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 96th Cadetship class commissioning ceremony on Collins Bks Square Photographer A/M Sam Gibney 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 third issue of 2021, our 81 st volume of the An Cosantóir magazine. As the year continues to fly past us, we hope you are doing well and continuing to enjoy the magazine in its new format. This issue's Noticeboard contains a challenge piece with the ARW Foreman Aftman test walk, are you tough enough? Our On Parade features 118Bn UNIFIL pictures along with an NCO's course passing out parade in Cathal Brugha Bks, as well as the 63rd INF GP's Mission Readiness Exercise. Our first feature is a double piece about the DF Commission by Tony O'Brien, who gives us a report on the Commission from his independent point of view and then on P11 reports on the DF Podcast from Adrian O'Driscoll, who heads up the Commission. Lt Cdr Mary Lane of the Navy, gives us an interview on her career so far in the Irish Defence Forces as a Naval Officer of 19 years. Neonatal Air Ambulance looks back on one of the many heli ambulance trips that the Air Corps has undertaken, as Lt Col David Browne talks about his task to bring a new-born baby over to London for an operation in Great Ormond hospital. Lt David Kelly provides us with an insight into the missions of the BSG in UNIFIL, in particular the water tankers and their crew. In RDF Covid Response, Tony O'Brien speaks with Dr Mathew McCauley, also a serving Comdt in the Army Reserve. Mathew speaks about the Army Reserve's response to the Covid crisis and about his own career to date. In Cadetship 2019 - 2021 we have a feature about what it's like to participate in Cadetship training from three different perspectives. The ARW has provided us with an article on SOFEVAL, Special Operations Evaluation, an insight into the up-to date practices of the ARW training. This issue we have an article from May 2001 about the Gustav submachine gun. Part 2 of Walking into a Healthy Lifestyle from Sgt Thomas Deveraux features on pages 24-25. Pte Lukasz Gancarz provides us with a very interesting interview with an American helicopter pilot from the Vietnam War in Chickenhawk. Along with all these features you'll also find our regulars, Headspace and Timing from PSS, Internal Comms from Lt Austin Doyle, Military Fitness from Sgt Mick Lennon and our Book Reviews. Our Curragh Pens competition continues this month, which is running for a limited time, and could see you win one of five 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 1970s, 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. «To command is to serve, nothing more and nothing less» – Andre Malraux Sgt Karl Byrne – (Stand-in) Editor. Vacant

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