An Cosantóir

ONE TEAM, ONE ONE TEAM, ONE 28TH INFANTRY 28TH INFANTRY BATTALION'S INFANTRY BATTALION'S INFANTRY SKILLS SUCCESS SKILLS SUCCESS An Cosantóir September / October 2026 www.military.ie/magazine I n September this year, 28 Inf Bn took part in the annual Infantry Skills Competition. I, Lt Luke Bonner, was Pl Comdr and Sgt Philip Conlon was Pl Sgt. As Pl Comdr and Pl Sgt, we had the privilege of leading the platoon throughout the preparation and competition. The eventual success was the result of a collective effort from all ranks, particularly given the demanding circumstances in which the training was conducted. The first week of our four-week training programme was largely taken up with Tests of Elementary Training (TOETs), covering the platoon level weapons, alongside the necessary administration. This phase provided an opportunity to establish and confirm the required individual standards before moving onto the more complex tactical training. However, the week also presented one of the first significant challenges of the competition preparation. With the fundamentals established, the platoon could then move towards the central focus of the competition: the platoon attack. The second week began by breaking down the platoon attack itself. Before training commenced, myself, the Pl Sgt and the Section NCOs came together for a standardisation talk. This was a particularly important stage of the preparation. Throughout our careers, we had all trained in different installations and environments, meaning that individual approaches, experiences and interpretations of particular skills and drills could differ. For the platoon to operate effectively, it was very important that we were working from the same understanding. Standardisation therefore became a priority. We discussed the various skills and drills required and ensured that we were all on the same page before passing that knowledge down to the soldiers. Establishing that common standard among myself, the Pl Sgt and the NCO's gave us a consistent foundation from which to train the platoon. Following the standardisation, the platoon was broken down into its organic sections. Rather than attempting to teach the entire attack as one large serial, we concentrated on each individual component and trained the details. The sections worked through the sequence progressively, covering everything from advancing to contact and the reaction to enemy fire, through to winning the firefight and the subsequent drills required. The training also incorporated casualty and prisoner-of-war drills, ensuring that soldiers understood their responsibilities beyond simply getting to the fire line and locating the enemy. This approach proved extremely beneficial. By concentrating on individual components, soldiers gained a much clearer understanding of their specific role within the platoon attack. Just as importantly, they began to understand the responsibilities of those around them. A rifleman knowing their own task is essential but understanding how that task contributes to the actions of the section and platoon provides a much greater level of cohesion. The week therefore established an important principle for the remainder of the competition preparation, every soldier needed to understand not only what they were doing, but why they were doing it and how their actions affected those around them. Week 3 was where the training ramped up exponentially. Longer days. More platoon attacks. Sorer bodies. After each attack, we came together for an open forum discussion in regard to how we thought it went. All ranks were given the 6 | ARTICLE BY LT LUKE BONNER Chief of Staff Lt Gen Mulcahy and OC 28 Inf Bn Lt Col O'Shea pictured with the winning team Pln Cmdr Lt Luke Bonner and Pln Sgt Philip Conlon

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