www.military.ie the defence forces magazine
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But getting back to the crux of my friends issue! Basically,
he talked about 'what if' the Defence Forces could harness
the years of life skills these men have, it would give them
something to do. For a lot of these men, the army was the
only family they knew. It fed, clothed and paid them. It gave
them security and a sense of self-worth. Remember, even
a private soldier has a rank and with rank comes respect.
More importantly, it was the comradeship, forged over
their careers and the belonging to an organisation, which
kept them going. Now for those who retired, it seems
they are discarded and of no more value. Imagine how you
would feel if that happened to you!
Now in my 24 years in the military, I know some things
can take a long time to change, but I equally know that the
Defence Forces and the Department of Defence when it
wants to is one of the most pro-active organs of the state,
especially with regards to it manpower and how to get
the best out of their personnel. For example, I see that the
military now can offer internships and workplace position
for those looking to gain valuable experience in Ireland's
Defence Community.
I think a similar, scheme could be looked at how we could
re-engage retired soldiers into the numerous admin-type
positions each unit has. It is worth considering...
Pictured is Sean Shinnors who has worked in the An Co-
santóir office since 2009, mainly in a research capacity, but
also in a variety of other office jobs as needed. He is a re-
tired RDf ser-geant and a member of the organisation of
National Ex-Service men and Women (oNE) and provides
invaluable assistance to the magazine staff and maintains
a link between oNE and the magazine. Read a 'What I Do'
feature on Sean in this month's issue.
