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Your Defence Forces Newsletter DF 40x20 Handball Championships 2014 Senior Championships 2014 Champion - Pte Colm Jordan (1 Eng Coy) Runner Up - Pte Kirk Greene (3 Inf Bn) 3rd Place - Tpr Stephen Smullen (2 Cav Sqn) Junior Championships 2014 Champion - SS Ciaran Gallen (1 Cn Cois) Runner Up - SS David McConn (1 Cn Cois) 3rd Place - Pte James Keohane (1 Eng Coy) Novice Championships 2014 Champion - Pte Richie Kehoe (3 Inf Bn) Runner Up - SS Eric Purtill (1 Cn Cois) Novice Junior Championships 2014 Champion - SS Ciaran Ó Suilleabahin (1 Cn Cois) Runner Up - SS Darren Cruise (1 Cn Cois There were 30 competitors from all DF locations that competed in the championships, with Pte Colm Jordan of 1 Eng Coy winning the Senior title. The next event is the DF One Wall Champion- ships in Ballygar, Co. Galway on 11th June 2014. This is open to all DF members and beginners are particularly welcome. One Wall is played with a soft ball (like a tennis ball inner) against one wall (just like school), so all are welcome to come and try it. Senior, Junior & Novice titles up for grabs. Pictured is the Senior Championships winner Pte Colm Jordan IKON What is it? Information and Knowledge Online. The multidiscipline approach to achieving organisational objec- tives by making the best use of information, expertise, lessons learned and best practises. DF IKON is an enterprise content management system built on Microsoft SharePoint. It will replace the current DF intranet throughout 2014. Every DF Unit, DFHQ Branch and Formation HQ will have their own websites, both internal and external facing. Students on the course will on completion become their unit Information Manager. They will manage and administer their unit's websites and digital content, both on the private internal site and DF wide available site. This course is replacing the current DF Web design course The Defence Forces objectives in implementing the new IKON intranet portal are: • To enhance information exploitation and information superiority within the Defence Forces using a collaborative information-sharing and networked environment. • To support the development of knowledge centric organi- sation by the identification and preservation of informa- tion and knowledge of permanent corporate value to the Defence Forces. • To recognise the contribution of Defence Forces personnel towards creating a knowledge centric organisation. To contribute to increased situational awareness in the Defence Forces through improving the information flow in the organisa- tion using industry proven emergent technologies. Dates of IKON Courses and Places* 16 Jun – 20 Jun - 1 Bde Pers * 15 30 Jun – 04 Jul – 1 Bde Pers * 5 – DFTC Pers * 10 21 Jul – 25 Jul – DFTC Pers * 15 06 Oct – 10 Oct – Air Corp Pers * 15 03 Nov – 07 Nov – Naval Service Pers * 15 44 inf Gp undof I n September 2013 the Irish government was asked by the UN Secretary-General to provide a contingent of troops to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF). The first contingent of Irish troops, the 43rd Infantry Group consisting of one hundred and fifteen personnel all ranks, deployed to UNDOF on 28th September 2013. The deployment of the 43rd Inf Gp to the Golan Heights as part of UNDOF signalled the Defence Forces continued commitment to International Peacekeeping and its contribution to peace and security in the region. The successful tour of duty in the mission area by the 43rd Inf Gp is continued by members of the 44th Inf Gp consisting of one hundred and thirty personnel all ranks. As the second Irish contingent to this mission the 44th Inf Gp brings with it a wide range of skills and capabilities some of which include Infantry Light Support Weapons specialists, Armoured Personnel Carrier specialists, Communications specialists, Engineer Specialist Search Team and an Improvised Explosive Device Disposal Team, all of which have the support of an experienced logistical and administra- tive team. The 44th Inf Gp fulfils the role of Force Reserve Company in the mission area. The main task of the Force Reserve Company is to provide an Armoured Quick Reaction Force at fifteen minutes notice to move on order by the Force Commander. Forty-three members of the 44th Inf Gp are completing their first tour of duty overseas. However, the remaining personnel have completed a combined total of two hundred and seventy four overseas tours of duty in thirteen different mission areas. With this vast array of overseas experience the Irish contingent will endeavor to ensure, in co-operation with the other troop contributing countries, that UNDOF in this its 40th Year, will continue to fulfill its mandate and contribute to peace and stability in the Golan Heights. Ian SNEE CAPT, PIO, 44 INF GP, UNDOF

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