An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 15 idea to utilise Irish expertise in humanitar- ian logistics and bring it worldwide, by setting up the IELT. Will's aim with the IELT is to put together a team of professional logisticians equipped with the leading-edge knowl- edge and core competen- cies required to provide a suite of logistics and supply-chain manage- ment support to NGOs. Will and Duane envision IELT providing hu- manitarian emergency logistics assistance; emergency logistics and humanitarian aid training packages – in conjunction with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Ireland; stress and trauma support; pre- deployment training; and post-deployment follow up. Will told us: "We aren't in competition with Irish NGOs. We are looking at this project as a global one; we see it as bigger than Ireland. There's nothing to fear from working with us. We want to partner with local NGOs in those countries that need assistance. We don't think we necessarily know better, but we do have skills and expertise that can help build the capability of local NGOs. "So far we've worked with the Iraqi Institute for Development and the Syrian Training and Development Organisation, and we are currently in talks regarding setting up an emergency logistics team in Kenya. I've also been asked to set up a logistics operation in Macedonia for an international NGO, along with a number of other projects we are looking at. "We have also held meetings with UNTSI staff with a view to col- laborating on training, which we hope will come to fruition soon." Duane sees a real opportunity for former members of the Defence Forces to get involved. "A lot of veterans have consid- erable experience and skills in humanitarian logistics but don't know what to do with them. The IELT is an ideal place for them to make use of their expertise. As it is, many of our pool of 12 instructors are DF veterans." With reference to training, Duane told us: "Anybody coming in to IELT has to do the training and we don't expect to be send- ing anyone abroad until 2016/17, when they will be fully trained. When this does happen, we envisage deployments of no longer than six weeks and our personnel will be paid an NGO rate to cover expenses." In the area of training and certification the IELT currently offers an Introduction to Humanitarian Logistics course, which is conducted over 12 hours on evenings or weekends at a cost of €200 for waged, or €100 for retired or unwaged. The first course was conducted in the Kimmage Development Centre in April. So far, 36 people have completed this course, including three DF veterans and two serving soldiers. One of these, Sgt Ruairí Byrne, told us: "I completed the course earlier this year and found it very worthwhile and thor- oughly enjoyable. It gave me a good insight to problems and solutions that are encountered on the ground and at a higher level, and which were easily comparable to those experienced in the DF in numerous scenarios. The instruction level was good with plenty of class participation with group projects, etc." Those who successfully complete the introductory course are eligible to apply for the Certificate in Humanitarian Logistics course; a 40-hour course that takes place over five consecutive Saturdays, which is aimed at people who have past experience in humanitarian logistics and an interest in joining the team. The first of these courses is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2016 at a cost €1,500 (price to be confirmed). It is expected that this course will be dual certified by the Irish and International chartered institutes of logistics and transport. William told us: "At present we are awaiting certification from CILT Ireland and CILT International and I'm very confident we will meet their requirements for certification." (Former Air Corps senior logistics officer Lt Col Kevin Byrne (retd) is due to take over as president of CILT Ireland in January 2016.) The IELT roster will be managed and supported by the charity Dinit (Irish for 'dignity'), a new Irish registered charity whose vision is "to help the vulnerable in troubled regions of the world to regain their dignity by providing assistance in a timely fashion." Former Deputy Director of International Relations for Dublin City Council, Michael Sands, is the current chairperson of Dinit, and one of the board members is Lt Col Michael Carroll (retd). For more information on the Irish Emergency Logis- tics team, visit: http://emer- gencylogisticsteam.com/, or contact info@emergencylogisticsteam.com or call (+353) 85 7547264 - they are also on twitter and Facebook. Will Holden in Afghanistan, July 2013. Duane Holden, Dublin 2015. Will in Haiti in 2010 and a mass grave in Haiti, April 2011. 'Room with a view' - Will Holden in Antakya Turkey, next stop the Syrian border, September 2015. Will and Duane pictured during the Introduction to Logistics course in Kimage, April 2015.

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