An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March 2018 www.dfmagazine.ie 8 | 8 | rePort and Photos By sgt Wayne fitzgerald D es Macauley's father, coy sgt Wallace Macauley, a military policeman in the curragh, died on overseas service in 1965 while serving with unficyP in cyprus, when des was only five- years-old. after the tragedy his mother moved the family back to her hometown of Kilkenny, which is where des grew up, going to the local cBs school before starting work in the Kilkenny engineering Products factory. When the factory closed in 1985 des enlisted with 30 inf Bn in stephens Bks. Des was into soccer and badmin- ton and this continued in his military career where he won two Curragh Comd titles. He served overseas with 63 Inf Bn, UNIFIL, in Lebanon in 1987 and on his return, he completed his Potential NCOs course in the NCO School (now the NCO Training Wing) in the Cur- ragh. Des was promoted to corporal in late 1988 and took up the appoint- ment of Coy Clerk with Spt Coy in Kilkenny. He went on to complete Orderly Room Cpls' and Sgts' courses, as well as a civilian computer course, and was posted to Bn HQ as Orderly Room Cpl in 1990. In 1994 Des started studying for a four-year, part-time degree in coun- seling psychotherapy in UCD, which was inspired by his volunteer work with a local youth club. He also got involved helping out with Personnel Support Services (PSS) activities in the barracks and eventually took up the role officially in 2007 when it became vacant. Des became very interested in suicide prevention and education, and completed a number of courses in this area, such as Critical Incident Stress Management; STORM, the in- ternational best practice course; Skills Training on Risk Management; an ICISF train-the-trainer course in Stress Management; a diploma in Stress Management with the Irish Institute of Stress Management; and diplomas in Suicide Stud- ies and Addiction Studies, both in NUI Maynooth. He went on to complete the Designated Contact Person course and the DCP Trainer course with the DF as well as an employee assessment programme in Galway. Des became a member of the PSS team that travels to overseas mis- sion areas to debrief troops on their rotation home, and over the years he has carried out this task in Liberia, Chad, Kosovo and Lebanon, and is due to visit the Golan Heights soon to debrief UNDOF troops. In 2017, at 57 years old, Des was ineligible to undergo a Standard NCOs course and so a case was made by OC 3 Inf Bn, Lt Col Mark Brownen, to have Des promoted to sergeant on the grounds of meritorious service. On 2nd January 2018 the General Staff signed off on the promotion and Des, who is due to retire in July 2020, became Sgt Des Macauley in recogni- tion of the dedicated, selfless service he has provided to the Defence Forces and his comrades over many years.

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