An Cosantóir

EDITORIAL Comdt David McKnight info@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5306 Sgt Karl Byrne (Stand in) connect@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5307 Cpl Lee Coyle (Overseas) journalist@military.ie A/M Sam Gibney photo@military.ie Cpl Martin Bennett subs@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5312 Mr Seán Shinnors Tony O'Brien Cover is provided by Pte Derek Feehan of the 3rd Infantry Battalion- @buckshee_visuals on instagram JM Publishing & Media Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Ireland Tel: +35315331911 Email: info@jmpublishing.ie www.jmpublishing.ie The fact that an article appears in this magazine does not indicate official approval of the views expressed by the author. © Published by OiC Public Relations Branch for the Defence Forces at DFHQ, Block 5, Ceannt Bks, DFTC, Curragh Camp, Co Kildare, Ireland. Tel: +353 (0)45 445312 Vacant Vacant admin@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5308 webmaster@military.ie +353 (0)45 44 5309 MANAGER: EDITOR: PHOTO/JOURNALIST: PHOTOGRAPHER: ADMIN NCO: MAGAZINE ARCHIVIST: CIVILIAN JOURNALIST: FRONT COVER DESIGNER/JOURNALIST:: DF/PR INFORMATION CPL: DF WEBMASTER: Hello, and welcome to our second issue of 2021, our 81st volume of the An Cosantóir magazine. As the year starts to fly past, we hope you are doing well and continuing to enjoy the magazine in its new format. Starting off the Magazine is a piece on our noticeboard page about the Defence Forces new brown issue boots, an interview by Tony O'Brien with CQMS Derek Stafford. Our On Parade pages are a look back at some of the best photographs of 2020, sadly we couldn't feature these in January's issue as their release fell past our design dates so we hope you enjoy them this month. We continue with Sgt Mick Lennon's Military Fitness feature, looking at how fitness classes in the DF can be conducted during the pandemic. Capt. Barry Jones of the Military Training School in the Air Corps College, provides us with an article on SERE in JPR, a very interesting read for the soldier in you. Moving on to page 14 is an interview by Tony O'Brien with Col Sean O'Keeffe (Rtd), a look at his career and life in the Defence Forces. Page 16, Tony continues his interviews with members of the DF, this time speaking to CPO/ EA (Chief Petty Officer Electrical Artificer) Patricia O'Sullivan of the Navy. Continuing with the Navy, Lt Cdr Cian Ó Mearáin & SCPO/ERA Ruairí de Barra provide us with an in-dept look at the new Naval Service Variant DPM which has recently come online for the Navy. Ollie O'Connor talks to Tony O'Brien about the O.N.E. and it's 70th Anniversary, talking through O.N.E.'s history and it's future endeavours in its service to retired and serving members of the Irish Defence Forces. Part 1 of Walking into a Healthy Lifestyle, on page 24, by Sgt Thomas Deveraux, looks at how to physically recover after a positive diagnosis and recovery from Covid-19. We know this article is gaining world-wide traction and we hope An Cosantóir readers can enjoy it and give it another push forward. With another Potential Officers Course on the horizon, and applicants putting their names forward for it, Capt. Gerry Duff provided us with an article looking back on his course the 10th POC in Earning it the Hardway. You can also read our regular pieces too, our People of the Defence Forces by our own Cpl Martin Bennett chats with Pte Nicky Lawless, Dirty Boots takes us to Coumshingaun Loop Walk, Comeragh Mountains in Waterford, and Headspace and Timing looks into the PSS (Personnel Support Service) and the services they provide. Our Curragh Pens competition continues this month, which is running for a limited time, and could see you win 1 of 5 unique handcrafted pens - kindly provided to us by Bill Dooley of Curragh Pens. See page 4 for further details. Many thanks to all our contributors and we hope to continue producing the magazine, that we know you've enjoyed over the years, throughout 2021. Request for Information I am creating a pictorial chronology of Women in the Defence Forces to mark 40 years of service. While the book will be predominately a photographic record, I'd also like to include some vignettes and anecdotal records of life in DF. Anybody who would like to be included in the book is strongly encouraged to make contact with me via renken91@gmail.com. The book will feature the following topics though this list is not exhaustive - early days following the foundation of the State, the Army Nursing Corps, change in legislation late 1970's, first eight cadets, first platoon, first apprentices, second platoon, integrated training from 1994, overseas, sport, family service (siblings, parent/daughter) and present day. I will need and would greatly appreciate members of the first two platoons from 1981 and 1990 to get in touch to educate me on their experiences as having joined in 94 myself I am somewhat familiar with life in DF since then! I would also like access to photos from those early days if people can share with me and I will conduct interviews with volunteers who are keen to be featured. This will be a publication that we can all take pride in and be a part of so I really would urge people to get in touch. My publication date is aimed at mid-Summer and by then hopefully we can hold an event to celebrate 40 years without Covid-19 spoiling play. Thanks in advance. Sgt Rena Kennedy «The soldier is the Army. No Army is better than its soldiers. The soldier is also a citizen. In fact, the highest obligation and privilege is that of bearing arms for one's country» – Gen. George S. Patton Sgt Karl Byrne – (Stand-in) Editor. Vacant

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