An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir July/August 2015 www.dfmagazine.ie 42 | A t an early age I saw cash escorts travelling through Tullamore, near where I live, and ever since then I wanted to join the De- fence Forces. As a young girl, friends and neighbours in the small area where I live told me I wouldn't be army material so I set out to prove myself. I joined the RDF in Tullamore at the age of 17. This quickly proved to me that the army life was indeed what I wanted. When I finished school in Ferbane Community College at 18, I enlisted into the PDF on 26th April 2004 in Monaghan bks with 37 Recruit Platoon. After recruit training I was posted to A Coy, 2 Inf Bn, in Cathal Brugha Bks, Dublin, it was a long way from home so I spent many nights living in barracks and commuting long distances on several days every week. I completed a number of courses in 2 Inf Bn including a Public Order and 60mm Vector Mortar courses. I also did four security tours in Port- laoise Prison. My first overseas trip was to Kosovo with 33 Inf Gp KFOR in October 2006. While forming up I completed a Specialist Search Team course (SST), which I found very interesting. I served as a line soldier in APC Coy on that mission. I also got to do a job rotation with the Swedish army and it was interesting to see how another army worked. On return to Ireland I looked for a move to HQ 2 Bde and was sent on long-term detachment to them in January 2008 to work in the Bde Adjt Office. I enjoyed the responsibility of working in Bde HQ. While there I completed ECDL and PMS courses. I was finally posted into Bde HQ in October 2008. From August to December 2009 I underwent a Potential NCOs course in 2 BTC but due to the embargo on promotions I wasn't promoted until May 2011. I found being a young NCO challenging but got good advice about leadership and teamwork from the other NCOs and senior NCOs of Bde HQ. I travelled overseas again in 2012, this time to Leba- non with 106 Inf Bn UNIFIL as Bn Sp Gp Clerk. As well as my clerk job, I got the opportunity to work closely with the CIMIC team, which gave me the chance to see a lot of the country helping on humanitarian missions around the AO. Having piqued my interest I went on a CIMIC course when I got back to Ireland. In 2014, I looked to move closer to home. I heard of a vacancy in the Curragh with the Information Office in PR Branch. I successfully ap- plied for the position and after an interview I was posted to PR Branch in May 2014, where I took up the position of Information NCO, respon- sible for the subscriptions database of An Cosantóir and Connect. My duties entail taking payments for subscriptions, answering queries, promoting the magazine and the Defence Forces at events and taking pictures for the magazine from time to time. Working in PR Branch has shown me how important public relations are and as soldiers how important it is to display a posi- tive image of the Defence Forces with everything we do at home and overseas. In 2014 I completed a photography course, which has helped me with my photography skills. In the future I intend to complete a Standard NCOs course, travel overseas again, hopefully in a CIMIC appointment, and to sign on from 12 to 21 years service and possibly beyond. "Working in PR Branch has shown me how important Public Relations is and as soldiers how important it is to show a positive image of the Defence Forces" Kelly GallaGher Corporal InformatIon offICe, pr BranCh, DfhQ

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