An Cosantóir

IUNVA | 17 Bangor 2007 IUNVA wreath laying ceremony Tipperary 2010 300 members, and since January 2012 it now includes three former members of the Slovakian Armed Forces that have UN service, and is open Monday to Friday 10.00hrs – 14.00hrs and on Sundays 10.00hrs to 12.30hrs. Another way to gain contact with IUNVA is through their website, www.iunva.com, or by telephone at 01 6791262. with an excellent HQ at Arbour House; a museum in IUNVA House; accommodation for five members in Griffith House in the Curragh; a mini-van for trans- porting its members; and over 12 monuments and memorials that it has constructed and maintains. The association continues to honour those who have served with UN peacekeeping missions and endea- vours to provide meaningful support and comrade- ship to those in need. Post 1, probably the busiest of all branches with over are jointly attended by both the Defence Forces and IUNVA and an obvious friendship has developed be- tween the two. Examples of this relationship include Post 5's presentation for the last number of years of a cup to GOC 1 S Bde for the brigade pistol competi- tion, and the contribution of leisure equipment to the Chad-bound 100 Inf Bn in 2009 by Post 30. Today, IUNVA has evolved into an organisation ing the years, with veterans from Austria, Sweden, Norway and America, among others, being wel- comed here by IUNVA. The resultant relationships formed through these visits has meant strong bonds have been formed with other UN veterans associa- tions, as well as comradely ties with ONET, the Naval Association, the Royal British Legion and the Irish Guards Association. A number of important ceremonies during the year the Somme, Lebanon, Cyprus and Lourdes, to name but a few. One memorable visit occurred in 2006 when 37 members of the association visited the Old Shakeys, veterans of the 1607th Air Transport Wing, Delaware, who transported Irish troops from Baldon- nel to the Congo in the 1960's when the Defence Forces embarked on its first major troop-contributing mission with the UN. The group from IUNVA were very well received at the USAF base with a reception held in the cargo hold of a giant C5 transport plane! Many of these visits have been reciprocated dur- has twice been invited to the New York and Boston St Patrick's Day parades, and in 2007 forty IUNVA mem- bers travelled to Bangor, Co Down, to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Somme Memorial at the invitation of the Royal British Legion. The most re- cent trip was 28th & 29th May 2012 to Sweden where two members were invited to attend a medal parade for veterans of the Swedish Armed Forces. The varied locations of these trips include Messines, www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE

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