Re: The Irish Defence Force's role's
850 overseas + another 850 training and preparing to go overseas + the previous 850, many on leave with their families = approx 2,250 involved in UN duty. Personnel on standby in case the This post will be deleted if not edited to remove bad language hit’s the fan overseas and reinforcements are needed asap.
Overseas in min 6 months and can be extended to 7 months. Some missions are a year overseas.
Someone asked what the army did during the year, here are some of the many tasks carried out, taken from a report in 2003
12% of overall strength either entering or exiting the PDF in a year.
618 recruited in a 2003 who have to be trained. Takes the best part of a year to train a soldier to the basic standard.
2,669 on training and career courses, these can vary from weeks to six months.
Now add in the instructors etc to the above totals.
Also we train foreign troops how to be peacekeepers at the UN school in the Curragh.
Members serve with NGO’s in Africa and south and central America
Numbers in major military field exercises in 2003 = 2,895
Non Border operations
Security of key installations, (Government buildings, Portlaoise prison and hospital, central bank, explosive factory at enfield and Dublin docklands during the loading and unloading of munitions etc.) = 2,140 parties (parties could be anything up to 30 strong)
Patrols of other installations, (RTE, CIE, fuel storage, prisons, courts, airports, docklands etc ) = 1,156 patrols
Bomb squad (EOD) = 79 call outs then add to this the anthrax scares etc
As for the border remember the Real IRA and Continuity IRA are still around and do you want an Omagh style bombing here in the south? Hence troops needed to watch the border area. And Mr Bin Laden is still alive and kicking, recent TV reports suggest that extremists are here recruiting and fundraising in Ireland. If those boys decide to kick off we will all be screaming for the army to save our asses.
Ranger Wing etc to deal with a hostage rescue. Could you picture the Guards trying to do that. Rangers need a large pool of potential recruits (ie soldiers) and the number that pass each selection is about 5 people if there very lucky.
Details of military assistance to Civil Authorities in 2003 (2002 remember the foot and mouth)
January to March
Ambulance Strike An emergency ambulance service was provided to Midlands Health Board
Cover providing cover to Longford, Tullamore, Mullingar, Birr and Portalington regions.
January to February
Fire Strike Cover Provision of Defence Forces fire tenders and crews in the Lifford and Bridgend areas of Co. Donegal during UK fire strikes.
January
Flats Lift Dispute Provision of technical services providing continuous lift repairs & maintenance in the Ballymun Flat Complex – Dublin.
January
Flood Relief Flood water engineering and relief assistance to Letterkenny General Hospital.
April
Forest/Gorse Fires Assistance in fighting forest/gorse fires in Galway and Co. Wicklow areas.
May to July Ambulance Strike Cover Provision on emergency ambulance service to South East Health Board to cover strike.
October to November
Landslide Provision of assistance to Galway Co. Council with regard to bog slide at Derrybrin, Gort, Co. Galway.
If the bin collectors, postmen, ambulance, fire, etc. etc. go on strike who do you call on = the army
Also remember the blue flue when the Garda went sick who stepped in = army
At the rate Limerick is going we will need troops there to keep the peace.
Not forgetting the bank escorts & Prisoner escorts = 24,951 man days
Explosives for mining construction usually requires military personnel, to make sure someone does not blow themselves or half the countryside up in 2002 = 1,545 man days
Guarding of barracks usually is shifts lasting 24 hours
Not forgetting Shannon 2003, Mayday and EU enlargement, and that muppet Bush.
Participation in major ceremonial events = 5,981 personnel
Number of military band engagements in 2003 = 535 (A lot if these were military but many of these were free public recitals, festivals and school concerts)
And on top of all that soldiers get annual holidays like everyone else.
The price waterhouse report recommended some changes etc and 2,500 jobs went along with at least six barracks. About 100 civil servants went as well. An entire layer of red tape and pen pushing was cut out leading to a major increase in efficiency.
Name another government organ that could do with less pen pushing? Health anyone?
Last time I checked the 40 hour week does not apply. Also on overseas or on exercises you are never really off duty. When you look at the pay rates do not divide by 40 hours a week try about 72.
If a soldier fails the drugs test = lose job
If a soldier fails the fitness test, and does not pass in set time frame = lose job
If a soldier is medically unfit for an extended period = lose job
A soldier no longer has a job for life but can be out after 12 years or less.
In fact the army is considered a tad over stretched at the moment so there will be an extra few thousand integrated reservists to help with the day to day items at weekends and short periods overseas and you can only go overseas for 6 months so many times before the spouse/partner and children start to kick up! LOL
Remember when you need us or the government calls we will be there and do our very best to help and defend up.
PS A lot of the army's training and infantry equipment is designed with Guerrilla fighting in mind. Numbers are important but the real difference in battle is training and equipment.