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continued from previous page visit us at www.military.ie Chief of Staff as I retire this August. There is no greater honour for any Irishman or Irishwoman then to lead Irish Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen or Airwomen. For me as Chief of Staff the support and dedication that I have received from each and every member of the Defence Forces in the last three years has been truly humbling. Despite the testing times we have come through, the duty, honour and loyalty of every member of Óglaigh na hÉireann has been a constant strength to me and for that I express my deep gratitude. I wish you, your families and your loved ones all the best for the future and I sincerely thank you for your work during my time as Chief of Staff. 108 Bn T he 108 Bn, seen here on their ministerial review, will be the last IRISHFINN Bn with Ireland as the lead nation. The 332 Irish troops, mainly from 1 Bde, will be augmented by 170 Finnish troops. The Battalion took over operational responsibility on the 16 May. The rotation after this will see Finland becoming the lead nation with a corresponding increase in Finnish numbers and a decrease in Irish personnel. UNIFIL began in 1978, however the current IRISHFINN Operation began in 2011 with the 104 Inf Bn. At present, with the 330 already deployed, we have 19 personnel in UNIFIL HQ and 8 in Sector West HQ. Béir Bua ! T his years An Cosantóir 10KM Road Race will hopefully be one the largest in the history of the Defence Forces. All former members of the organisation are invited back for the Race and we are also expecting a record number of block entries. Scheduled for Wednesday 2nd October in the Phoenix Park, the entry fee for the race will remain at €10. The deadline for applications is 25th September; no entries after that will be accepted and any stragglers on the day will not be timed or receive a goody bag, but will still pay a fee of €5 to participate in the race. Application forms will be available on the internet, intranet and through your BPEO from July. .308 Accuracy Refit T he DF have received the first rifles from the refurbishment programme for the Accuracy International AW .308" Sniper Rifle. All the rifles were thoroughly inspected by the manufacturer and firing train components, minor springs, pins, worn components, barrels and locking rings replaced where required. The rifles have also been upgraded with the fitment of an improved double baffle muzzle brake which further reduces recoil and is designed to accept a slip-on moderator without necessitating removal of the brake; the application of a black 'Tuffride' finish to the action assembly and the barrels have been repainted black; a STANAG 4694 rail fitment to the receiver and a single foreend 90mm accessory rail (LHS) all contained in a new 'Explorer' transit case Promoted in the field! Sgt Alan Smith (MP Grp DFTC) receiving his third stripe in EUTM, Somalia. with new cleaning kits and magazines. A folding butt-stock with adjustable cheekpiece completes the package which will make the rifle easier to transport in confined spaces such as armoured vehicles or aircraft. The roll-out of the refurbished rifles to units will commence shortly.

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