An Cosantóir

12 My career in the PDF began back in 1982 as a member of the 59th Cadet Class. Prior to this, I had served with the 22nd Inf Bn FCA in my home town of Ennis. After my commissioning, my initial appointments were with the 6th Inf Bn, the Army Ranger Wing and Military Intelligence, before moving to the Infantry School as an instructor. Later appointments included Company Commander and Second in Command in the 5th Inf Bn, Chief Instructor of the Cadet School, Head of European Security Section in Ops in DFHQ, Commandant of the UN Training School Ireland and CO of the Central Medical Unit. Before promotion to ACOS, my most recent appointment was Director of Strategic Planning, in which role I also acted as Senior Staff Officer to the Chief of Staff. To be promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and the position of ACOS in February 2020 was a matter of great pride for me, as soldiering was the Murphy family trade. My late father Christy served as an NCO before and during the Emergency (WWII), mostly in An Chéad Cathlán Coisithe in Galway. Several of his brothers also served in the DF and the British Army. My grandfather served as an NCO in the 1st Bn Royal Munster Fusiliers and was wounded in Gallipoli during WWI, while his brother in law (my granduncle) was sadly killed in France while serving with the 1st Bn Irish Guards. Having that family history behind me, I consider myself honoured to be given this appointment. In many ways, each of my appointments at the tactical, operational and strategic levels up to this point has prepared me for this role, as has working with magnificent teams of Irish personnel both at home and abroad. Some of my best memories are from my overseas service, which includes tours of duty in UNIFIL, UNOSOM II (Somalia), MINURSO (Western Sahara), UNTSO (Israel) and ONUCI (Ivory Coast). I also deployed twice with the EU, as Chief Intelligence Analyst with the Force HQ in Chad and more recently for two years in Brussels as Military Assistant to the Chairman of the EU Military Committee. Apart altogether from Covid (see separate article 'Protecting the Force'), the world around us is changing at a remarkable rate. During my time as ACOS, I will do my best to ensure that the DF continues to evolve and improve to reflect the world outside the barrack gate - not only to counter the threats we face, but to take advantage of the opportunities that are available, for example in training and education. Under the leadership of Training and Education Branch (DJ7) and the DFTC, we have never had as many personnel studying in third level institutions all over the country, and our in-house courses are second to none, a fact acknowledged by foreign students and assessors. In fact, some time ago the Secretary General of the Department of Education said that the DF were In conversation with Sgt Karl Byrne Photos by A/M Sam Gibney Brigadier General Adrian Ó Murchú BRIGADIER GENERAL ADRIAN Ó MURCHÚ, ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF (ACOS)

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