An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March / April 2023 www.military.ie/magazine 26 | INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE BY CAPT. AUSTIN DOYLE OF PR BRANCH PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CAPT. AUSTIN DOYLE I f there are Defence Forces Internal Messages you wish to have on CONNECT, published here or on militar y.ie please email internalcomms@military.ie CONNECT – Internal Comms app For many years our internal communications has not been to the standard we should expect of ourselves as a modern Defence Forces. In par ticular, our communication to those who are not desk based and who have no access to IKON or secure email. This message has been clearly communicated to the General Staff by our members. Purpose and Benef it: Through your personal devices, CONNEC T will provide Ser ving members of the PDF with timely and equal access to information regarding what 's happening in your unit, barracks, brigade, formation or ser vice and the Defence Forces as a whole. In doing this, the General Staf f want to give you a bet ter oppor tunit y to manage your careers and work life balance. You will not be able to be directly messaged through CONNEC T, you cannot be detailed for work through CONNEC T. You are in control of what spaces you follow from your barracks to over 20 interest groups (DF Soccer, DF orienteering etc). You are in control of your notif ications of the spaces you follow from push and email notif ications to no notif ications. Having analysed your feedback, the App will prioritise information regarding career management, courses, overseas opportunities, medical ser vices, personnel support ser vices, sports facilities and training opportunities. At time of writing the plat form is now open to personnel to register in the Air Corps, Naval Ser vice and 1 Brigade. We are launching to 2 Brigade, DF TC and DFHQ in the coming weeks. The Internal Comms team are visiting all locations throughout the DF holding briefs and looking for feedback. Look out for the posters and banners in your location with the QR code to register. The Colonel Michael Hefferon Memorial Scholarship The Colonel Michael Hef feron Memorial Scholarship in Irish Histor y in UCD will be awarded to a student registered to the MA in Irish Histor y. The scholarship has been proposed as a result of a generous bequest from the Hef feron family to suppor t the research of modern Irish histor y and specif ically to promote the use of archival sources in the Irish Militar y Archives. Colonel Michael Hef feron had a distinguished militar y career. He was commissioned into An Chéad Cath in 1933. His later roles included the Aide de Camp to President Seán T. O'Kelly and Commandant of the Militar y College at the Curragh. In 1963, Col Hef feron was appointed Director of Militar y Intelligence and in that capacit y, he had overall responsibilit y for the Defence Forces journal An Cosantóir. He was a key witness at the Arms Trial in 1970. He died in 1985 at the age of 75. More information about the Scholarship can be found here: https://www.ucd.ie/history/study/postgraduateprogrammes/ colonelmichaelhefferonmemorialscholarship/ 2023 Cadetship The 2023 Cadetship Competition is open for online applications. Eligible ser ving members should consider applying. Visit the careers page on w w w.militar y.ie and select the Cadetship Competition to f ind links to each ser vice terms and conditions. Ser ving members are eligible for bonus points at the inter view stage. Use the practice psychometric test link to assist with preparing for this competition. Update on the High Level Action Plan Update on the High Level Action Plan for the repor t on the Commission on the Defence Forces was published on the 23rd of March 2023. The repor t can be accessed through CONNEC T, IKON or militar y.ie. To date, 80% of the early actions have been completed, with substantial progress made on the remainder. This provides the building blocks for the development of a detailed implementation plan up to 2028. The development of the detailed implementation plan is currently at an advanced stage. DF Coaching and Mentorship Coaching and Mentoring are critically impor tant to the militar y, in order to bet ter equip its personnel to negotiate the challenges of the 21st centur y operating environment. DF personnel are encouraged to engage with this programme; Coaching and Mentorship application forms can be found on CONNEC T and IKON. D Ord – Uniform Update Uniforms and Clothing • Operational and Ser vice Dress Foot wear – Tender Ongoing • Ser vice Dress (SD1) Uniforms – Tender Ongoing. The Prior Information Notice (PIN) was published on the Of f icial Journal of the EU (OJEU) in Q1 2023 with the Request for Tender due to be published in Q2 2023. • Operational Uniforms – Pre-Tender Market Engagement is ongoing. It is anticipated that the PIN will be published in Q2 2023. Capability Development • Integrated Modular Body Armour System (IMBAS) – Tender ongoing. The Tender has progressed to stage t wo with the Request for Tender (RF T ) issued and the assessment scheduled for Q2/3 2023. Internal Comms App Now Live Download your App here: Scan QR code to register:

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