An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir July/August 2015 www.dfmagazine.ie 22 | by RECRUIT EOIN O'SHEA B ack in May, as I awaited attestation, I wrote an article about what faced recruits joining the RDF. Since then, 35 of us have sworn our oaths, joined 5 Platoon, D Coy, 7 Inf bn, based at Cathal brugha bks, and begun our training. Training evenings to date have seen us handling administra- tive matters, attending lectures on DF regulations and mili- tary law. We have taken our first steps (literally) in terms of foot drill, with orders as Gaeilge. back in the day, my school Irish involved more 'Bhí faoin tuath faoi bhrat bán sneachta', and far less 'Le heatraibh ó dheis-deasaig!' Needless to say, it's been a steep learning curve concerning even the basics. how- ever, despite many mistakes there's no mistaking the sense of growing pride we take in progressing towards the goal of serving as enlisted personnel in the Army Reserve. As someone interested in human behaviour, I can't help but be struck by how quickly we are learning to change mindset – working together as a unit (or trying to in our early way, at least). Our NCOs treat us with a strict fairness; we are supported but not pampered. We have much to learn but also much to lean on – including each other, recently met as we are. Against the backdrop of Cathal Brugha Bks square, our collective wish to progress and begin full-time training (FTT) later in the sum- mer grows every week. The members of our platoon, all but one of whom are male, joined for different reasons and this month I want to present a sample of their varied goals and experiences to date. recruIt Seán o'toole "My father served in the PDF for 25 years and I've a number of relatives who have served as well. I was attracted to the RDF as I saw it as the perfect start into a long-term career in the mili- tary. Gaining practical experience in a military setting would be a great asset to have going into the PDF, as the culture shock wouldn't be as much as for the 'average Joe' enlisting out of a civvie job. Plus, I could never, ever pass up the opportunity to become a soldier, part-time or not. "I hope it will give me an insight into the military way of life, give me valuable discipline, and teach me the basics of the stan- dard two-star infantry private – and of course to give me that extra little bit of confidence when the PDF opportunity comes. "My long-term aspiration is to join the Army Ranger Wing. It's the hardest challenge you can face in the Defence Forces but I'm going to give it everything I have and then some. Also, I'm greatly interested in boxing, which I'd like to continue within the army. In terms of a unit, I would like to serve with 7 Inf Bn PDF as I've grown to know the barracks, the people, and how the battalion operates; it's close to home and it's also where my military career has begun." recruIt cIan fuSco "I have applied for a cadetship in the PDF and have taken the preliminary tests. I joined because I knew that training with the RDF would give me a taste of military life and help me to confirm whether I truly wanted it. I hope it'll be recognised, too, that I'm dedicated to doing this when the time comes to review my commitment.

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