An Cosantóir

19 Aviva Covid Centre from the very start of its establishment. After an outbreak of the COVID-19 in Ireland, for one of the first times since the Single Force Concept was introduced and formation of the RDF, unit's soldiers were deployed in areas of their civilian expertise. Troops with medical experience were deployed to serve with the Health Services Executive Staff in clinical care, testing and later vaccination centers. Many troops were dispatched to man the contact tracing duties. Soldiers with press and media experience, myself included, were enrolled to serve within the Joint Task Force Offices Headquarters in McKee Barracks in Dublin. The JTFHQ Commanding Officer was then General Brigadier Seán Clancy, now in the rank of Lieutenant General, Chief of Staff. Soldiers of all ranks came together to fill in the Barracks Guard Duties, to allow the PDF element of the 7th Infantry to assist the Civil Authorities with other COVID related duties. For months both PDF and RDF troops assisted Aer Lingus and HSE, with logistic duties during the Personal Protective Equipment deliveries, so vital for the fight against the pandemic. When the numbers of COVID cases began to fall, the PDF increased its training operations for both currently serving staff and the Recruits to the force. Army Reserves soldiers stepped up to the task of providing support personnel to a wide range of exercises, from the basic level ones for the PDF Recruits, to the Senior NCO course, where the members of the 7th Infantry AR together with their PDF counterparts got a unique chance to take part in "on the ground" training and exercise elements with SNCO's of all formations and most significantly, the Army Ranger Wing. This exercise, proven that with the level of training and experience obtained in the 7th Infantry, Reservists can not only support high-level exercises and courses, but benefit from extra training, which it provides. During the SNCO course, soldiers took part as an exercise troop, who were being used by the senior NCOs to tackle various scenarios, testing their knowledge and leadership abilities. Scenarios consisted of casualty evacuation under fire and in rough terrain, convoys including MOVAGs and with elements of ambushes, taking and escorting Prisoners of War and nighttime operations. The base for the training was set in the Kilworth FOB, which mimics the setup seen on overseas missions, when soldiers were tasked with a regular routine, such as guard and patrol duties. Another big exercise, which concluded the training program of the new PDF soldiers, was the assault on Dublin Port, where 7th Infantry AR provided personnel, who covered the role of the enemy party. The D company was with the Recruits from their very first field exercises to their final major deployment in a training scenario. From its own personnel, 7 D company 7 Infantry soldiers will become Commissioned Officers in the Army Reserve. Two more Privates decided to join the ranks of the PDF and are now serving in the Ordnance and in the Air Corps as Officers. With new AR recruits joining the basic training program, the 7th Infantry Army Reserve will continue to proudly serve the state by aiding the civil Authorities and will provide support to its PDF colleagues. The Army Reserves soldiers worked way over 3000 man days in various deployments within and outside of the force. Collectively the 2020 and 2021 proved that the Army Reserve soldiers are way more than capable of not only working arm to arm with their full-time colleagues, but most importantly, they can support the civil authorities in all areas from logistics, admin support and medical. Members of 7 Inf Bn, D Coy, posing for a photo before a navigational exercise as part of the Jadotville Challenge Members of O.N.E, in support of the Jadotville Challenge, posing for a photo at the Defence Forces memorial at Merrion Square THE YEAR OF JADOTVILLE TIGERS Jadotville Cycle Challenge members posing for a photo in Custume Bks, Athlone before their combined 24,000 kms Jadotville Challenge competitors look over the map on a navigation exercise in Kilbride camp area Members of 7 Inf Bn, D Coy, and the winning team posing for a group photo after a map reading event

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