An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir June 2018 www.dfmagazine.ie 4 | Message froM the Chief of staff T his year marks the 60th anniversary of Irish Peacekeeping when Defence Forces personnel were first deployed on UN peacekeeping operations as part of the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UN- TSO) in 1958. The proud service of our soldiers, sailors and aircrew sees Ireland holding the longest unbroken record of UN peacekeeping service of any nation in the world. This is a remarkable achievement for a nation of our size and is a major contribution by the women and men of Óglaigh na hÉireann over the past sixty years. Our commitment to the UN, playing a positive and constructive role in the maintenance of international peace and security, is widely acknowl- edged. It is appropriate that as we mark this anniversary and indeed the 40th anniversary of UNIFIL, that an Irish Officer, Maj Gen Michael Beary, holds the position of UNIFIL Force Commander and Head of Mission. Holding this prestigious appointment is a mark of Ireland's esteem as peacekeepers in the international community and in the Middle East. Our reputation as fair and impartial brokers, dedicated to the common purpose of supporting peace in South Lebanon is built upon the work, dedication and sacrifices of successive Irish contingents since 1978. Whether it be Lebanon or areas such as Golan or Mali, Irish troops help facilitate a safe and secure environment, which is a key enabler for civil society. The entitlement to live in a civil society is a human right of every man, woman and child. It goes to the heart of democracy, built on values, where people are free, where the institutions of state function, and where the vulnerable are protected. During 'Operation Pontus', the humanitarian mission on the Mediterranean, for many of the 18,000 plus people rescued by Óglaigh na hÉireann, the first semblance of a civil society experienced in months, if not years, was what the survivors experienced under the Irish Tricolour on the afterdeck of an Irish sovereign warship in the Mediterranean. Now as part of both the EU and UN mandate EUNAVFOR Med 'Operation Sophia', the Irish Navy continue to play an important role in the Mediterranean as part of the broader EU comprehensive response to the migration issue. The 70,000 individual tours of duty completed by Irish Defence Forces personnel have not been without great sacrifice. It is appropriate to remember the eighty-seven (87) members of the Defence Forces who have died in the service of inter- national peace including the two soldiers who remain missing in action, one in Congo and one in Lebanon. Everything we do is built on our values of moral courage, physical courage, respect, integrity, loyalty and selflessness. We must continuously strive to accentuate these values. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the members of Óglaigh na hÉireann and our Veterans who have served over- seas over the past sixty years. The role that your family and loved ones play in enabling your service abroad must also be commended. They too serve. In conclusion, I would like to thank every member of Óglaigh na hÉireann for your devotion to duty, commitment and professionalism. To those currently deployed overseas in some of the world's most dangerous environments, I wish you well, as you uphold Ireland's great peacekeeping tradition. You do us proud. Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, DSM

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