Yet another reserves thread

Soldie

I'm a 23 year old male living in south Dublin and I'm interested in joining the reserves to build up my fitness, I have a few concerns however.

Namely:

- Being 23 I'm not too keen on the idea of being in with a bunch of kids, what's the average age of most recruits?

- I'm a little unfit, I'm not overweight - quite the opposite in fact, but unfit all the same, should I be in shape before joining?

- Is it crucial to attend week in week out? I'm a college student and I'm pretty busy extra-curricular-wise, so there might be the odd week where I'd be unable to attend, I also travel pretty regularly.

- Is there a recommended good time (month) to sign up?

- I saw the basic training you're taught on military.ie, but what do you get up to on a weekly basis?

- Is it fun?

Thanks!

Bam Bam

If you want to build up your fitness then join a gym.

The RDF will not physically train you, they expect you to do it yourself.

Average age of recruits is about 17-19.

Lockstep

-Most people in my unit are around 19 or 20, but there are kids of 17 and people in their mid 20s too.

-There wasn't a fitness test for me and I joined around a month ago. There was a medical but I saw people far more than "a little unfit" get in.

-Hardly anyone in my unit attends every week. Some attend once a month or so.

-I applied in October and it took months for me to get in but was told I applied at a bad time. I think if you apply very soon you might still be able to get on the recruit training which is in June.


-I find it very fun, I'd like my unit to be a bit more professional about it (often,I'm the only person without a hangover) but it is excellent fun as well as great discipline.

King Ludvig

In my unit 8 of the current recruits/potential recruits are between 17 and 19. The theres one lad 23, and another 22. This may vary from unit to unit.
The privates and corprols are mostly in their 20's though.

You dont need to be fit to join. You will need some degree of fitness for course and weekends away however. The RDF will not help you get fit. It is your responsibility, the only exercise you'll be doing on a weekly basis is proberly foot drill.

You dont HAVE to attend EVERY week, but you really should be attending parade at least every fortnight.

As for a good month signing up. Proberly after the summer. Your too late for the recruit camp in June/July at this stage i'd say, but no harm attending for april and may and learning the basics.

As a recruit, on a weekly basis you learn foot dill (marching) learning the positions, orders etc You be trained on the Steyr; how to carry out safeties, function checks, striping the weapon, parts of the weapon, and how to clean your weapon. Mabye map reading or basic first aid. After that, depends on the type of unit your in.

Personally I find it a rewarding and enjoyable experience, I look forward to going each week.

ciaran2008

Anyone any advice for me here? I applied to join 58th Reserve infantry to build up my fitness (I know you said they expect you to do it but I’ve heard different from a number of people) but I’ve phoned and phoned Finner Camp but I always get a call back tomorrow call etc! Any other numbers I could phone? Its nothing personal because they don’t know anything about me yet they are just unhelpful!

Lockstep

ciaran2008 wrote: »

Anyone any advice for me here? I applied to join 58th Reserve infantry to build up my fitness (I know you said they expect you to do it but I’ve heard different from a number of people) but I’ve phoned and phoned Finner Camp but I always get a call back tomorrow call etc! Any other numbers I could phone? Its nothing personal because they don’t know anything about me yet they are just unhelpful!

Really you cannot rely on the reserves to build up your fitness.
Once a week is just not enough exercise, and even then marching isn't strenuous.

Maybe things are different in other barracks/units but in mine there is no real physical challenge. Hell, most of my unit turn up hungover anyway.

King Ludvig

ciaran2008 wrote: »

Anyone any advice for me here? I applied to join 58th Reserve infantry to build up my fitness (I know you said they expect you to do it but I’ve heard different from a number of people) but I’ve phoned and phoned Finner Camp but I always get a call back tomorrow call etc! Any other numbers I could phone? Its nothing personal because they don’t know anything about me yet they are just unhelpful!

How long ago did you apply? The garda clearance alone can take a couple of months, then they have to organise a eye/hearing test. It was 10 months before I got sworn in, and now 2 months later im still waiting to be issued my uniform :rolleyes: Some units are slower than others tho. You should be allowed to attend the weekly training as a potential recruit as you wait for your clearance and medical, I know I was.

ciaran2008

Well im from the North so I’d need clearance from the PSNI but im still eligible for a position, right? Well I’ve phoned Finner Camp about 5 or 6 times and ask to get put through to 58th but who ever they put me through to is of no use as they just say can you phone back which I do and then get the same thing! Are there any national numbers I could ring as opposed to man power headquarters?

Cheers Mate

Lockstep

ciaran2008 wrote: »

Well im from the North so I’d need clearance from the PSNI but im still eligible for a position, right? Well I’ve phoned Finner Camp about 5 or 6 times and ask to get put through to 58th but who ever they put me through to is of no use as they just say can you phone back which I do and then get the same thing! Are there any national numbers I could ring as opposed to man power headquarters?

Cheers Mate

Yeah I remember that mate, I was sick to the back teeth of phoning my barracks.

What I did: went to the front gate and asked for the forms.
Filled them in
Waited
and waited
and waited (with lots of phoning in between but neevr got through)
I then went down and asked to join the transport corps instead,
the transport phoned up the medics and told them I was planning on changing.
Medics phoned me up to reassure me it was the guards and finally got a phone number from them.

VEry soon I heard back from them.
The phone is almost useless, just head up to the barracks when you can.


I applied in October, sworn in last month and got my uniform on thursday.

ciaran2008

Cheers Mate,

Yea Ill def do that. What’s the med like anyway? I've joined Red Cross emergency response but wouldn’t mind a new challenge like med in the reserves.

eroo

ciaran2008,take kickoutthejams's advice and go down to the barracks.I'm waiting 6 months now and I still havn't been given a date for a medical..but I haven't missed a single parade night to date because I enjoy it,and I'm still being trained while waiting for the paperwork!I advise you to do the same!

ciaran2008

Cheers man! Yea I think ill def that! Have you any Idea what barracks run residentials over the summer? I seen on bebo somwhere info about a 6 week course!

Lockstep

I was told the big problem with the medical is a lack of doctors. Even once I got the paperwork back from the guards there was difficulties in procuring a doctor.

I love the medical training meself but my unit is a bit......lax. I would have preferred a bit more discipline (calling NCOS by their rank and not their first name, no coming into training hungover etc) but I still love the work. Keep in mind that is just my tiny unit and I'd imagine a bigger one would be different.

They'd be pleased to have someone with medical training I'd imagine, but you still get to do all the soldiering stuff.

ciaran2008

lol!! Yea you'd expect alot of discipline etc given the role but I’ve heard that’s not the case from a few people across different areas. Sure I have the med exp from Red Cross so I might just go for the full blown infantry training in 58th reserve. Good thing about 58th (Finner Camp) is its right beside the beach which is a great benefit!
Cheers for the advice lads and ill keep ya’s posted on how the asking at the gate stuff goes.

Conor108

When you join the reserves is there some kind of standard training everyone does and then you join a unit like engineers or CIS or infantry? Or do you join up with an infantry/support unit and do your training within that unit?

Just unsure about this Thanks

Lockstep

Conor108 wrote: »

When you join the reserves is there some kind of standard training everyone does and then you join a unit like engineers or CIS or infantry? ?

Yeah, I believe that's what is done.

Conor108

Ah thanks:) Does the 62 Reserve CIS do more-or-less the same as the PDF CIS would anyone know?

Soldie

Maybe stop hijacking my thread?

Hagar

Fair comment.

Conor108 please feel free to start a thread on your question.

Conor108

Fair enough. Just thought your question was answered and didn't want to make yet another another reserve thread:)

Anyway theres fitness advice on the 62 infantry site:
Fitness Training Advice
Annual Fitness test for certain courses

Hagar

Nice links. Thanks.