An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March 2020 www.dfmagazine.ie 38 | STEVEN CANAVAN DFTC HQ SUPPORT TPR PHOTOS BY SGT KARL BYRNE S teven started in the Defence Forces in August of 2007, training in the 1st Air Defence Regiment (1 ADR), Plun- kett Bks, DFTC. He continued on to do his 3* cse in the 1ADR, and to then serve with the ADR for a number of years. He is currently working in Ceannt NCO's in the DFTC. Steven is 1 of 7 children, 6 of which were adopted by his parents into the family. Steven himself was born in Romania and was adopted, along with another child, by his parents when he was 3 years old. He grew up in Garryhill, Bagnesltown, Co. Carlow. He has one young daughter who is 4 years old. While serving in 1 ADR, Steven did a number of courses, namely an EL 70 gunner's course in 2008, a HMG Course in the ADR role in the same year and an RBS 70 aimers course in 2009. He also served overseas in 2008/09 with the 98 INF BN EUFOR TCHAD. During the rest of his time in the 1 ADR Steven would have spent a lot of his early career, in between courses and overseas, doing cash/prisoner escorts, barrack duties and being used as part of the exercise troops for career courses in the NCO TW. Steven moved on from the 1 ADR and moved into the Envi- ronmental section on detachment from the 1 ADR in 2011. His job in the Environmental section was essentially main- taining the Camp, clearly fallen trees from storms, clearing leaf litter, emptying bins, general maintenance of bushes and shrubs, fixing fences. He also did a level 1 chainsaw course with Coillte, essential for the kind of work he needed to carry out on a daily basis, "it was an extremely busy job, especially during the winter months when storms were more prominent". After the reorg in 2012 and disbandment of 1 ADR, Steven was initially posted to what was the 3BN B Coy, now 1 Mech- anised Infantry Company (1 MIC), for a brief period of around 3 weeks before being permanently posted to 1 Armoured Cavalry Squadron (1ACS). In the 1 ACS Steven completed a number of courses including a basic Recce course, a number of driving courses including Nissan Pajero, transit minibus, truck, Mowag and LTAV courses and also a dispatch riders course. He also completed a gunner course on the Mowag, the HMG and 40mm grenade launcher as part of it. "Of all the course I did in the 1 ACS the basic recce was the hardest, but thoroughly satisfying to pass, it was a very proud thing for me to complete". In 2017 Steven went to Syria with the 56 INF GP UNDOF, he really enjoyed that trip, his appointment as a mowag driver gave him the opportunity to be the car commander of the mowag ambulance on occasion. Almost a year after that trip Steven was afforded the opportunity in November 2018 to apply for the current position he is in at the moment within DFTC HQ Support as Ceannt NCO's mess staff. Stevens job in the mess is extremely varied, his main job Monday to Friday in general maintenance of the Mess. This includes cleaning and preparing the mess for the coffee breaks for the mess members ensuring its at a high standard of cleanliness, including toilets and the other facilities such as the snooker room and T.V. room. As well as that he need to ensure the mess grounds are taken care of, this includes maintaining the garden, bushes and grass areas, speaking of this Steven said "because of the amount of sheep that make their way into the camp, I'll often have to fix the fences as they man- age to push their way into them, damaging them". Another part of Stevens job would be assisting the main barman when they have functions, pulling pints and serving drinks, taking in cash, clearing tables etc., either during the week but mainly at the weekends, this might mean on the Mon- day after a weekend of functions that the mess would need extra attention. On top of all these responsibilities some- times Stevens job would consist of signing in orders that are being delivered to the Mess during the week, checking them off and reporting to his superiors of the situation with the orders. Speaking of the Army Steven said that it had really ma- tured him and made him grow up, it gave him independence from his family. Of his current job he said "I really like it, it's a relaxed environment, but can also be very demanding with the amount of work that needs to be done". He says his current job he feels has opened up opportunities that could lead him into a job after his Defence Forces career ends, as he says "I now have experience of bar work, serving drinks, taking in cash, taking in big orders from deliveries, everything you'd need to move on from the Defence Forces".

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