An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir July/August 2015 www.dfmagazine.ie 6 | collInS BkS oPen day Minister of State Mr Paul Kehoe TD, and members of the Dept. of Defence visited Collins Bks, Cork on 20th May 2015, when a public open day was held. Pictured is CQMS Gerry Whyte providing a brief on the Michael Collins room in the Collins Bks Museum to (L/R): Mr Garry McDonagh, Private Secretary to the Minister of State, GOC 1 Bde, Brig Gen Kieran Brennan (now Maj Gen D COS Ops), Mr Brian Spain, Dept. of Defence and Minister of State Mr Paul Kehoe TD. Photo by: Sgt D. Sheehan, HQ 1 Bde SecurIty Sector reforM WorkShoP The United Nations Training School Ireland (UNTSI), held its first Security Sector Reform Workshop in partnership with the International Security Sector Advisory Team (ISSAT) on 6th May 2015. 45 participants attended the Workshop from the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps, An Garda Síochána and 3rd level institutions. Pictured is Col Eamon Caulfield, Comdt of the Military College (CMC), the guest speaker, Lt Gen Marc Caron (Retd), Former Head of the Canadian Army and former UN SSR advisor to the President of Guinea, Mr Mark Downes, Head of ISSAT and Comdt Jonathon Marley. Photo: Capt Deirdre Carbery, UNTSI 1St InternatIonal ProtectIon of cIvIlIanS courSe The 1st International Protection of Civilians Course concluded in UNTSI on Friday 15th May 2015. CMC Col Eamon Caulfield and Course Director Comdt David Foley are pictured with the 40 students representing the UK, Germany, An Garda Síochána, 1 Bde, 2 Bde and the DFTC. Photo: Capt Deirdre Carbery, UNTSI avIatIon fIre-fIghtIng courSe Pictured are the students and instructors of the current Basic Aviation Initial Fire-Fighting Course, being ran in 506 Sqn, No 5 Sp Wing, Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel at present. They are (L/R) Back Row: Cpl Everitt, Pte Sheridan, Pte Moran, Pte McSheffrey, Pte Dempsey, Armn Winters, Mr Neil Crosby and Sgt Domican. Front Row: Tpr O'Reardon, Ptes Brown, Ferris, Doyle, Brophy and Steele. Photo by: Cpl Lee Coyle, PR Branch oPeratIon 'clean SWeeP' 27 Inf Bn completed an unprecedented clean sweep in the PDF 2 Bde Small arms shooting competitions recently, winning the rifle, GPMG, pistol and falling plates competitions as well as winners in the RDF rifle and pistol competitions. Photo by: Lt John McNamara (RDF). fareWell eddIe On 28th May 2015 a presentation was held in the NCOS Mess, McKee Bks for the long standing and well known CQMS Eddie Byrne, who had retired just shy of 40-years service. Eddie enlisted on 27th August 1975 and except for recruit training with the 2 Fd Arty Reg, had spent all his career in the Signals Corps, starting with AHQ Sigs renamed to DFHQ CIS, up to his retirement on 14th April 2015. He is pictured here receiving a soldier statue from Lt Col Mark Staunton, OC DFHQ CIS. Photo by: Sgt Mick Burke, PR Branch

• Cover