Joining the irish defence forces

DILLIGAF

melikedonunts wrote: »

i sent in an application about a month ago ,and have heard nothing back from them,Then i decided to ring them up and see could they help me and i was greeted with a very freindly "NO".is this normal?how long does it usualy take before they contact you?

Unfortunately our defense forces HR is notoriously bad at keeping punctual with applications. It takes them absurdly long times to process even the most straight forward applications. The brits were like lightning with their turnaround but they are fighting a war and need all the help they can get.

Just sit tight and when you get a phonecall it'll be like winning the lottery......or something like that...

biscuit_sligo

you think thats bad. A few of us have med and interview finished, platoon apparantly starts monday and still no security clearance sent back, only 75% returned thus far or something like that. Could cost us our place:(

Pure Cork

Is it possible to get a cadetship (in the Air Corps) while still in college, and keep attending college?

burnedfaceman

no its not, deferred entry is not an option

Pure Cork

Thought that alright. With infantry training, ground school, and flying training there just wouldn't be time. Why do they bother mentioning Cadets/Officers and third level education on their website so?

burnedfaceman

that refers to the army and navy, school leaver army cadets go to college and complete a degree after commissioning. As far as i know navy cadets do a degree in maritime studies at national maritime college before being commissioned. Air corps cadets fly plane when they get their wings

Pure Cork

Fair enough. The website does mention third level education in the Air Corps Cadets section too though.

I presume the medical standards for pilots in the air corps and roughly the same as civilian pilots, and they have to do a medical every year?

Cato

a quick question, once you have passed everthing and are just waiting on acceptance, how much notice do they give you before you have to start? is it a month? (just a gues but this sems reasonable to me) thanks.

mr.miagi

burnedfaceman wrote: »

that refers to the army and navy, school leaver army cadets go to college and complete a degree after commissioning. As far as i know navy cadets do a degree in maritime studies at national maritime college before being commissioned. Air corps cadets fly plane when they get their wings

genrally the time spent in college adds to the minimum term in the DF and it must be relavent to the DF egsample: marine biology.....no good
they wont let you do it
however aircraft systems yes you can and it happens between part 1 and 2 of cadette training
after military training but before flight training

LegacyUser

mr.miagi wrote: »

genrally the time spent in college adds to the minimum term in the DF and it must be relavent to the DF egsample: marine biology.....no good
they wont let you do it
however aircraft systems yes you can and it happens between part 1 and 2 of cadette training
after military training but before flight training

Sorry mr.miagi - air corps cadets don't attend college at all. Army and Navy do.

Naval Officers (they attend college once commissioned) are restricted to nautical science, science or engineering (think its mechanical but cant remember).

Army Officers can do most courses these days - not medicine etc. Arts, engineering, business, commerce or transport are the norm but not the only courses open to application.

mr.miagi

well im just going what my guidance counceller told me ya would expect them to know

Fast_Mover

Question:
Probably a bit random and doesnt happen that often but..
Say if you are accepted into the PDF, you do your 16 week training or whatever, are stationed in a barracks, and then decide that the life isnt for you, how easy is it to leave? Or are you bound to stay in the PDF for a minimum amount of time?

Dub13

Fast_Mover wrote: »

Question:
Probably a bit random and doesnt happen that often but..
Say if you are accepted into the PDF, you do your 16 week training or whatever, are stationed in a barracks, and then decide that the life isnt for you, how easy is it to leave? Or are you bound to stay in the PDF for a minimum amount of time?

I know a few lads who bought themselves out,Its not a huge deal but obviously more complicated than leaving a so called 'normal job'.Off the top of my head I think they had to pay 300/500 pounds but this was a while ago things may have changed.

You would be surprised how often it happens.

Company Sgt

got letter for start date for army training also got letter for air corps recruitment want to go air corps but will have to pass all the things all over again but might not get in to it,what shud i do turn down army and gamble on getting in to ac or take it !!!

mr.miagi

TAKE IT!! is wat i say
in the air core you will be stuck as a winchman or radarman or something along those lines

and if you dont like the army then you might be able to transfer...

Company Sgt

mr.miagi wrote: »

TAKE IT!! is wat i say
in the air core you will be stuck as a winchman or radarman or something along those lines

and if you dont like the army then you might be able to transfer...

cheers worked in aviaton b4 wanted to go back in dont know what to do

mr.miagi

what area in aviation did you work in???

Company Sgt

mr.miagi wrote: »

what area in aviation did you work in???

maintainence

-aurora

how much notice did they give you till your startin and what bde? just want to know for myself if i get accepted

Company Sgt

-aurora wrote: »

how much notice did they give you till your startin and what bde? just want to know for myself if i get accepted

1 week to start but 2 days to accept it

Cato

1 week? thats a bit of short notice? what if you have to leave jobs and make other living arrangements? 1 week? surely it more?:(

NoQuarter

Cato wrote: »

1 week? thats a bit of short notice? what if you have to leave jobs and make other living arrangements? 1 week? surely it more?:(

welcome to the military...

arybvtcw0eolkf

king-stew wrote: »

welcome to the military...

DITTO

Company Sgt

Cato wrote: »

1 week? thats a bit of short notice? what if you have to leave jobs and make other living arrangements? 1 week? surely it more?:(

welcome to ireland buddy its the irish army why would you need to organise living arrangements you live in the barracks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mr.miagi

Company Sgt wrote: »

maintainence

yeah you would get direct entry no problem, given you satisfy the entry requirements

Company Sgt

mr.miagi wrote: »

yeah you would get direct entry no problem, given you satisfy the entry requirements

yeah but that doesnt mean i will pass everthing

mr.miagi

that is true
but if you want to get in then you have to try

besides

they are crying out for qualified personell

Company Sgt

mr.miagi wrote: »

that is true
but if you want to get in then you have to try

besides

they are crying out for qualified personell

yeah thats it but have an army offer so if i refuse that iv nothing else, they have enough qualified personnel

mr.miagi

well thats last i heard neway

its upto yourself i suppose

Company Sgt

mr.miagi wrote: »

well thats last i heard neway

its upto yourself i suppose

ah ya hear a lot of bull through it not doubting you though

Cato

i was hoping for a month notice was looking forward to the time of from work which currently takes up alot of time, i wanted to cram some trining in as well to make sure i was top condition going in, to bad i only get a weeks warning, oh well thanks for the warning i gues i better start geting prepared now..

NoQuarter

yep, although you can always be fitter, the level they start at is fine if you didnt struggle in the fitness test, they will build you up to a level so its not up to you, so you ok in that regard, although it is nice to have it handy fitness wise the 1st couple of weeks

enjoy haha

Cato

king-stew wrote: »

yep, although you can always be fitter, the level they start at is fine if you didnt struggle in the fitness test, they will build you up to a level so its not up to you, so you ok in that regard, although it is nice to have it handy fitness wise the 1st couple of weeks

enjoy haha

thanks for the reply, could you define "struggle" or is that open to interpretation?

bitemybanger

Finally got my interview date for the PDF, a week from today:)

daisey

bitemybanger wrote: »

Finally got my interview date for the PDF, a week from today:)

howdy just wanted to ask if any those their training in the curragh

NoQuarter

Cato wrote: »

thanks for the reply, could you define "struggle" or is that open to interpretation?

crawling over the line = struggle

Lobster

I can't get in because I had asmatha

Cato

king-stew wrote: »

crawling over the line = struggle

hehe thats good then for me

NoQuarter

Lobster wrote: »

I can't get in because I had asmatha

they dont know if you dont tell them!

i had asthma from when i was around 8 years till about 14/15, never mentioned it to them and there was no hassle

Lobster

Well they know now and he told me that I cant get into any of the defence forces in the future. It seems the naval vessels can't spare room for my medication, that being the inhalers i never need anymore. Their loss, I was the most suitable canditate there that day by a million miles. The Ferry to haulbowline was a new experience for some of them for feck sake.

Aviator141

I applied for the Equation school last January. Because I had a lot of experience training horses they interviewed me within 2 days which really surprised me. I then had my medical and fitness test within the space of a month, they certainly were efficent! I was accepted and give 2 days notice to start training in Co Louth. I explained to them that I had to give one months notice to my employer but their attitude was " Screw your job, you're in the army now!" I told them could I defer until the next time so they said ok " With a serious attitude might I add" Just 2 weeks ago I recieved a letter asking me to arrive in Gormanstown, however I only had 4 days notice this time :mad: ! I again had to ring them and I was basically told off for wasting their time !? I explained to them I wanted to start but I also had a loyalty to my employer. They seem to think that you will drop everything for them!? I then told them to take my name of the list, they seem to me to be a very unorganised Army in my opinion. I mean I stated many times in my interview that I had to give a months notice and they said they can work something out for me.
Im very disappointed it worked out this way but I had no other option

Cato

damn, i always thought they gave you a months notice, not sure why i just thought that would make sense, but i intend to drop everthing and go, i just wish i knew wether i am going to be called up when they said next RC is starting or at some random point 8 months down the line when ive all but forgotten about it? you must have a good job to stay and refuse a career in the army, especially in equitation i hear people go places in there... although i know my employers and they are probably the soundest i have ever had, i would prefer not to just leave them without hardly any notice. What i do is minimum wage stuff, but is semi skilled ie i was trained to a certain deegree to acomplish a certain job that only 1 or 2 other people know how to do and badly at that, so me leaving would force a huge workload on them, but i want a real job/career and when it comes to this i come first not anyone else! so you must be kicking yourself man

NoQuarter

Aviator141 wrote: »

they seem to me to be a very unorganised Army in my opinion.

haha mate you have no idea, thats just the tip of the iceberg youve seen!

Company Sgt

Lobster wrote: »

I can't get in because I had asmatha

of course u can get in with asthma

Aviator141

king-stew wrote: »

haha mate you have no idea, thats just the tip of the iceberg youve seen!

Really?? Is there anything you've seen or come across to make you come to that conclusion?

Aviator141

Cato wrote: »

so you must be kicking yourself man

You said it! It's not so bad though as I work as a photographer which I love, I also get to work with horses every 2 weeks or so, so I'm still involved in something I have a passion for. It really comes as no surprise to me why the army has difficulties recruiting qualified personal, their recruitment procedures need to be totally overhauled and evaluated. I'm positive I wasn't the only one in this situation.

Lobster

Company Sgt wrote: »

of course u can get in with asthma

Not I, maybe it was because I mispelled "asthma":p

NoQuarter

Aviator141 wrote: »

Really?? Is there anything you've seen or come across to make you come to that conclusion?

yes, my whole (albeit rather short) army career!

Aviator141

king-stew wrote: »

yes, my whole (albeit rather short) army career!

Go on..........?

NoQuarter

there wouldnt be enough space on the interweb to write it all but in general, the simplest tasks involved a lot of effort, even more shouting and an enormous amount of confusion! :rolleyes: