An Cosantóir

| 15 www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE COMO BY CAPT TOMMY MONAHAN COMO were heavily engaged this year in workforce planning to support the DF's 2023 transformation programme, including the conduct of associated officer promotion competitions and management of officer appointments. The sanction of 44 new officer appointments throughout the year, beginning with the creation of the appointment of Director of Reserve Affairs, precipitated a large volume of consequential vacancies across multiple promotion streams and ranks. This required extensive work on regulatory provisions for promotions into new streams. COMO also staffed work on the allocation of new appointments across all services and promotion streams, work that will continue in 2024 and beyond as further appointments are sanctioned. These changes were reflected in an exceptionally high volume of officer promotion competitions conducted across all three services, with 25 separate competitions conducted in 2023, up from 10 in 2022. In addition, a larger than usual volume of specialist appointments boards were convened for the Corps of Engineers, DF Legal Services Branch and CIS Corps, to allow these specialist Corps and Branches to staff new and anticipated appointments. COMO also conducted a large number of EOIs in 2023 for non-promotion appointments into new CODF vacancies as well as pre-existing vacancies, including JITC Student Counsellor, LO to DF Ombudsman, OIC Printing Press, Cadet Class Officer, POC officer staff, as well as for courses such as the CIS YOs, PCBC and diplomas in mentoring run through third-level institutions. In addition to CODF related work and promotion competitions, COMO processed a number of applications for permanent commissions for re-joiner officers as they came towards the end of their initial three-year contract. A total of eight (8) re-joiner officers were awarded permanent commissions in 2023. As part of the revitalisation of the Reserve Defence Forces, COMO was involved in the conduct of RDF promotion competitions. Following on from the publication of the new DFR R5 in 2022, GRO 01/2022 provided administrative underpinning for the conduct of Lt – Capt competitions, the first such competitions run in almost a decade. 1 Bde and 2 Bde competitions have now concluded and the DFTC competition is ongoing. In April a Comdt - Lt Col competition was conducted in the DFTC and an officer successfully promoted. Planning is currently underway for the conduct of a Capt – Comdt competition in 2024. 2023 also saw renewed interest in applications for the First Line Reserve from officers who voluntarily retired during the year. On foot of recommendation for the revitalisation the FLR, three (3) army officers were appointed during 2023, the first army officers appointed in over a decade. Several other applications are in process and COMO will work closely with ORA on the development of the FLR going forward. On the COMO overseas desk, routine selection of officers for overseas was conducted in addition to selection for the EUBG. 2023 saw an increase in the number of personnel deployed on EUMAM-UA and a drawdown of Irish deployment to EUTM. Several staff rotations occurred in COMO in 2023; most notably OIC COMO Brendan McGovern who retired from the Defence Forces in November 2023. He is replaced by Comdt Kieran Moynihan. CEREMONIAL BY COMDT KATE HANRAHAN The Defence Forces participated in over 30 significant military and State ceremonial events in 2023. State ceremonial honours were afforded on the occasion of the Official Visit to Ireland of The President of The United States in April. Ceremonial honours were also afforded on the occasion of the State visit to Ireland of the President of Malta in March. A Ceremony of Reconciliation and Remembrance of All Those Who Lost Their Lives in the Irish Civil War took place in The Garden of Remembrance, Dublin in May at which the Taoiseach and Tánaiste attended. The Defence Forces participated in the National Famine Commemoration, held this year in Milford, Co Donegal in May at which the President attended. The Defence Forces celebrated Veterans' Day in McKee Barracks in October where members of ONE, IUNVA and ARCO paraded along with Unit Veteran Associations. The Defence Forces Remembrance Ceremony was held at The National Memorial, Merrion Square in November to remember the eight (8) members of the Defence Forces who lost their lives in the past 12 months. As part of this ceremony the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence and families of the deceased laid wreaths at The National Memorial. The Defence Forces participated in the annual State commemoration ceremonies, including the commemoration of the 107th anniversary of the Easter Rising at the GPO, O'Connell Street; the 1916 Leaders Commemoration at Arbour Hill and at the National Day of Commemoration in Collins Barracks, Cork. Four (4) Ministerial reviews for overseas contingents took place throughout the country to mark their departure for peacekeeping duties with UNDOF and UNIFIL. J1 took the lead in the ceremony for the rededication of the Defence Forces Plot in Glasnevin Cemetery on the 30 Jul 2023. The National Army plot contains the remains of some 180 of the estimated 810 National Army soldiers who died in service to the state during the Civil War. The remains of others lie in graveyards across the island of Ireland. Until the 30 Jul there had been NO dedicated memorial to their memory. The monument took its inspiration from the national flag, following its proportions and tricolour division. Centred on the design of the 1913 Irish Volunteers/Óglaigh na hÉireann emblem, which represents the sunburst of the Fianna and encapsulates Irelands long martial traditions. The emblem has been darkened in mourning, a tradition dating to the funeral of General Michael Collins and continued to this day. RECRUITMENT & COMPETITIONS During 2023, Recruitment & Competitions Section have conducted 32 different competitions across the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps. This is broken down into internal competitions for members of the Defence Forces such as Trainee Technician Schemes and external recruitment campaigns including Recruits, Cadetships, AC Technicians, NS Direct Entry, Re-Commissioning & Re-Enlistment etc. In 2023, some of the major changes made by R&C section to streamline the recruitment process include the introduction of the RAG (Red, Amber, Green) grading for induction fitness testing, increase in the age for enlistment as a recruit to 29, the introduction of the Self Declaration Medical Questionnaire in lieu of a GP Cert and additional supports to potential candidates surrounding the completion of psychometric testing. In June, R&C Section in conjunction with the Naval Service and external media partners launched the 'BE MORE' Naval Service Recruitment advertisement which has been running on national and regional media across TV, Radio, Print and Social Media. Rededication of the Defence Forces Plot in Glasnevin Cemetery on the 30 Jul 2023 Veterans Parade which took place recently in McKee Barracks, Dublin

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