strategic review | 21
RDFRA ADC 2012 O
REPORT & PHOTOS BY Sgt Wayne Fitzgerald
that while RDFRA's view was that "400 recruits are not enough to maintain units" he was "happy to report that a limited amount of promotions have happened". He also thanked the minister, the chief of staff, and C&A Section, "for their continued commitment". In his speech to conference Lt Gen Seán McCann said:
edged the concerns of reservists regarding the restructur- ing of the Defence Forces. He told his audience that the RDF must dovetail the PDF restructure and that the value- for-money review on the RDF would be completed by the end of this month. He finished by saying: "I visited the Glen of Imaal recently to see RDF members in training and I have to say I was very impressed at their professionalism and commitment". In his address, RDFRA General Secretary Tom Walsh said
Tom Walsh welcomed the Minister of State for Defence Paul Keogh TD, the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces Lt Gen Seán McCann, Brig Gen Séamus O'Giollain (GOC DFTC) and other senior members from both the PDF and RDF. In his address to the delegates Minister Keogh acknowl-
DFTC for the 2012 Reserve Defence Forces Representative Association (RDFRA) Annual Delegate Conference. RDFRA President Charlie Bradley and General Secretary
n Saturday September 8th over 50 delegates from Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) units around the country gathered in Ceannt Officers' Mess in the
were that: 3,000 reservists received seven days full-time training and recruits were given 14 days training; over 400 reservists took part in the RDF assessments; 322 new recruits were sanctioned in 2012; and 258 promotions were sanctioned with some still being processed In the final address to the conference Charlie Bradley,
"The loyalty and dedication of members of the RDF gives me great confidence in going forward and for the future." Some of the other main points Lt Gen McCann spoke of
RDFRA president, included a call on the minister to remove the moratorium on recruitment to the reserve, "the only volunteer body in the country to have it". For more info on RDFRA visit their revamped website on www.rdfra.ie or www.facebook.com/RDFRA .
www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE
