An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir September 2018 www.dfmagazine.ie 38 | NEIL RICHARDSON GENERAL SECRETARY RDFRA/1 MIC LIEUTENANT, ARMY RESERVE M y interest in the military came from an early age, when my grandmother would tell me stories about her father, who served in World War I. These stories, along with photographs and medals belonging to my great- grandfather, intrigued me. In addition, my family has a proud tradition of military service, with both of my grandfathers serving, and there is over 200 years' worth of service on my mother's and father's sides of the family. Coincidentally, my mother's father ended his service as a company sergeant in 6 Inf Bn, a unit that I would later serve with. I enlisted in April 2008 in 56 Res Inf Bn in Custume Bks, Ath- lone, and it wasn't really what I had expected. I had this image in my head that it would be non-stop shouting and screaming with intimidating people in charge, but instead it was friendly, with encouraging NCOs who threw in the occasional shout when needed. My interest in the military prompted me to do some research into my grandparents' military history, which then turned into researching other Irishmen who had served in the two world wars. This led to my decision to go back to college to do an MA in Military History and Strategic Studies in September 2015. Over the past number of years I also wrote three books on military history. I was really enjoying my time in the Reserves and in Novem- ber 2010 I completed my Potential NCOs course. Soon after, I successfully applied for a Potential Officers course and on completing that I was promoted to lieutenant in November 2012. With the re-org of the RDF in 2013 I was posted to C Coy, 6 Inf Bn, in Mulingar. Back in 2014, when I was working as a freelance lecturer in military history, doing talks at schools and libraries on WWI and WWII, I saw an advertisement for the job of general secretary of the Reserve Defence Forces Representative Association (RDFRA), based in the Curragh. The link between the Reserves and full- time employment attracted me to the job, so I applied for it and was the successful applicant, taking up the role that same year. My main role as general secretary is to be a link between RD- FRA and the civilian and military authorities. My tasks include helping to advance the policies of the association and its mem- bers and resolving any issues that our members come across. Over the last few years I have seen the introduction of the Single Force concept, which has worked well for a lot of PDF units and their RDF counterparts. (I, myself, had a great experi- ence on an exercise with PDF members on an Infantry Young Officers (YOs) course in 2015.) In January 2016 I transferred to 1 Mech Inf Coy in the DFTC. This move was made on the recommenda- tion of a friend who had told me about how great the units in the DFTC were and I wanted to be part of that. In the last two years since moving to the DFTC I have been involved in various train- ing exercises and courses, and am about to become the platoon commander for the latest RDF recruit platoon to go through the Curragh, which I am very much looking forward to. Outside the military I have begun my PhD in Military History, with my interest in the subject still very much alive. For more information on RDFRA, contact: RDFRA National Office, Clarke Bks, DFTC, Curragh Camp, Co Kildare; email neil.richard- son@rdfra.ie; phone +353 (0)45 45 6691; or visit www.rdfra.ie. BY CPL LEE COYLE

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