An Cosantóir July/August 2014 www.dfmagazine.ie
16 |
By SGT KARL ByRNE
PhOTOS SGT KARL ByRNE &
CPL NEVILLE COuGHLIN
BRONZE
LEVEL
CHALLENGE
O
n the 3rd June 2014 the Defence Forces put
thirty young people through their paces
who were competing for the bronze level
Gaisce award (the President's Award). The selected
Gaisce participants were chosen from hundreds
of hopefuls nationwide. They came from coun-
ties: Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry,
Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath,
Offaly and Sligo. The challenges the young adults
faced were aerial runways, river crossings, obstacle
courses and marathon hikes, all of which were set
up and arranged by members of 2 Bde. The 2 Arty
Regt provided the majority of troops to oversee
the objectives set down to test and challenge the
Gaisce participants.
Minister for Children and youth Affairs,
Charlie Flanagan TD gave the opening address
in Custume Bks, Athlone, before they set off
to experience navigation training and test
their indoor climbing skills. Later there was an
introduction to SERE training (Survive, Escape,
Reaction to interrogation, Extraction) and a
Base Camp tutorial all on the first day. Day
two was spent doing the obstacle course in
the DFTC, Curragh Camp, followed by a 10km
hike across the Curragh Plains and then water
confidence training in the swimming pool. Af-
ter dinner they departed for the Slieve Bloom
Mountains where they set up their base camp
and prepped for the next day's challenges. Day
three involved team skills, a 15km hike, rock
climbing and then they had to move their base
camp to Carnagh training area. The fourth
and final day brought them to Lough Ree to
participate in kayaking.
After a hard, challenging and enjoyable four
days the thirty Gaisce young adults finished
the experience back in the NCOs mess in Cus-
tume Bks and were treated to a BBQ. We have
no doubt they enjoyed the experience and
maybe some day they might return for the full
military experience.
