An Cosantóir

| 15 the Defence Forces, which has evolved and developed over the years in delivering Professional Military Education as part of a Lifelong Learning journey for members of the Defence Forces; is for Maynooth University one of the proverbial jewels in the crown and a unique relationship for an Irish University". The ceremony involved the presentation of Military College Graduation parchments and awards to Graduands. The Director of Infantry Award for the best student on the 7th and 8th Land Command and Staff Courses, were presented to Captain Stephen Bunney and Captain Charlene Kehoe, respectively. The award, a perpetual trophy, is a sword which is kept on permanent display in the Infantry School. General Secretary of RACO, Lt Col Conor King, presented a poniard, a miniature replica of the Director of Infantry Sword to both award winners. There are three awards associated with the Joint Command and Staff Course. • An Gradam Tighde na bhForsaí Cosanta, the award for best research thesis. • The second award, the Lt Col Seán Clancy Award, is a perpetual award presented to the student who has achieved the best Master's Degree. • The Lt Gen Tadhg O'Neill award for the best military mark. This year, Lt Cdr Donnchadh Cahalane swept the boards, winning all academic awards for his performance on the course, a remarkable achievement. South East Technological University Graduations On 31st October 2025, the South East Technological University (SETU) conferred 182 Defence Forces personnel with academic awards at a ceremony at SETU's Carlow Campus. The awards ranged from Level 6 Higher Certificate to Level 9 Masters in the following programmes: • Master of Engineering Ordnance, Munitions and Explosive Engineering • Master of Science in Communication Technology Management • Certificate in Software Defined Communication Systems • Level 7 Bachelor of Arts in Leadership Management and Defence Studies (Logistics) • Level 7 Bachelor of Arts in Leadership Management and Defence Studies • Level 7 Minor Award in Arts in Leadership Management and Defence Studies • Level 6 Higher Certificate in Arts in Leadership Management and Defence Studies Addressing the graduates and their families, Professor Veronica Campbell, President of SETU, noted that: "At SETU, it is our huge privilege to play our part in supporting the educational achievements of serving members, knowing that the ongoing upskilling and development of our Defence Forces are vital in creating and maintaining stability both nationally and globally". Lt Gen Rossa Mulcahy, Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces stated: "I am very proud of all our deserved graduates today. These awards are a culmination of what has been a very challenging and rewarding process. Lifelong learning is one of the key tenets of a career in the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces values and promotes educational opportunities and supports the concept of "lifelong learning" whereby personnel are encouraged to up-skill continuously so that they can adapt to the complex and challenging demands of military operations and deliver effective military capability." Group shot SETU Capt Charlene Kehoe and Lt Col Conor King Lt Cdr Donnchadh Cahalane and Lt Col Conor King Group Shot Maynooth RSM James Scanlon and Sgt Dean Jones www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE Conclusion Training and education underpin the Defence Forces' efforts to transform into a modern, joint, and strategically aware organisation, as envisioned by the Commission on the Defence Forces (2022). Success in learning, along with the capacity to retain and apply acquired knowledge to military operations, is fundamentally connected to operational success. The conferring of over 300 Defence Forces personnel with academic awards during the Autumn conferring ceremonies provides the military capability to continue operating effectively while supporting organisational transformation.

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