Garda Reserve Force - (See Moderator note in first post #1)

69sparkie69

hi..just wondering if anyone applied to the garda reserve,and if so,how did they get on.???:cool:

Mod note: Read this and THIS before posting.

wex

given that most of the chatter about the reserve force on boards has been "curtain twitching busy bodies", I doubt that anyone would actually admit to being a member.
Saying that a mate of mine is a member of the pilot scheme, and all is going well, as usuall the press reports are over exagerated, she has had no problems other than getting the time to fit in the training, which is far from the 48 hours published and banded about by the gra.

iandromiskin

I'd love to know the anwer to that question too, but I presume the lack of posts is because few people hear are in the reserve or are full time Garda. I'am not a Garda by the way, but I did put my name in the hat when the recruitment started last year. I have now gotton notification of interviews in my area (Louth/Meath) and I have to decide what to do next. I may well fail at any of the hurdles, but I might give it a go. We'll see. I've also read a lot of either neutral or negative comments further on this board site, but it must be remembered the reserve is new and should at least be given a chance to prove itself.

But has anyone applied for the reseres and been throught the interview, exam etc ? I would love to know what its like and what kind of things they ask. Do you have to emphasis your charity or community envolvement ? Do they show you a video of a dramitised crime and you have to detail from memory what you say ? What is the physical exam like ??? All these things.

I'am 34 and I wear glasses, but within the limits. But I'd love to know what is involved in not only the interview, but the training. The last post mentioned that the training is much longer that the specified hours, and this I can believe. But does anyone have any insight or advice for someone thinking of going for the interview ?? Positive feedback please, no 'don't do it' kind of posts please.

Ian in Louth.

Bren1609

Anyone out there in the reserves? I'm in the process of signing up. Any thoughts?

Steyr

Bren with that nickanme im guessing your RDF?

69sparkie69

bren.
how do you mean signing up..??? have you been accepted..??

69sparkie69

hi wex..
why dont you get your female friend to give us an update on the reserve`s..
re; how`s the full time are treat them,interviews,etc.. it would be great to hear from someone in it..
cheers.
sparkie..

Bren1609

Ok here it is step by step.

I applied by phone in Sep 06. They sent me out an application for which i completed and returned.
(Oct 06) A few weeks later I was called for an interview and a written exam. The interview was about 1/2 hour and I was interviewed by a public servant and a Superintendent of some sort. The interview was along the theme of "challenges" and "what would you bring to the Gardai", "Why do you want to join the reserve", "would you or have you ever considered joining the full time Gardai", alot about challenges in your own job and what type of challenges have you encountered and how u overcame those challenges. They also asked about any other community involvement and volunteer work.

(Nov 06) I was then sent an e-mail with a form GR2 (background check) which takes ages to fill out. You have to give the details of all your family members including aunties & uncles. You also have to give your PPS number and all the addresses where you lived and all previous employment details aswell as 2 written references.

(Dec 06) They send you a medical cert asking about illnesses and any allergies. You also have to make an appointment to go for a medical in HQ in phoenix park. This will take up a full morning. The medical is very straight forward, if you're in an shape at all you'll pass. They check eyes, ears, heart, urine, blood pressure, weight, height and then they grab your balls and say cough (seriously).

(Jan 07) I was called in for another interview in the local Garda station with the Sergeant. It's more of an informal chat "ever in trouble with the gards" ask about friends family etc. He just tries to get a feel for what type of person you are.

Jan 07 Called in for another interview with the superintendent, not as informal as previous interview but throws a few tricky questions at you "what would you do if u felt a Garda wasn't acting appropriately and what procedures would you follow"?

Feb 07 I got a call from HR to say that I can expect to b called up in early March 07

However, as of today I have not received any formal notification that I have been accepted.


Steyr, what does RDF mean?

Fyr.Fytr

RDF = Reserve Defence Forces

Steyr guessed you were in RDF as the Bren gun is a support weapon they use

wex

Bren,

Were you given any indication where you would be stationed, I posted a thread the other day in the wrong forum asking the question, so dont know if the thread will be closed. A friend of mine is a Reserve, she was on the pilot scheme. I think 50 recruits are now in station training at the moment, and a further 50 going to templemore in march.
There doesnt seem to be a lack of recruits, but a lack of room in templemore to train them, given the size of phases of regular student Guards. the thread I posted is "Garda Reserve Stations", I posted it on "News & Media", muppet.

Bren1609

No, havn't been offucially accepted as of yet.

Steyr

Fyr.Fytr wrote:

RDF = Reserve Defence Forces

Steyr guessed you were in RDF as the Bren gun is a support weapon they use

Correct but the Bren is gone and has been replaced by the GPMG and 0.5 HMG.:D

iandromiskin

"If you're in an shape at all you'll pass. They check eyes, ears, heart, urine, blood pressure, weight, height and then they grab your balls and say cough (seriously)."

Hi, I have an interview tomorrow believe it or not (Tuesday 20th). When you say in good shape, do 34 years old men with a bit of a beer gut count ??? Not a big one now, just your average mid thirties belly.

Ian

Bren1609

Good shape as in, If you can run you'll be fine.

69sparkie69

hi bren
just wondering,do you have to do a physical test..??? like what the regular guards have to do..???

iandromiskin

Hi Bren, I had the interview and test yesterday. Thought the interview went very well but raging over the test as I think I mentioned two or three bits of unnecessary information. I only included them as relevent information as in a way it was a fact, just maybe not relevent.

Ah well. See what happens.

Good luck with your application.

Ian.

69sparkie69

hin again..
not getting much help on this subject..except from iandromiskin,thanks mate,. well i`m up for the high jump and interview and test this tuesday,14 march..anyone out there with anymore info or comments..come on down.. cheers..
sparkie..

wex

Howya Lads,

I think everyone is a little shy on the replies, as its still early days with the Reserve as a whole, but if its any use to you, a friend of mine is a serving Reservist and she is getting on fine. Good luck to both of you.

Wex:

robbiedublin

Hi 69,
I am a member of the reserve and can tell you that the interview is pretty much based around community development. The focus in my case was on how I felt about the force and how I would be of benifit to the Gardai as a whole.
Much of the questiooning deals with how you are involved in the community and how you might deal with situations in a community setting.

Best of luck

wex

Hi Robbie,
Where you on the pilot scheme, or one of the following phases, interested to find out which stations are now coming on line.

Wex

iandromiskin

Hi Robbie,

Thanks for that. Reassured me a lot. Still have to finish off the as my partner is ringing around her extended family getting details etc. How do you find the reserve working to date ? What sort of things are you doing as a member - ie are you on desk or station duty or on foot patrol most of the time and how many hours and time of day do you work ???

Ian.

69sparkie69

hi robbie.
thats exactly what they asked.. re; the force,community,life experiences..and of course team work.!! I`m confident enough about it ,as i`ve been involved in voluntary emergency service`s ( search & recovery /diving) since i was 17..
the interview went well, as well as the aptitude test. did fine in it i think,but christ,ha, my hand writing has gone to ****e,and i`ll definitely wont get any points for it..they are doing 4 days of interviews and tests,in castlebar..with 12 / day..only 8 turned up yesterday..3 guys and 5 women..and asking the administrator, she said it was a ratio off 2-1 in favour of women..fair play..more women in uniform..!! ha ha.
nice though.. so hopefully robbie,ian and i will be successful, and will start weight watchers,so whats the medical like..??and whats like being at station and attitudes from regular garda`s..a local Sgt. that i know, cant understand why anyone would do it for nothing..why risk injury or death..i`m involved in the rnli..and do that every time that we are called out,and look for no financial gains..

iandromiskin

69sparkie69 wrote:

will start weight watchers

Forgot to mention. I stopped drinking and other fat retaining practices for lent and for the medical, if i get that far, and I've already lost half a stone. Down from 11.6 to 10.11. Not bad.

testicle

Steyr wrote:

Bren with that nickanme im guessing your RDF?

Add dan to Bren and what do you get?

69sparkie69

hi ian,
well i got word last week,past the interview, and called for a medical,and report to training at the end of april..great news i thought..till i was told by my other half that we are away on holidays that week.. brill..!!!! not... so i`ve arrange to go for the intake in june,hopefully i`ve lost more weight,to pass the medical..hopefully..haha...!!!!!...fair play on lossing weight. its not easy..but it gives something to aim for.. so any news on your end..??

iandromiskin

Hi,

Congratulations !!!! Thats brilliant. Well done. I'am still waiting. I handed in my GR(2) about two weeks ago and I got a call from a Garda Sergeant last night about arranging an interview to go over my charactor. I'am expecting a call from him soon to talk to him today. Other than that not much. Still no word on going for the medical. I know my background check is still in progress too, so maybe I'll get my orders soon. Still off the drink, but seem to have cusped at 10.11. I've got holidays at the end of August too to go to a wedding, so If i do get into the late april group I just might make it, otherwise I'll have to hang on for a while.

Well done again. Really envious now. But maybe my time will come eventually.

wex

69sparkie69 wrote:

hi ian,
well i got word last week,past the interview, and called for a medical,and report to training at the end of april..great news i thought..till i was told by my other half that we are away on holidays that week.. brill..!!!! not... so i`ve arrange to go for the intake in june,hopefully i`ve lost more weight,to pass the medical..hopefully..haha...!!!!!...fair play on lossing weight. its not easy..but it gives something to aim for.. so any news on your end..??

Hi 69,

congrats,

did you get word on where you are to be attached.

wex

69sparkie69

hi wex
thanks for that.. well i guess it will be in the western region..as thats were i`m from..either the castlebar/ballina/or westport districts..hopefully..or perhaps down protecting the gas line,in belmullet,, ha ha.."no smoking around here." ha ha.. but on a serious note.. have to achieve the bmi..and thats going to be hard enough...

iandromiskin

69sparkie69 wrote:

have to achieve the bmi..and thats going to be hard enough...

What is the figure for the BMI do you know ?

Oul Wan

I have two friends who've applied for this. One got a phone call yesterday to say that she's to report to Templemore for training at the end of April. She has gone through all the procedures. The other has also gone through all the procedures but no word yet. Needless to say she's up the walls now worrying that she doesn't have it. But, everyone seems to have done the interviews/report writing etc. at different stages. So maybe they don't phone everybody at the same time. Anyone any ideas on this?

Oul Wan

Preset no. 3, both my friends have told me that there was no medical practitioner appointed to give the form to. One of them went to her regular doctor, the other went to a doctor that she's never been to before as she's moved house recently.

In my opinion you may as well try for it if you think you'd like it. What have you to lose?

Bren1609

I was listening to Newstalk the other morning and apparantley 6000 have applied and only 36 reserves are on the street. They were suggesting that the process is being delayed internally because the full time Gardai were originally against the idea of the reserves. This actually makes sense as my application has dragged on since last september and even though I've been thru the whole recruitment process, any time I e-mail HR to ask about when I'm supposed to be going to Templmore they say that they're still waiting on security clearance and they'll let me know when it clears.

Does anybody here actually know more than one person who is a Reservist? Or is anyone here going to Templmore in Arpil?

69sparkie69

hi bren.
yeah, i was offered a place in april,but i didn`t go for the medical,cause i`m away next weekend,and i have to lose some weight..but a friend of mine is heading down there this Friday..lucky bas****,...and hopefully i`ll be able to give everybody a load down next week.. i know it can take a while for your gr2 to be checked and cleared.. so keep the faith...
hard luck odarallo, give it a go again in a couple of months..and be on time..!!
hi ian..you skinny thing you..ha ha...10`9..your to skinny,,you lucky bas****,the only time i see that ,is twice, when i`m standing on and off the fecking scales flying by...and you jammy whore,,a girlfriend of 3 years,and your 35..ha ha i`ve one too..but if my wife found out ..she kill me..ha ha.. only messing dear..wish. so ian, have you checked you bmi, you must be near perfect, weight to height,etc...
sparkie.

cushtac

How old are you?

freddiew

My advise, do not appeal, just re-apply next year.

69sparkie69

hi guys.
great to see so much interest in this subject..and new people expressing an interest and views too..as it was up to myself, my skinny buddy ian and the bren man to keep it going.. anyway,hope everything goes well for you this weekend..was to go myself,but other half booked hols..and have to go to keep the peace, garda reserve or not..ha ha..hope you come back from there with lots of stories, and give us the heads up on whats expected and going on over the two days..and whats the track suit for the evenings about..???..anyway good luck and enjoy yourself,its been a hard long slug..but you made it..jammy whores..and i`ve got to go to spain..!! anyone want to swap..ha ha ..enjoy.
sparkie

69sparkie69

hi hughdub,
yeah i`ve been accepted into the reserves,and i`m down west in mayo..just have to pass the medical now,and hopefully that will go OK..as i`ve just passed my medical for the rnli lifeboats..

I like to hear from anyone that's done the medical,as i`m overweight, but i`m fit enough,as i swim and go to the gym..just cant lose the spare tire..so anyone out there done the medical that are overweight..???

Like kieran61 and freddiew i`m in my early forties..how did that go for your medical kieran..??? any special circumstances, ie, been married, having kids, mortgages..etc..and the stress that goes with them..ha ha.. so kieran did they tell you there and then,that you passed the medical..??

Just had a thought there now..being on the lifeboat, we have to have hepatitis injections..all 1st line emergency services personnel have to have them, or recommended to have them..inc. guards..just in case of contact to someone else's body fluids or blood, in case they are a carrier.. so my question is are they going to provide these to the reserves..?? did anyone ask about this..??

freddiew

Hi Lads, I just said I was older! I am actually 53 this May. I am now waiting to hear about Medical as I have got word that my form is in order. Kieran, I will be interested to hear how you get on in Templemore and what the Self Defence class/session was like. Any ideas on a Fast Diet ????

Hughdub

Hey Sparkie, how's things. I'm in Mayo too so may bump into eachother at some stage. I'm at the meeting the Superintendant stage. Have a meeting next Wednesday so fingers crossed. As far as the Medical goes I think, going by other posts, that you will be told on the day whether you pass or not. Let me know how ye get on.

I too work in an area where Hep B screening and immunisation is a must, so I would imagine that those who can't show their Hep B status will have to be tested etc etc...

iandromiskin

Hi all. God I'am really envious of you all just from reading all the posts ! I still hav'nt gotton any word yet of anything, so I presume they are still checking me out. But reading about everybodies experiences so far is making me green with envy. Good point about the Heb thing, never thought of that or of the biting thing. Goes with the job, I don't think any of us thought the reserves would be an easy number.

Well good luck to everybody and let us know next week how it all went so that we can go even greener !

69sparkie69

hi ian..
yeah you will just have to wait..i`d say you will hear from them shortly, as they will have to start to arrange the next group for medicals etc.etc..
Like yourself..cant wait for the feedback from some of the 37 that went down, should be interesting and a bit of craic..!!
sparkie.

wex

Preusse wrote:

Hi Guys,

Just a note on the medical. I did mine a couple of weeks ago. Everything went well bar the hearing test. I have no problem in normal day to day work with it, but they noted it anyway and referred me for a professional audiometry test.

As for the eyesight test: Yes, they are very strict, same as with the Reserve Defence Forces. If you are below the requirement stated in the letter you will fail! It happened to some people I met there.

They will test your eyesight without the glasses only I think, whereas in the RDF they test with glasses on and after some minutes with the glasses off.

Body mass index can also be a problem in some cases. As well as hearing.

Best,
P.

Hi Preusse,

Have you started training yet,
Do you know where you will be stationed.

Dr Strange

Hi wex,

no, I haven't heard anything from them yet. That's probably due to the fact that they have not received my audiogram yet. I will send the results off this week and they will make a decision if they let me in or not.

I am really sweating as this is something I always wanted to do but without having to give up my job. Now's the opportunity...

Best,
P.

freddiew

Hugh, what stage are you at now. Fred

Preset No.3

How long does it take from when you first apply on line to getting some kind of response?

Dr Strange

freddiew wrote:

Kieran, I would welcome a chat on the phone if that's possible. How do I give you my number without everyone getting it? Fred

Hi freddiew,

you can send him a private message (PM) that only he can read. Just click on Kierans nickname in this topic und you will get a list of options, the second one is "Send a Private message to..." I think.

Best,
P.

freddiew

Thanks P, I tried that clicking on his name and nothing happens on any names for that matter, maybe I am thick this morning! What stage are u at in process. F

Dr Strange

freddiew wrote:

Thanks P, I tried that clicking on his name and nothing happens on any names for that matter, maybe I am thick this morning! What stage are u at in process. F

That's strange, it should work. If everything else fails you can always look his nickname up in the members' list and click on his profiel and send a PM from there. Or he can send you a PM first and you only have to reply to it from your mailbox. Hope it works!

I am actually through everything, just had my last interview with my Super two weeks ago. Today I a sending off the audiogram I was asked to undergo because of my hearing test at the reserve medical examination. Once they have received this report the medical officer will make a decision if I can join or not. Would be a pity not to be able to join after passing everything but this. By the way it is a minor hearing problem which does not affect every day life and doesn't even require correction, i.e. hearing aid or something like that.

Best,
Preusse

KIERAN61

Fred I Have Sent You My Work Number

freddiew

Kieran, I'm sorry but dont know what address you have sent it to. Cannot fond on any. Can you email me on <removed> please

Hughdub

Hi Fred. I'm at the waiting stage still!! Passed the interview/written. GR2 completed returned signed off at local station. Had an interview this morning with a Supt. Very informal (still wore the glad rags though) asked me about myself and my background also why I wanted to join the Reserves and then gave me a scenario and asked how I would deal wit that particular situation. Very nice very relaxed ''chat''. He said he now has to send a report off and wasn't sure how long it would take before I heard anything.

Preusse: Thanks for the reply, if ye remember where ye saw that info let me know..

Hugh