Connect

visit us at www.military.ie EbOla TaSk FORCE A DF medical team departed to the UK for intensive training on the 6th January to link up with a Joint Inter Agency Task Force to assist the international response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa. The five DF medical personnel will support a UK Armed Forces Treatment Unit in Kerrytown, Sierra Leone. This facility provides international standard Ebola virus disease treatment to healthcare workers who are providing care to Ebola victims. The DF medical team consists of a Military Doctor, three medical Non- Commissioned Offi- cers and a medically qualified Trooper. The team conduct- ed initial training in Aldershot Barracks in the UK where they received mis- sion briefings, treat- ment protocol training and personal protective equipment training with the Task Force. The DF team arrived in Sierra Leone on the 15th of January for a three month tour of duty. For a more expanded look at the mission have a look at the March Issue of An Cosantóir. Pictured are (L to R), Tpr F itzgerald, Cpl Noonan, Capt O Connor and Cpl Foley. Air Corps photo FridAy T he Air Corps have launched an initiative where members of the public who spot the Air Corps at work around the country can take a photo and send it in to: aircorpspress@ military.ie. The photo's will be published on the Irish Air Corps Facebook page Any photographer featured will be credited and will be invited to visit Case- ment Aerodrome where they'll meet the personnel and see the aircraft and location in action. This photo, taken by Gabriel Desmond and sent in by Sonja Farr, is one of an AW139 on air ambulance duty. O n the 19th January, Minister for Agriculture, Food, Ma- rine and Defence Simon Coveney, T.D., welcomed the Rt. Hon. Mr. Michael Fallon, M.P., Secretary of State for Defence to Dublin Castle where they signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Defence, Ireland and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence on enhancement on certain aspects of Security and Defence Cooperation. The Memorandum will be followed by the drafting of a three- year Action Plan that will contain the detailed programme of activities for the forthcoming year and set the objectives for the succeeding two years. This may include military forces training, exercises and education, joint procurement and general sharing on reform in defence services. The Memorandum of Understanding has been under discus- sion for some time and it builds on the practical engagement that already exists between the Department of Defence/ Defence Forces and the UK Ministry of Defence and its Armed Forces. The Minister went on to say that the "Memorandum of Understanding is a voluntary, non-binding arrangement between the Department of Defence and the UK Ministry of Defence and does not affect or prejudice the position, policy or security arrangements of either country". MEMORanduM OF undERSTandIng

• Cover