An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 23 "I'm interested in the military because of the opportunities available to me as a young man. I never had myself pegged as a guy that would sit at a desk for hours on end but wanted to do something where I was valued at my craft. "As for our training here so far, it took a little while to get used to marching everywhere and being disciplined about every- thing, regardless of the task." recruIt laura hayden "Initially I didn't think too much about being the only female in the platoon. But then my friends and family started asking: 'How many other girls are in your platoon?' When I said I was the only female, I received quite surprised reactions from them all and while this gave me a strong sense of pride, I must admit that I also started to worry about a couple of things. Mainly, the reception I would receive from the rest of the recruits and also the physical aspects of training. "Thankfully, my worries about discrimination/sexism were quickly eased when our A7 lectures covered these issues early on. They were further eased by the respect and equal- ity that I am shown on parade each week. In terms of the physical aspect, the fact that I will have no other fe- males to compare my fitness level with has only made me more determined and motivated to improve my physical strength and ability in order to prove my worth when PT comes around. "My ultimate goal is to join the PDF, something that has always appealed to me and I feel that the RDF is a great gateway into doing so. In the mean- time I hope to pass-out successfully as a two-star private and I look forward to forming a strong bond with my fel- low recruits. "I can honestly say the parade every Wednesday evening is the highlight of my week and I can only hope this enthusiasm continues to grow with the rest of my journey. "Young people can benefit greatly from joining the RDF and learning many great skills that can be applied across all aspects of their lives. These include discipline, respect, unity, routine, time man- agement, and wellbeing. I also feel that the RDF gives young people the opportunity to express their patriotism in a healthy way." recruIt Steve Burke (Who StandS out aS the MoSt exPerIenced MeMBer of the Pla- toon, havIng PrevIouSly Served In the Pdf.) "The RDF gives ex-soldiers the chance to continue to represent and serve Ireland as a soldier, especially for those who are too old to re-enlist. It provides an opportunity to continue to prac- tice the discipline and training that army life offers. The Defence Forces allows a person to grow and learn in a way that no other organisation does and the RDF allows an ex-PDF member to continue this growth and to enjoy the challenges and rewards offered by the Defence Forces. "I hope the current integra- tion continues, whereby training is brought fully in line with that of the PDF, and that the RDF is as- signed a proper, fully designated role within the Defence Forces and given the opportunity to perform tasks and duties alongside the PDF. "We must reach a standard that allows us to take part in overseas missions and to further contribute and prove our worth to the De- fence Forces and the state. "The new recruits face a number of chal- lenges. They will need to adapt to military life and discipline in a very short space of time. They will be expected to perform and learn to a very high standard and they will have a lot of information to take on board, as well as being physically and mentally challenged. They must be of a mindset that allows them not to break under pressure and they must learn how to keep their kit clean and in proper working order." Many recruits are already volunteering for further training opportunities over weekend periods and a related desire is to assist the PDF in various future exercises. As well as those wishing to join their permanent colleagues in due course, further RDF/PDF integration seems unanimously popular among those with whom I have spoken. It is nevertheless borne in mind that only those meeting comparable standards to PDF personnel would, or should, be included in any further integration, especially beyond training exercises. Seeing shared operational duties occurring within other nations' military forces, some in the platoon are hopeful of serving on overseas operations someday. Only time will tell if this is an opportunity that will emerge for RDF personnel. With a short time to go before FTT commences we are working on improving our fitness as best we can in our own time, further getting to grips with both theoretical and practical military basics, and already looking forward to our passing-out as two-star privates of the Army Reserve. Pictured getting their issued kit are Recruits Graham Bolger and Craig Lawlor (5 Pl, D Coy, 7 Inf Bn) with CQMS Reddy at the Clothing Stores in Cathal Brugha Bks. Photos by: Pte David Hogarty, 2 Bde HQ

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