DF of my own money?

how are half of the RDF members running the country, and we all, who work pay tax and VHI or whatever,
so how are you different?

the Garda Reserve is part time as is the RDF! thats the comparision!

what i seen is come back after Camp in Sept, do some training till Christmas, prepare for the ARPs and the ranges around Jan/Feb and then, its preparing for Camp and maybe a few weekends thrown in! f wheres the VFM, please

[Truck Driver]

....but when it comes to your AGM, Shatter will be down there in the Curragh or wherever and praising ya, and saying he believes in the concept, but not backing ya!

Would doubt that - a full Minister of Defence has not attended the RDFRA AGM in God knows how long, the Minister of State at DoD usually gets handed the responsibility
Ditto for RDF Officer commissioning ceremonies

[Bravo20]

Actually the Minister has been at the last two (Killeen & Shatter), unusual I know but he showed up.

[Sluggie]

Originally Posted by ollie
The Annual Delegate Conference directs the National Executive to pursue the issue of the new RDF service medal be issued to all members of the Reserve that have 7 years service since 1 October 2005 has the new medal even been minted yet or what exactly is the issue ?

I have a letter dated 2010 saying the new RDF Service Medal was already being manufactured and would be ready for issue "shortly".

I think the new medal is already available. My reading of the motion is it is an attempt by the bling faction to get issued a second medal. ie the old medal for FCA service and the New one for "RDF" service.

[Goldie fish]

The same crowd were pushing for an FCA stand down medal.

[Big Al]

I think 17 would be suicide for the organisation.

Vote YES to proposition 17

[Sluggie]

The same crowd were pushing for an FCA stand down medal.

I'll check it out later but I would bet a considerable sum that this motion originates from the same (artillery) unit as every other motion regarding medals that has ever been raised.

A one-man obsession that gives the impression that the entire organisation wants to be turned out like North Korean generals.

[Sluggie]

Careful, he posts here!

Don't worry. I know that.