An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 25 is obvi- ous. But it struck me that, ultimately, this is what such training would be under- taken with a view to; preparing to defend by force when oth- ers would try to stop you by any means. I found the Cavalry Corps to be of greatest inter- est; they seemed to undertake a lot of the infantry training while also train- ing and certifying on various vehicles. Transport, also, ap- pealed to me as did the Medi- cal Corps. Leaving the bar- racks that day, I felt more determined than before to complete the next step. Next up was completion of the online application. Quite shortly thereafter a date was announced for the fitness test, which has been introduced quite recently to the RDF as an identical requirement to that which prospective PDF recruits must pass. In my limited knowledge of the Defence Forces, I can only assume that this has been a well-advised decision; at the very least, it would seem that requiring the same level of basic fitness from both PDF and RDF recruits alike is fairest. This same step may also be one taken to- wards a more fully integrated RDF as time passes. Having trained beforehand to ensure that I could pass the various components of the test, I showed up on the day and became introduced to a well-known slogan throughout militaries the world over: 'Hurry up and wait!' Over a num- ber of hours BMIs were checked, push-ups were pushed, unusually strict sit-ups were executed, and a 1.5 mile run ended (for me) after 10 minutes and 20 seconds. At 34 years of age perhaps it's no surprise that I wasn't the fastest by any means. However, despite the fact that later training will require greater levels of fitness than at intake, I must admit to having felt proud to pass the tests on the day along with a substantial majority of the other applicants. The fitness test also gave me the chance to meet other applicants, many of whom came from diverse backgrounds and interests. There was one young lad whose father had served in the PDF for some 25 years or so: despite being nervous beforehand, the boxing training he had previously undergone clearly stood to him as he was one of the first to cross the line. There was a civil servant, close in age to myself, who had considered serving in the Garda Reserve but had opted for the RDF instead. Many younger appli- cants seemed to be hoping to 'test the waters' of military service to see if the PDF might be for them. Others, such as myself, wanted to spend some of their time outside of work and family commitments serving the state as well as tak- ing part in various features of later training that interested them personally. The interview that followed a few weeks afterward was quite straightforward. Three commissioned officers and NCOs asked some standard questions regarding teamwork, reasons for joining, and so forth. Garda vetting forms had already been completed and, with the interview passed, the medical now awaited. St Bricins Hospital – itself a building of substantial history, dating back to its original title of King George V Hospital – is an imposing, red-brick structure, and its interior reminded me of depictions of WWII hospitals. Throughout the test- ing that day, it was clear that the staff is kept busy with a substantial number of injured and unwell, or simply those undertaking their routine medicals. We applicants must have stood out against the DPM-dressed majority. The EMTs and nurses, in particular, were both professional and friendly; one EMT discussed my ECG (electrocardio- gram) with me as I mentioned I would be completing an EMT training course myself quite soon. I ended the day with a medical finding of 'Fit Pending Bloods'. With no legal issues in my personal history to date, I imagine that security clearance will not be an issue for me from here. I await the announcement of arrangements for attestation as well as confirmation of the upcoming full- time training (FTT) this summer. Age-wise, this is literally the last chance I have to make whatever contribution I can within the Defence Forces. As the weeks tick by I await the next email detailing entry into an organisation I first thought about joining some 15 years ago. Wish me luck!

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