Leaving Cert 2012-2013 OT Thread Part 2

Corvo Attano

Aye but they are allowed.

Peregrine

decisions wrote: »

AFAIK a woman has yet to finish the course.

Nope

The last time I read up on it, it's open to both genders but no woman has passed the initial test. Someone probably did in the past 5 years or something though, we won't really know about it. We won't hear anything until a few have joined.

decisions

Corvo Attano wrote: »

Aye but they are allowed.

Unlike the Foreign Legion.

decisions

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

Nope

The last time I read up on it, it's open to both genders but no woman has passed the initial test. Someone probably did in the past 5 years or something though, we won't really know about it. We won't hear anything until a few have joined.

When I asked about it last year I was told that 1 woman passed the test, but that could have been him just wanting to give his sales pitch.

Corvo Attano

During this action, a small party of 150 Irish soldiers was attacked by a larger force of almost 4,000 Katangese troops, as well as French, Belgian and Rhodesian mercenaries, and supported by a trainer jet. The Irish soldiers repeatedly repelled the attackers, and knocked out enemy artillery and mortar positions using 60mm mortars. An attempt was made by 500 Irish and Swedish soldiers to break through to the besieged company, but it failed. The Irish commander eventually surrendered his forces. A small number of Irish soldiers were wounded, but none were killed. It is estimated that up to 300 of their attackers were killed, including 30 white mercenaries, and up to 1,000 wounded.

Man we really arnt that soft.

decisions

We're fighters anyway, lot of grit and determination. That story is mental.

Corvo Attano

When we once made up around half of the army of GB and the general that defeated Napoleon was Irish it shows that we are fighting people.

Peregrine

The army is excellent, better than it needs to be for an island(almost).


But the Naval Service and Air Corps are poorly equipped.

The Naval Service operates 8 small ships, the ideal number to patrol the Irish waters has always been acknowledged as 12. One is being decommissioned in September and they'll be operating 7 ships until January when it's replacement comes in.


The Air Corps operate 24 aircraft, or so they say. One of the helicopters crashed in June last year around 2 weeks into their new Air Ambulance mission(ouch) operated with the HSE. Take out the 5 ****ty Cessna 172s that's barely used, except for cash transit escorts and the number is 18. 2 of them are jets and they're both business jets for ministerial transport.

What you're left with is 7 helicopters, 7 turbo propeller trainers and 2 maritime patrol aircraft.

decisions

Earlier on in the year, I had a good gawk at some foreign military boats docked in Dublin on my way to a Leinster game. They seemed huge in conparison ti what ive seen of our little yokes. Considering we are an island, you'd think we might have a better navy.

Corvo Attano

Id equip the navy before the air corps since we still have a huge drug smuggler problem and have to police the fishing grounds.

Unless we're carpet bombing Enniskillen in the near future in which case give cavan back Dún Uí Neill

Peregrine

I think the Troubles in NI was the reason the army here received all the attention and proper training.

Corvo Attano wrote: »

Id equip the navy before the air corps since we still have a huge drug smuggler problem and have to police the fishing grounds.

Unless we're carpet bombing Enniskillen in the near future in which case give cavan back Dún Uí Neill

Actually the 2 maritime patrol aircraft do something like 2 6 hour flights over Irish waters every day (don't quote me on that though..). They report any unusual activities to the naval service. They can drop life rafts and have a massive flare launcher on board. Also they're been providing top cover most of the major missions for years. Yes it's water but you can definitely fly over it

decisions

Do we need an air corp for anything other than ferrying around the government leader and the like?

Corvo Attano

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

I think the Troubles in NI was the reason the army here received all the attention and proper training.

Not to mention the Civil War, WW1 and the fact that both Germany and Britain considered invading us in WW2.

In the plus again its shown that soldiers that served in NI are the best in Afghanistan due to the "hearts and minds" nature of the campaign.

And I'm aware the Air Corp help police the water but you cant board a ship with a plane.

The Japanese tried that one.

Peregrine

decisions wrote: »

Do we need an air corp for anything other than ferrying around the government leader and the like?

Yup, maritime patrol for drugs, illegal fishing and such(you'd be surprised how much Irish fishermen lose to the Spaniards in Ireland), troop transport, air ambulance to hospitals in the UK and immediate medical evacuations from crash sites, farm accidents etc., cash and prisoner escort, fire service (remember the gorse fires?) to name but a few.

Corvo Attano wrote: »

And I'm aware the Air Corp help police the water but you cant board a ship with a plane.

The Japanese tried that one.

True, but a ship is slow and often won't find anything. Aircraft can move about, find and report it to the ships and they'll board it. 8 ships going around 220 million acres of water is useless.

Edit: It's actually like 3 or 4 ships out at one time

Corvo Attano

Bloody greedy French and Spanish :mad:
Get yer own bloody fish.


And the planes have very few duties.

Peregrine

They used to provide 24/7 Search and Rescue for the Coast Guard but that's been privatised now.

Oh and they also fly and maintain the Garda choppers and the plane.


It's quite a lot actually.

randylonghorn

FAIL ... by a measly 12! :pac:

Peregrine

Well it was close :pac:


Who set that target anyway?

HugsiePie

Corvo Attano wrote: »

Peek you need to speak up more. How are we going to hit OT3 at this rate. And what happened to randy and Hugsie?

And is he not one of the teachers all the girls love and want and secretly have a crush on?

Corvo Attano wrote: »

Well randys accounted for. The thread sexuality was getting desperate low. Now its just hugsie thats gone dark.

Nimrod 7 wrote: »

I think I saw Hugsie posting on the LC forum a few days ago, she just doesn't want to post here..maybe she's still mad about the innuendos

Did anyone watch Top Gear tonight?

Yee missed me, yee really missed me

As for where I've been-I just spent a few days in Intercourse













Intercourse Pennsylvania that is
I'm on holiday and there's not much Internet but its nice to know yee guys are missing me I'm missing yee too

Daniel7740

Lads ye stopped 11 posts before the 6,000 mark

jamo2oo9

HugsiePie wrote: »

Yee missed me, yee really missed me

As for where I've been-I just spent a few days in Intercourse













Intercourse Pennsylvania that is
I'm on holiday and there's not much Internet but its nice to know yee guys are missing me I'm missing yee too

Do they teach you intercourse in Intercourse, Pennsylvania? :rolleyes:

How is it over in the States now?

jamo2oo9

Daniel7740 wrote: »

Lads ye stopped 11 posts before the 6,000 mark

7 more after I've posted this. They were so damn close!

Daniel7740

Seemingly there's goin to be a second inbetweeners movie....

jamo2oo9

Daniel7740 wrote: »

Seemingly there's goin to be a second inbetweeners movie....

I've heard of it in March/April but I've heard nothing since then. Would love to see another movie from them

Daniel7740

http://www.joe.ie/movies/news-3/and-theyre-back-the-inbetweeners-sequel-is-confirmed/


I reckon it won't be great. The second one is never as good as the first

Peregrine

HugsiePie wrote: »

As for where I've been-I just spent a few days in Intercourse


Intercourse Pennsylvania that is

Ah yes..Intercourse, we know

Amish country?

decisions

How are we still not over 6000?

Daniel7740

decisions wrote: »

How are we still not over 6000?

It won't be long now ! :pac:

Copper_pipe

We dont like to rush things

decisions

6000 posts down 4000 to go with a little under 3 weeks to do it in.