An Cosantóir

36 | what i do PETER CUNNINGHAM PRIVATE 1 CN COIS I am in Recce Pln Support Coy in Galway. As well as my job in Recce Pln I am also part of the Army Diving Group (ADG). We are primarily sporting divers but we also give assistance to the Defence Forces. The ADG have several assets including divers, coxswains, and RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) that are utilised by all Corps. "the aDg are always looking for new divers, and the group is open to all Defence Forces personnel." We provide safety and rescue divers and cover boats for units when they are doing water confidence training, such as river crossings or jumping off bridges. This could be with cadets, recruits or a unit running a course for its personnel. Not everyone is a strong swimmer and you would be surprised how many people are actually afraid of the water. You really notice this when guys get tired, their kit and uniform is wet and getting heavier and heavier. A lot of the time it's a case of you just being there. When someone is doing a river crossing as part of their confidence training the further they go out the more likely they are to panic. Most of the time we swim alongside them, encourage them, talk to them, have a laugh. Before they know it they're at the other bank. Safety divers and cover boats are also provided when units are carrying out exercises across rivers, lakes, estuaries. This could be a battalion exercise or a survival course. Our coxswains get used a lot for the likes of Recce units carrying out night inser- tions. The ADG has also been used on occasion for Aid to Civil Power / Aid to Civil Authority. We also provide safety divers and cover boats for sporting events including the Defence Forces Triathlon, and the TriAthlone. We dive up to 40m (100ft). Cover divers are normally in shallow areas 10m-15m, Lough Rea in Galway where the survival course is run would be quite deep in places. The ADG are always looking for new divers, and the group is open to all Defence Forces personnel. We run a beginners course in the summer, they start off in the pool in the Curragh, then progress- ing onto Bere Island off Cork. Once you've passed your beginners course you keep progressing. Intermediate and advance divers training and coxswains courses are ran throughout the year. We have a lot of experienced guys in our Group. They have dived from the Arctic to the Antarctic, the Atlantic to the Pacific and they pass on their knowledge and experience. It is a great sport to be involved in. To find out more about the ADG, please logon to the DF INTRANET, they are located on the DDFT's site. An Cosantóir February 2012 WHAT I DO

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