An Cosantóir

Heavy 12 | Anytime, Anywhere by Wesley Bourke Photos by Cpl Neville Coughlan, Sgt Karl Byrne, Sgt Mick Burke and Cpl Dave Cullen An Cosantóir November 2013 www.dfmagazine.ie O n arriving overseas and picking up his or her bag probably the last thing on a soldier's mind is how it got there. They know it was picked up at their home barracks but that's about it. But not only is there a huge amount of personal gear to be shipped out and back with each tour of duty but everything that is required for that mission to be established, weapons, vehicles, stores, even the catering centre, has to start here in Ireland and when the mission ends all that equipment has to be brought home. And while the mission continues resupply and replacement of equipment may also need to take place. The unit responsible for the movement in and out of the country of all Defence Forces equipment is the National Stores Reception Centre (NSRC), better known as 'MovCon' (Movement Control). Based in the DFTC, these 21 personnel, all members of the Transport Corps, with their heavy-lift capability, ensure that personal kit and equipment gets to the mission area and back home again in one piece. Over the past year we have followed the troops from the NSRC loading aircraft in Dublin Airport, inspecting baggage in Camp 245 prior to shipping it home, accompanying Customs officers as their sniffer dogs pawed their way over several hundred green kit bags, and at various times throughout the year we've seen them moving everything from containers of ammunition to decommissioned AML90s and 20s. "We have two roles here in the NSRC," explained BQMS Phil Denver. "We are responsible for processing all military consignments in and out of the country, whether it is to or from an airport or docks. We also provided the Defence Forces' heavy-lift capability." The NSRC has 'Known Consignor' status, which is issued by the Dept of Transport, and the processing of luggage or equipment is done exactly as it would be by security officers in the airport or by an international shipping company like DHL or TNT. "Let's take someone heading overseas," continued BQMS Denver. "All personnel have to report to us with their luggage. We establish a security cargo air-bridge just like you go through in the airport and we go through the same questions: 'Did you pack the bag yourself?', 'Are there any dangerous items in your bag?' and so on. This process is identical for everybody going overseas for every mission, regardless of rank."

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