An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir May 2019 www.dfmagazine.ie 38 | BY SGT WAYNE FITZGERALD PHOTOS BY ARMN SAM GIBNEY O n Tuesday 16th April 2019, the Minister with Responsibil- ity for Defence Mr Paul Kehoe TD and the Defence Forces Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Mark Mellett DSM attended the commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the foundation of the Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) in the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Bks, Dublin. The minister also launched an employer en- gagement guide called the 'Reserve Defence Forces - Employer's Information Handbook' outlining the benefits of joining the Reserve Defence Forces for employers. Recruiting began in 1929 when the 1st City of Dublin Volunteer Reserve Battalion started up in Cathal Brugha Bks and Collins Bks, both in Dublin. Later a Volunteer Reserve Field Artillery Battery was created in Cork, while an Officer Training Corp was created in six universities. These reservists have played an essential role in assisting the Permanent Defence Forces over these nine decades in defending the State from the Emergency, up through the Troubles and in to the latest transitioning period of national security. Speaking at the event Minister Kehoe acknowledged the men and women who "selflessly give their spare time in the service of the State and are an integral part of Ireland's Defence capability." The Minister also referred to, "the changing Defence and Security environment and how the Reserve Defence Force continues to evolve in this context." The Minister continued, "the development path for the Reserve Defence Force is laid out in the White Paper on Defence (2015) and is recognised … that there are opportunities to harness specialist skills within the Reserve Defence Force in order to better effect the delivery of Ireland's defence capability." Since 1929 over 200,000 men and women have volunteered to serve in the RDF, they have come from all walks of life and from many different backgrounds. These reservists could be students, labourers, work in the pharmaceutical sector, they may be experts in cyber security in the IT sector, or academics with many a book published under their name – they have one thing in common – they all provide a wealth of knowledge, experience and skills which they bring to the Defence Forces. While also serving in the Reserve, they would have developed their own leadership, team-working and strategic planning skills that they have utilised in their own full-time employment or academic studies. The Employer Engagement Handbook, which outlines the ben- efits of joining the Reserve, is part of a Defence Forces campaign to develop a partnership with companies and institutions. Employers are being advised that by employing members of the Reserve they will be able to bring their skill-sets and training from their military service to their civilian work place. Minister Keogh spoke of the Employer Engagement Handbook, "I would encourage all employers of Reservists to support their employees by facilitating them where possible in terms of training obligations. I would also like to thank those employers who already facilitate their employees by granting them leave of absence in order for them to meet their Reserve training requirements." The Defence Forces Chief of Staff, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett DSM said in the introduction to the book, "One of the key compo- nents in the success of the Reserve Defence Force has always been the goodwill, support and encouragement of the nation's employers. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support to date; without which, it would not be possible for Reserve members to attain the high standards of training required to deliver an ap- propriate level of service to the State and its citizens." Reserve Defence Forces - Employer's Information Handbook can be downloaded here: www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/reserve- defence-forces/rdf-employers-information-handbook.pdf The 2019 Reserve Defence Forces Recruitment campaign is cur- rently underway. Further details can be found here: www.military. ie/en/careers/current-competitions/

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