THE DUBLIN THE DUBLIN
BAT BATTAL TALION ION
An Cosantóir September / October 2026 www.military.ie/magazine
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CONSULTATION AND PLANNING
I
n September 2025, OC 7 Inf Bn hosted the first unit "Pulse
Check" in the Brew A coffee shop. This event was the first
of a series of quarterly open floor meetings, attended by
all ranks, in which personnel could have their voice heard
on the direction of the unit. This platform provided a forum
where different views and ideas could be shared in a setting
that eliminated the distance between the operational and
tactical level. The goal was to create direct communication
between colleagues not working side-by-side daily, and the
key to its success was the open mindedness with which both
commanders and subordinates embraced the concept.
Unit CO, Lt Col Alan Courtney, outlined his vision for an
active and high achieving unit, junior soldiers expressed
their desire to develop their infantry skills, important
topics like mental health were discussed and CQMS
Grant even found the courage to admit "I don't know
what a tracker mortgage is!" While these discussions
often included plenty of humour, they proved highly
valuable to the unit over the next year. Comdt Richie
Barber chaired these Pulse checks in a professional
manner, managing expectations and ensuring military
discipline and the Values of Respect and Moral Courage
were encouraged in equal measure.
ARTICLE BY COMDT RICHIE BARBER
AND CAPT HARRY MANSFIELD
"The strength of the team is each individual
member; the strength of each member is the
team" - Phil Jackson
12 MONTHS IN REVIEW 12 MONTHS IN REVIEW
81mm Det from the combined Sp Wpns shoot in Aug 26
