An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 13 what challenges did you encounter in your preparation for the Selection Course? Apart from the obvious physical challenges, which I enjoyed, there were unexpected challenges, such as other soldiers making little of my training or of me for attempting Selection. Although, thankfully, they were in a minority, sometimes, depending on the individual, it could affect confidence, but it was something I had to deal with. In general the majority of people who served with me were very helpful and gave me good advice. My advice to a young private training for Selection would be to keep your distance from negative individuals and stay focused on your goal. you have to be- lieve in yourself and have the will to succeed, even if others knock your efforts. Don't be afraid of failure; accept that it's a possibility and face that fear. We can all fail at times but it's the ability to pick yourself up again and go forward that makes the difference in life. what were your expectations prior to Selection and how did those expectations compare to reality? Honestly, I didn't know what to expect. There was hardly any information on the course back then other than through joining instructions or from people who had attempted the course before. I knew nobody serving in the unit so I suppose you could say I went into it blind. My initial focus was on surviving the first night. The reality is that I had trained well for most of what I faced and the majority of the crazy horror stories I had heard proved to be untrue. Without a doubt it was the hardest thing I had ever done, physi- cally and mentally, but it taught me that my body could endure a lot more than I realised. It is a lot different now and all the information is easily acces- sible. There is also now an SOFQ prep course that gives candidates vital information to better prepare themselves for Module One. I can't recommend this highly enough. There is such a large quantity of information about Module One of SOFQ that no one should ar- rive unprepared. Can you tell us about your Skills Course after Selection? During Skills Course, now Modules 2-5, the main challenge was the mental pressure of feeling I was constantly being assessed, which I was. Broadly speaking, the course covers unit tactics, weapons and equipment in both the Green (conventional) and Black (counter terrorist) roles. It's a real challenge because you have to take on lots of information quickly and perform at the same time. Mistakes happen, we're all human, but it's the ability to move on and not make the same mistakes again that separates those who fail from those who succeed. It is a massive learning curve but it's achievable once you remain focused. Our course sergeant told us one thing at the start of the Skills Course that has always stuck in mind: "The fancy equipment and weapons don't make you Special Forces. What makes a per- son Special Forces is doing the small things right. What makes the ARW the unit it is, is the people in it and to be in one of the teams you have to do the small things right." While you don't join the ARW for financial gain, going from private to acting corporal on commencement of Skills and also receiving ARW allowance represents a significant pay increase. you work very long hours, there is huge physical and mental effort involved, and you really are putting your body and reputa- tion on the line: it's good to be rewarded for this. what about your post-Skills Course development? After Skills I was slotted into the Maritime Task Unit. I did lots of courses including driving up to and including the Special Reconnaissance Vehicle, which taught me long-range patrol- ling using vehicles, the use of GPMG and HMG, of-road driving, recovery and vehicle contact drills. As a junior member of the unit it was great to learn loads of new skills that I got put into practice overseas. I also completed the Long Range Recce Patrol Commander Course, which taught me the in-depth planning and preparation of SOF operation phase by phase. It was heavy going as a junior corporal but it was an education in the level of planning involved in SOF OPS. I completed my seven-week Combat Divers Course in 2005 in the Naval Base, on which we were instructed to a high standard in scuba and rebreather diving by Naval Service and ARW instructors. My current appointment is Sgt Team Leader in the Special Operations Maritime Task Unit. I am also a dive team leader and a dive supervisor. Maritime operations can be extremely challenging due to the nature of the environment, either on the surface or sub-surface. It's not for everyone; it takes a spe- cific individual to be able to dive in zero visibility at night, miles off the coast, onto a gas platform or onto a vessel to secure a target. It is the challenge of diving; the calibre of the opera- tors that dive and the achievement of doing one of the hardest courses in the Defence Forces that drew me to Maritime Task Unit. We also get to work closely with the Naval Service, who are extremely professional. The naval divers are specialists in their own right and we have a great relationship with them. In 2010 I passed my EMT Exams with PHECC (Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council) and became a unit medic. This opened

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