Reserve Defence Forces Recruitment 2015 **Update!**

Dudeguy

Not sure if i was talking to any of you guys last Wednesday btw! Anyone from 3rd section? :P

brennan10

Dudeguy wrote: »

Not sure if i was talking to any of you guys last Wednesday btw! Anyone from 3rd section? :P

Hey man...yeah 3rd section myself. I suppose as you said we don't know yet what exactly is involved bar usual drill but more should be revealed wed night. I'd say rest rhe leg as mush as possible between now and fft to avoid any more injury...

rizzee

I'm 3rd section too!

galwaycyclist

FlyingAnts wrote: »

i joined the rdf this year and missed my units recruit camp back in during the summer, does anyone know if il be able to go on camp with the recruits in cb?

Hi FlyingAnts, while that seems sensible it probably won't happen, if you missed the recruit training in Cork then you are in a different brigade to the recruits in cb. I suspect the response will be "no" because of the paperwork involved. That said I will ask.

Morpheus

[MOD]
Note to all, Especially recruits - Whilst we are happy for you being inducted into the military and delighted to have you here on boards too, please ensure that you do not post dates, times or locations of any full time military training that may be coming up in the future - on a public forum. Just be careful about discussion of the things you do in training also. Not to rain on your parade, but these are potential security risks and boards is watched from time to time by the DF.
Any posts which contain information like this will be taken down and if required, infractions given.
[/MOD]

twinydavid

Lads dont forget your passport photos.

rizzee

twinydavid wrote: »

Lads dont forget your passport photos.

Thanks for reminding me ha! Must get them done tomorrow

brennan10

twinydavid wrote: »

Lads dont forget your passport photos.

Good man...just remembered about those earlier...also the A5 pad. Do we head straight to the big tent then on arrival for drill?

Dudeguy

brennan10 wrote: »

Good man...just remembered about those earlier...also the A5 pad. Do we head straight to the big tent then on arrival for drill?

I'm sure the corporal on the gate will tell us either where to go, or stand in line like last time

Garzard

brennan10 wrote: »

Good man...just remembered about those earlier...also the A5 pad. Do we head straight to the big tent then on arrival for drill?

They also said to have wristwatches tomorrow but I can't find any around the house that work. Then there's the forms they gave us last week, but we haven't been given our Army Numbers yet have we?

Apologies for continuing to harp on about it, but getting nervous over the letter. I'm wondering if telling them tomorrow will be too short notice to defer this year's FTT, if they have indeed made a mistake.

brennan10

Garzard wrote: »

They also said to have wristwatches tomorrow but I can't find any around the house that work. Then there's the forms they gave us last week, but we haven't been given our Army Numbers yet have we?

Apologies for continuing to harp on about it, but getting nervous over the letter. I'm wondering if telling them tomorrow will be too short notice to defer this year's FTT, if they have indeed made a mistake.

Whats the story with the wrist watch did they say?. ..mustn't have heard that one.

Garzard

brennan10 wrote: »

Whats the story with the wrist watch did they say?. ..mustn't have heard that one.

Well tbh I'm not entirely sure whether they want us to have them immediately - end of, or to have them somewhere down the line or just giving us advice in that they're handy [for when we won't be allowed to check our phones].

galwaycyclist

FlyingAnts wrote: »

i joined the rdf this year and missed my units recruit camp back in during the summer, does anyone know if il be able to go on camp with the recruits in cb?

No.

But there may be other opportunities around the south between now and next summer. So maybe keep an eye out.

galwaycyclist

Garzard wrote: »

Apologies for continuing to harp on about it, but getting nervous over the letter. I'm wondering if telling them tomorrow will be too short notice to defer this year's FTT, if they have indeed made a mistake.

If you have gotten this far then you are in and you have the next year to make up your ftt requirement.

If somebody decides to jump up and down and make a scene and complain about you not making this particular camp then make a careful recording of who they are (name rank and colour of beret) and what they said also make note of any witnesses present who can confirm what went on.

And again bring it to the attention of one of your training NCOs (who will have green berets) and ask for clarification from a senior RDF NCO (green beret).

And yes it sounds like someone - not you - is acting in a manner that does not have a good explanation.

trellheim

1. Have you requested, in writing, to defer.

2. Personally I am somewhat irritated at people who want the deferral ; it is extremely likely all FTT periods going forward will be at difficult times. Let''s say the next cycle full time element is 2 weeks in March and the next one 2 weeks in October again; how will that suit ?

Why did you join if you can't make what is been asked - yes i know you didn't know the dates but that said, where's the meet-in-the-middle here

The summer camps of old are gone out the window , and perhaps RDF service should be considered in that light ? Just an opinion.

EDIT : PEOPLE YOU MUST - iE YOU CAN'T AVOID IT - DO A TWO WEEK FULL TIME AFTER YOU JOIN ; AT THE MOMENT THIS IS LIKELY TO BE SCHEDULED WHEN THE ARMY WANT IT, NOT WHEN YOU WANT IT, IF THAT DOESNT SUIT THEN PLEASE HAVE A THINK ABOUT JOINING.

galwaycyclist

trellheim wrote: »

1. Have you requested, in writing, to defer.

2. Personally I am somewhat irritated at people who want the deferral ; it is extremely likely all FTT periods going forward will be at difficult times. Let''s say the next cycle full time element is 2 weeks in March and the next one 2 weeks in October again; how will that suit ?

Why did you join if you can't make what is been asked - yes i know you didn't know the dates but that said, where's the meet-in-the-middle here

The summer camps of old are gone out the window , and perhaps RDF service should be considered in that light ? Just an opinion.

EDIT : PEOPLE YOU MUST - iE YOU CAN'T AVOID IT - DO A TWO WEEK FULL TIME AFTER YOU JOIN ; AT THE MOMENT THIS IS LIKELY TO BE SCHEDULED WHEN THE ARMY WANT IT, NOT WHEN YOU WANT IT, IF THAT DOESNT SUIT THEN PLEASE HAVE A THINK ABOUT JOINING.

1. Yes (Read the thread)

2. Horse manure

Unless the RDF is to made up completely of people who are;

A) On disability allowance and therefore not working
or
Long-term unemployed
or
C) Full time students - on courses that do not involve continuous assessment

Then the people scheduling training camps need to work around what time the volunteer members can be reasonably expected to contribute.

If the "army" component of the permanent defence force do not wish to accept that reality then the RDF will evaporate.

End of

trellheim

Jaysus you must be in a different reality than the rest of us. Look at what is happening on the ground.

You are making a big assumption that the RDF is there to serve what the recruits want not the other way round. Welcome to the new order.


Volunteer means you turn up it doesn't mean you pick and choose , its a mentality like that thats fking it all up at the moment. Do I parade every thursday at the moment ? No, I'm in the UK working mostly. but I have 3 weeks so far this year fitted in when the Army wanted people and its likely I'll get another week or so but I can't really pick and choose.

We're trying to build a reserve that works not a hobby-based "turn up whenever you feel like it lads, ah sure it doesn't really matter" THATs what kills the reserve and the sooner you cop that the better.

galwaycyclist

trellheim wrote: »

Jaysus you must be in a different reality than the rest of us. Look at what is happening on the ground.

You are making a big assumption that the RDF is there to serve what the recruits want not the other way round. Welcome to the new order.


Volunteer means you turn up it doesn't mean you pick and choose , its a mentality like that thats fking it all up at the moment. Do I parade every thursday at the moment ? No, I'm in the UK working mostly. but I have 3 weeks so far this year fitted in when the Army wanted people and its likely I'll get another week or so but I can't really pick and choose.

We're trying to build a reserve that works not a hobby-based "turn up whenever you feel like it lads, ah sure it doesn't really matter" THATs what kills the reserve and the sooner you cop that the better.

If you are not putting in your voluntary hours then I am unclear how you could be eligible for any full time training. Unless you also have some "arrangement" that allows you to pick and choose the nature of your involvement?

Isnt "turning up whenever you feel like it" exactly what you are doing?

Except in this case you are skipping parades while looking down your nose at people who can't just drop everything to go on camp?

Pot? Black? etc?

donegaldude

If you knew Trellheim and the amount of work that he does behind the scenes you would quickly realise that for him and many others (myself included) the RDF is more of a second job (without the pay) since the re-org, this year especially. I don't get to every parade night either, but for every one I miss I guarantee you I and Trellheim and many others would have 4 or 5 times the hours done in-between each weekly training night.

I agree wholeheartedly with him, the attitude out there needs to change if the RDF is to survive post 2016. I'm talking about useless wasters of all ranks, they need to move on to let those who are able willing motivated and driven to make this work have their chance. Many units are being held back by the old sweats in charge and the f''k it it will be grand attitude.

galwaycyclist

donegaldude wrote: »

I agree wholeheartedly with him, the attitude out there needs to change if the RDF is to survive post 2016. I'm talking about useless wasters of all ranks, they need to move on to let those who are able willing motivated and driven to make this work have their chance. Many units are being held back by the old sweats in charge and the f''k it it will be grand attitude.

So because someone has a job or is in college they are a "useless waster"?

And it is their attitude that is holding the RDF back?

trellheim

Good for you , way to ignore the point made and the reality of recruit FTT just another example of your cloud cuckoo land.


I've got more or less the highest attendance ( top 3 maybe top 1 ) in the unit both ftt and voluntary so you and your pot can enjoy each other's company.

The issue remains : walking into the RDF with a hobby mentality you can walk back out again . Your bum is taking up a warm seat that someone more committed wants.

We've spent the last 18 months watching the PDF realize that most of the people were hobbyists who liked standing in doorways

if you want my job fill in the form its there for the taking . With your attitude we're better gone in 2016 cos there's no point and a waste of my tax money , tis better spent on Irish Water bonuses.

galwaycyclist

trellheim wrote: »

The issue remains : walking into the RDF with a hobby mentality you can walk back out again . Your bum is taking up a warm seat that someone more committed wants.

We've spent the last 18 months watching the PDF realize that most of the people were hobbyists who liked standing in doorways

if you want my job fill in the form its there for the taking . With your attitude we're better gone in 2016 cos there's no point and a waste of my tax money , tis better spent on Irish Water bonuses.

So to confirm. Someone who has a job, someone who is in college to try and improve themselves, is just a "hobbyist" and it is a bad thing for the state to tap into this resource?

Just trying to get a handle on the attitude.

orangeeyes

Can anyone explain the pay in the RDF, is it weekly pay for 52 weeks, or do you only get paid for weeks you train/attend courses etc?

Also, what are the chances that the PDF will recruit in 2015, seeing as they only recruited this year. I heard if you want to join them from the RDF, you have to re-do basic training.

Thanks.

donegaldude

galwaycyclist wrote: »

So because someone has a job or is in college they are a "useless waster"?

And it is their attitude that is holding the RDF back?

Where did I state that those who have a job or are in college are useless wasters?

I meant the ones that show up when and only when it suits and demand x, y and z. The ones who on camp, arse around, don't give a monkeys or are clearly unfit to do the job they are being given. The ones who when tasked with something on the ground, go flat. The ones who can't even bother getting a haircut, dress correctly etc. The Pte's, NCO's and Officers who couldn't run the length of themselves. I have seen guys go flat in the middle of an exercise because they were overweight or the hill they were attacking was too steep for them to carry themselves up at speed. I have witnessed young men fail their fitness assessment this year when they should be well able for it given they had months notice. The attitude out there needs to change.

If you want to play with the big boys, well then you have to play by the big boys rules. As an Officer put it to me, you can't be half pregnant, you are either in or out. If you aren't committed then there's the door.

I have managed to complete a career course in my final year at university with training weekends in between exams, and manage to remain committed even though I work long hours.

donegaldude

orangeeyes wrote: »

Can anyone explain the pay in the RDF, is it weekly pay for 52 weeks, or do you only get paid for weeks you train/attend courses etc?

Also, what are the chances that the PDF will recruit in 2015, seeing as they only recruited this year. I heard if you want to join them from the RDF, you have to re-do basic training.

Thanks.

You get paid for training courses and annual camp. Anyones guess on recruitment in 2015. If you join from the RDF, you will start from scratch. It's not possible to compare RDF and PDF recruit training. PDF is a totally different ball game.

galwaycyclist

donegaldude wrote: »

Where did I state that those who have a job or are in college are useless wasters?

I meant the ones that show up when and only when it suits and demand x, y and z. The ones who on camp, arse around, don't give a monkeys or are clearly unfit to do the job they are being given. The ones who when tasked with something on the ground, go flat. The ones who can't even bother getting a haircut, dress correctly etc. The Pte's, NCO's and Officers who couldn't run the length of themselves. I have seen guys go flat in the middle of an exercise because they were overweight or the hill they were attacking was too steep for them to carry themselves up at speed. I have witnessed young men fail their fitness assessment this year when they should be well able for it given they had months notice. The attitude out there needs to change.

If you want to play with the big boys, well then you have to play by the big boys rules. As an Officer put it to me, you can't be half pregnant, you are either in or out. If you aren't committed then there's the door.

I have managed to complete a career course in my final year at university with training weekends in between exams, and manage to remain committed even though I work long hours.

You came on here implying that someone who can't make a particular recruit camp because of college is a useless waster.

Because that was what we were discussing.

In this case the induction process and the recruit training were basically set up as an "ambush" on applicants who treated, in my view, in a profoundly shabby manner by the defence forces.

None of them knew what was going on until the last minute and were left hanging.

I suspect that when you did your "career course" the dates were flagged months in advance and you had plenty of time to arrange things and plenty of time to figure out whether you could maintain the commitment.

But you have the cheek, in my view, to come on here to sneer at young people who were not granted anything like that courtesy. Clearly your career course is unlikely to have included any module on leadership.

I am unclear as to the relevance of your rant regarding fitness levels since we are discussing, and trying to help, a group of young people who have already passed the fitness test.

They have nothing to prove to the likes of you, in my humble opinion.

trellheim

Donegaldude - spot on and a great analogy - in our out. Usually better out than in.

RDF training is not necessary for PDF and as said you would start from scratch. Its not a road into the PDF it is its own service.


I've served through college and through 20+years of a job . There is only one road in and deferral is not that road.

Someone who wants to go to college ? Happy days , great to see someone trying to improve themselves . If you can't fit an RDF training block in to that time then maybe the RDF service is not for you, so stop trying to make it a no.2 priority and thinking you can do both and wasting our time as well as your own. Make College your no.1 priority and let someone who can attend the training be there instead. Do us all a favour and come back when you can do it - we will be happy to have you.

The fulltime blocks at awkward times are there to stay.

Dudeguy

Trellheim, I am a new recruit in CB barracks so im not fully sure about this, but the RDF in Cork started their training sometime in the summer just gone by and they seemed to be more organised, as we are only starting soon. Now, im not sure if they had plenty notice of their first training camp but we were told about ours on the night of induction, with only a few weeks notice. I don't know if that's the norm, or if notice is given just say a month or so before the camp, but i think the short notice is why some people cant do their first FTT. Please correct me if im wrong, and im not trying to have a go :P

trellheim

Dudeguy. I had made the point above that yes, of course, you may be joining without knowing the dates. And its a completely valid point . But I am trying put a marker down that you turn up to suit the force .

Also There are 4 different formations, Naval, DFTC, 1 Bde and 2 Bde. All of which have different training priorities and missions and recruit training directions as to when it will all happen.

So yes - fully taken on board. BUT .... AND this is the big but. If you're considering this as a thing ( RDF Service ) you will do two weeks full time probably not long after you join - when did you think that would happen. It's not a tick the box for the dates you want type of thing.

Those of you who thought you'd squeeze it into the summer months - you have my sympathy - the army will never lose its ability to disappoint.

Garzard

UPDATE: I've no interest in being caught up in some petty argument so I'll just say that it appears I've been worrying over nothing. Tonight a few of the corporals & our C.S once again took the names of those unavailable for the 2 weeks [including myself] and then brought up the weekend training as an alternative. Attending that will allow me and others to [for the most part] keep up with the rest of the recruits while also having a negligible impact on college / work commitments due to it being on weekends, and will furthermore allow for a few days to be taken off from the FTT next year. So I took this option instead.

Also handed my letter in and explained my confusion with it and was then told it was no issue, so nothing to worry about by the looks of it. Thanks again galwaycyclist and others for the advice and apologies again for dragging the thread off.