An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir May / June 2024 www.military.ie/magazine 14 | T he Army is the land power of the Defence Forces charged with defending the constitution and carrying out the will of a democratically elected Government within a legal framework. Guardianship of an Army, a traditional profession built on customs and traditions presents many challenges in modern Ireland, when analysed through the kaleidoscope of the profession itself and the professional it aims to produce. The Army has a unique place in Irish society, and a current theme of relevance may challenge the Army, however current changes in the international geopolitical environment has again refocused the mind-set of many, especially the political leaders of Europe. The Irish Army is not just for fighting wars, it is the guarantor of the constitution. It is the spine of national resilience, tasked with supporting the Government and the people of Ireland. This essay will examine three areas of importance to our Army: 1) Volunteerism, 2) Stewarding of the Army, 3) Ceremony and Ethic. Volunteerism While many Political leaders in Europe actively consider conscription as a tool to enlarge their armies, Ireland has never engaged in conscription. Volunteerism has always and will remain a key corner stone of the Irish Army from its inception in 1922 as the National Army to what endures today. The Army has always been a reflection of Irish society. Its rich history is an intertwined piece of Irish fabric and a bedrock of the constitution since the foundation of the state. In the words of General Richard Mulcahy who wrote in 1922, 'Óglaigh na hÉireann has been the people, is the people and will be the people. Our green uniform does not make us less the people. It is a cloak of our service, a curtailer of our weaknesses, and an amplifier of our strengths.' Changes in Irish society, generational desires and personal worldviews influences the way an Army recruits and the profession therefore manifests. The Irish Army recruits Soldiers from Irish society and at the end of their service, they will return to Irish society. Our tradition of volunteerism has been on display throughout the fine history of the Irish Army, both at home and while deployed overseas on missions. Stewarding of the Army Professional military education and a commitment to learning gives our soldiers strength, who not alone must be capable of using force but also be diplomats and scholars. Another competitive advantage comes from having diverse backgrounds, it gives us the important neurodiversity required for the many cognitive challenges the Army currently faces and will potentially meet into the future, and this also further enhances our reflection of society. Our past, present and future must continue to be a roadmap of evolution. The ethos and values, of the Army are nothing new; they have served us well in the past and will continue to provide a useful handrail going forward. Ireland as a nation also exports its core values, both in times of conflict and peace, through the deployment of the Army around the world. It is our ability to learn from actions both at home and overseas on operations, that provides a gateway to improve how we educate, train, and adjust our culture to reflect a modern society within the context of legal, moral and the ethical boundaries of both our Army and that of people of Ireland. The Army has a unique culture, reinforced by the shared values of respect, loyalty, selflessness, physical courage, moral courage and integrity. These organisational values are the canons from which the Army develops a united, professionally trained, competent and capable Army serving the interests of Ireland. In homing in on The DF values, they also serve as cardinal points to align our personal moral compass with the moral compass of the Defence Forces, and those of you involved in navigation will know we have to continually I.C.E our compass. So in essence, these values are a useful way of aligning yourself with the Army and its cultural ethos. The reinforcement of a values based system lends to both Organisational Identification; a 'What we stand for' to Organizational Citizen Behaviour; 'How we behave.' The heart of stewardship lies in everyone buying into the set standards, enforcing them, and nurturing the next generation of soldiers to add to the Army tradition. It is the leaders at all echelons of the Irish Army, who are accountable for stewarding the military values based system and profession. Our profession also requires a system of self-policing that qualifies whom we access, retain and promote. We are trusted with the protection of our Nation and we are rightly held accountable for that trust. As a professional Army, it is the high quality training and education of all personnel that ensures the Army as a profession is competent in its core function, ensuring every Soldier is very proud to wear our uniform. The Army as a profession rests on continuously recruiting, developing and mentoring soldiers to become leaders, capable of instilling an Army ethic and values into the next generation of Army professionals. Our professionalism must allow us to maintain the trust of the Irish people while developing and training the future soldiers and leaders, who in turn build healthy climates and do not tolerate harmful behaviour. The Army must continue to produce disciplined capable intelligent servant. THE STRENGTH OF AN ARMY IS IN ITS SOLDIERS ARTICLE BY BSM DAVID O'REILLY, IN A CONTINUATION OF OUR LEADERSHIP SERIES PHOTOS BY BSM DAVID O'REILLY Multinational Parade in UNDOF Hermon Hotel

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