An Cosantóir

www.military PART TIME FULL ON An Cosantóir March / April 2025 www.military.ie/magazine 12 | H aving previously served in D Company 62 Battalion, I rejoined the Army Reserve in 2023 under the previous service application scheme, this time, joining 2 Brigade Transport Company based in Cathal Brugha Barracks. Training began as part of a joint recruit platoon under the current combined recruit syllabus for Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve recruits. The platoon was drawn from a range of units, including Transport, Cavalry, Communications and Information Services, Central Medical Unit, and Dublin Unit NSR recruits. Due to direct recruitment by corps, there was a greater age range, with many recruits working in established professions that aligned with their chosen Corps. The platoon comprised of people born in Ireland, Albania, Canada, Russia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Induction training began at the end of 2023, followed by recruit training in early 2024. Training quickly focused on weapons, starting with the Steyr, followed by the GPMG. My first observation this time around was the change in modules at each stage, from recruitment through induction to formal recruit training. Recruits were provided with a clear syllabus, training objectives, and learning outcomes, along with greater awareness of the requirements at each stage. One thing that has not changed is the time and commitment of the Officers and NCOs at every training evening or weekend. Serving in the Reserve, regardless of your role or unit, is a serious time commitment and often underestimated. In June 2024, the platoon completed two weeks of full-time training at the Defence Forces Training Centre and five weekends at Cathal Brugha Barracks or Gormanston Camp. This included two weekends on the range in August and November, firing the Steyr and GPMG, respectively, along with any coursework assigned between each training period. In December and January, all recruits completed their 24-hour guard duty at Gormanston Camp. While parading during the week gives a great opportunity to get to know each other, the two weeks of full-time training are essential as they provide the opportunity to bond and get to know your colleagues. It is over the full-time training and weekends that you discover the strength of each person and start to work better as a team, especially moving forward to three-star training. Although the platoon numbers have reduced, with some deciding to join the PDF and others finding the time commitment incompatible with full-time employment, for the remainder, our training culminated in a passing out parade on Sunday, 02 February 2025. Two platoons of Corps recruits passed out in Cathal Brugha Barracks receiving our new rank markings from General Officer Commanding 2 Brigade, Brigadier General Stephen Ryan. A total of 44 new Two Stars/Ordinary Seamen ready to take on the next stage of training. I joined Transport because I wanted an active role in the Defence Forces during my spare time. Transport is a busy unit with many taskings to support both permanent and reserve training. We are now progressing to Three Star training, followed by unit-specific training. This places another significant demand on our time as we prepare for further blocks of full-time training and training weekends. In time, I hope to qualify as a driving instructor to give back to the unit that is currently training me. In my platoon alone, we have engineers, a medical scientist, an optometrist, an EMT, a DEI manager, and many other professionals and students in degree courses and apprenticeships. I am a Barrister, CEDR mediator, and a qualified chef. I, along with many others in my platoon, look forward to the Defence Forces' recognition of external qualifications, as this will enable a range of reservists with professional qualifications to assist the Defence Forces in the future. ARTICLE BY PTE (AR) CAOIMHE RUIGROK (2 BDE TPT)

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