A question for the RDF lads..

arybvtcw0eolkf

Ok since this forum is mainly made up of serving RDF members, or ex-RDF I'd like to ask...

Have we (PDF members) got something horrible you don't want to catch?..

I don't mean it to sound that bad, but for year's I'm alway pleasent to the RDF lads in the barracks. For instance in the dining hall, I'll be queing for grub with the lads RDF & PDF alike and almost go out of my way to say "hi" to the guys and hope to strike up a little conversation about the unit I once served in.

But almst without fail I'll be fobbed off, or get the slightest nod then the lads will take their food to the complete opposite side of the dining hall away from the PDF guys and there's zero communications.

Whats up lads?.

Hagar

I don't know about anyone else but when I was in the FCA we looked up in awe at PDF members, the Regs as we called them. We never ate with them though, I suppose we didn't want the embarassment of possibly being told to f off or more likely getting a slagging. Maybe things are different nowadays.

segaBOY

I'm RDF myself but my brothers finishing his cadetship soon-only have the highest respect for PDF lads knowing what training they go through, normally laugh at other RDF lads when they seem to be punching above their weight-think their sh*t hot because the do an annual camp and train for 2 hours a wk-I know what I am, Army Reserve Private not PDF standard and I don't pretend to be at the same standard as my PDF counterparts

In short no, don't have a problem with PDF

Rew

Its rare that a PDF head will open their mouths to you unless its to be obnoxious and thats pretty much it. Its getting better but most young PDF 3*'s think their gods gift to the Army and arn't very friendly. NCO's are generally alot better and easier to talk too. The more cross training thats being done things will get better but were not there yet.

I heard form a certain 3* that him and his mates went out of their way to rob all the gear off an integrated RDF guy.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Rew wrote: »

Its rare that a PDF head will open their mouths to you unless its to be obnoxious and thats pretty much it. Its getting better but most young PDF 3*'s think their gods gift to the Army and arn't very friendly. NCO's are generally alot better and easier to talk too. The more cross training thats being done things will get better but were not there yet.

I heard form a certain 3* that him and his mates went out of their way to rob all the gear off an integrated RDF guy.

Yup, thats the problem with your a young gung-ho 3* just fresh out of recruit training. But its been twenty year's since I was a young 3*.

As for the guys robbing the RDF lad, saddly thats a problem right accross the board. And again mostly confined to the younger lads who haven't yet learn't the difficulties involved for everyone where there's a thief in the unit.

Well anyway lads (RDF members here) we're not all bad-assed & battle hardened ignorant fvckers.

Btw, my old FCA unit was B'Coy, 7th Inf.Bn (way, way back in the bad old days of .303's, mish-mash combats, WWII pattern webbing and pot belly stoves in wooden training huts).

eroo

Well Mairt,you can start a conversation w/ me anyday if we happen to be in the same que
I think it is all because of the bad image the FCA had that we are a bit intimidated of PDF...also because of tales being told about how 'the PDF hate us,just stay away from them..'

SpitfireIV

Mairt wrote: »

pot belly stoves in wooden training huts).

I've been out of the RDF three years now, after doing three years, but our 'hut' had one of them stoves, and still has, grand place to gather and warms the hands on a cold Thursday night in winter

That was D company, 10th Infantry Battalion, dont know what they are known as now after the changeover.

Manic Moran

Hagar wrote: »

I don't know about anyone else but when I was in the FCA we looked up in awe at PDF members, the Regs as we called them. We never ate with them though, I suppose we didn't want the embarassment of possibly being told to f off or more likely getting a slagging. Maybe things are different nowadays.

Thats about the way we felt as well: I don't think we felt particularly appreciated by the PDF, and for whatever reason didn't think they'd want to say anything good/pleasant to us. Vicious circle.

NTM

Steyr

PDF Guys in Galway are sound to me and the guys in my Unit, in fact ive never some across any "bad" PDF guys they always seem to be up for the craic. Sound bunch and ive seen lots as im like alot of people here quite some time ( 7+yrs ) in the RDF.

Rew

I dont think my unit is endeering its self to the local 3*'s. We do enemy for their 3* courses and we maul them every time so in turn they get mauled by the DS!! When they finish their tactics stint they hate us.

cp251

Can't speak for the current situation but in my time the PDF never missed a chance to call us sandbags etc. Also a lot of the regulars in my experience were a bunch of mouthy hard chaws. To be fair I'm talking about the 2nd and the 5th Infantry and the 2nd Cav who recruited from mainly from certain parts of Dublin, if you know what I mean. I always found that units from outside Dublin were a lot more friendly, the 27th and the 29th spring to mind.

It didn't help either that often we gave as good as we got and sometimes were even better at certain things. So we were wary of the regulars sometimes.

An example might be a certain contributor to this very forum. No names;)

On the other hand the guys you met could well be a cliquey bunch of ignorant retards who think they're better than the PDF. I've seen that attitude too.

arybvtcw0eolkf

cp251 wrote: »

To be fair I'm talking about the 2nd and the 5th Infantry and the 2nd Cav who recruited from mainly from certain parts of Dublin, if you know what I mean.

Bullsh*t, complete and utter bullsh*t.

Absolute bollox in fact.

Tribunius

In my 6 years I have come across a hell of a lot of different attitudes from the pdf from dead on to dead ignorant.

The lads in the 4th far were the first lot I encountered during my recruit training (a whole week long:eek:). They were dead on. We played football on the square with them a couple of times. Were good a good bunch. They even gave us tips on polishing our boots and stuff.

Then I have come across the pure ignorant. An pdf officer no less. Trying to catch us out on guard duty one night. Sneaking up during the night a number of times and calling the guard out a load of times. Pure twat.

Nuttzz

stand in line for grub isnt where the chats happen its in the mess, oh wait no bags allowed as members.....

Poccington

cp251 wrote: »

To be fair I'm talking about the 2nd and the 5th Infantry and the 2nd Cav who recruited from mainly from certain parts of Dublin, if you know what I mean.

I can assure you, they don't recruit from just "certain parts of Dublin". Have a look at any Recruit Platoon in training, you'll find lads from all over the country.

cp251

Poccington wrote: »

I can assure you, they don't recruit from just "certain parts of Dublin". Have a look at any Recruit Platoon in training, you'll find lads from all over the country.

Oh dear. I will spell it out then.

Yes indeed you will, but I am not referring to the lads 'from all over the country'. I am referring to certain Dubliners, (not all Dubliners) the hard men, from hard areas with hard attitudes who are to be found in those units.

I didn't say that all of those units were made up of people like that. That was your own extrapolation. Read what I said, not what you think I said!:rolleyes:

Bullsh*t, complete and utter bullsh*t.

Absolute bollox in fact.

Nicely articulate.:(

arybvtcw0eolkf

cp25 The implication of what you said is very clear.

SASQUATCH

pax

bunny shooter

SASQUATCH wrote: »

pax

WTF ?

Hagar

Pax is Latin for Peace. I hope he's not a spammer. I don't like spammers.

SASQUATCH

I ain't no spammer, I just like that word. Wanted to see what happens when I post it on a millitary thread . Sorry for bothering ye.

Hagar

Now that you know feel free to participate in the Forum. It's open to all.

bunny shooter

Latin......lasted 1 x week in Latin class in 1981. Crap, make the bad man go away :eek:

eroo

SASQUATCH wrote: »

I ain't no spammer, I just like that word. Wanted to see what happens when I post it on a millitary thread . Sorry for bothering ye.

run boy,RUN!!

Flying

eroo wrote: »

run boy,RUN!!

LOL

miss no stars

Mairt, I'd say it's more a case of RDF people being intimidated or unsure than being unfriendly. Most just aren't sure what to do if someone from the PDF starts talking to them. Then they get shy and uncomfortable and quiet. Or else they're thinking "what's he up to? is he having a laugh at me or something??? am I at the butt of their joke or what????"

It stems mainly from the idea that the PDF don't want to talk to the RDF, don't like the RDF and want nothing to do with the RDF and then when someone from the PDF does happen to go and take the time, breath and courtesy to say hello to the RDF person in line beside them it goes against all the pre/misconceptions that the RDF lad had and then they don't know what to do with themselves.

Fair play to ya trying tho! I'd talk to ya!

martinr5232

With sixteen years done in both the fca and the rdf ive seen a lot of changes.
Especially with the attitude of the pdf when there was a big intake in ninty four the majority of recruits were from the fca.
So the attitude changed but before that pdf not only would they not talk to you but could be very insulting.
Thankfully that seems to be changing due to those recruits getting up through the ranks.
Ill have grub with ya next time im in mckee.
We can chat about the old 7th btn

Rashers

It's because of that 'superior' additude shown by PDF towards FCA. Funny thing is it's a newish attitude. I joined the FCA (as it was then) back in 1964. At that time no one cared who you were, when we trained together or whatever, we all got along happily. Then gradually the 'attitude problem' crept in. Where the 'new' superior attitude came from I simply do not know.

In 1971 I opted for full time duties in a border area. No sooner was I attached to a PDF section in Dundalk (I was a corporal then) than there was nearly a mini mutiny! I remember the first remark from a PDF lad, "I'm taking no f***ing orders from a sandbagger!" That was one of the 'nicer' remarks.

I ignored the remarks, preferring to show dignified indifference -- but can you imagine serving with a unit where only the older members, mostly senior NCOs would even acknowledge your existance?

So perhaps it's a case of 'keep away from the PDF lads and you'll hear no ignorant remarks'.

It's a great pity that it has to be like this. I hope in time it changes.

Oh yeh... I'm a former 7th Bn man.

minidazzler

I have noticed that in Collins Bks Cork the Older guys are alot sounder than the Newer recruits to 3*'s.
We were bring back weapons a few months back and I had to run up ahead with the cleaning kit. When my buddies were marching in the Armory gate (perfectly I might add) I was standing right behind a PDF Recruit who looked out a window and said "Useless fvckin' Sandbags" to a buddy of his that was next to him. That is a direct quote. I know a guy in the platoon that he was in too so I know that he was in the PDF no more than 3 weeks at the time. I did givee him a look though and he didnt seem to enjoy it.

Then on the Flip side, I have had full on conversations with a Sgt. from the PDF. (he is my reference if I ever try to go Permanent.)

The young guys think that they are supposed to hate us because of the Old days. Thats as far as I can tell.

That as I see it is the reason that the younger lads dont talk to the PDF. I am only 18 and in it a year and a bit but still I have no problem talking to them if they talk to me. (I wouldnt walk up to them though because you never know what you are gonna get.)

c-90

manic moron: whats the relationship with the national guard and army over there?

As we used to say in the Pearse,

the difference between them and us was ,we had real jobs and they had tattoos........................