An Cosantóir

| 15 www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE RSM Handover, UNDOF, to RSM Joe Skelly Medal Parade for UNDOF mission Dublin Guards Beggars Bush Handover Sgt Maj David O'Reilly enlisted in 1994 as an Infantryman and currently serves in the Army Forces Design Office. He has served at home as a Battalion and Brigade Sgt Maj and deployed both as a Inf Bn and Inf Gp Sgt Maj overseas. He has 30 years' service and served on 9 overseas missions. Sgt Maj O'Reilly holds a M.A. in Strategic Studies from UCC, a B.A in Defence Studies and Leadership from Carlow I.T. (now SETU) and a Diploma in Change Management. Ceremony and Ethic Ceremony and military ethic are the visible manifestations of military culture. They are important in building culture, climate and organisational identity. They also bring life to the Army and make it unique in Irish society. Ceremony and military ethic manifests in many ways, it is how we address each other, the paying of service customs, such as saluting and addressing ranks. It is how we celebrate a unit's achievement with parades such as a stand down parade, or when a unit deactivates from a deployment overseas. It is the artefacts we use and respect, such as Unit identification badges, Unit pennants, and the National flag. It is this organizational identity that is the high-level shared perspective of purpose, values and culture that guides the identity and behaviour of the Army. Culture is also a living piece and a constantly evolving piece, no organisation has the same culture of 100 or even 20 years ago. The modern era of media drives and short news cycles presents all militaries with a challenge of protecting their identity, history and traditions while developing new traditions. The Army has provided steadfast service to the Irish people and the sovereignty of the State through some of its darkest hours. It provided stability during sustained periods of Irish history, such as when the security of the State was challenged, by violence or through the pandemic. This adaptability by all leaders enhances the strategic utility to government. The role of an Army in a democratic society has changed little over time, ensuring the safety and sovereignty of the land, protecting the constitution, being apolitical with transparency and accountability. As a standard's driven organization, the Army must continue to evolve in order to recruit and train the next generation of the Army. The best recruiters of soldiers are soldiers. Disciplined, professional and excellent ambassadors of the Army. They in turn become walking billboards for the Army. We all as leaders must be proactive, reactive and most of all interactive in our roles as stewards of the Army. We must remember excellence is not a single act and people are our centre of gravity. As we prepare to enter a period of transformation, education and engagement will be key to successful change.

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