Reserve Defence Forces Recruitment 2015 **Update!**

MRnotlob606

Anybody done the interview with the NSR ?

TheAlkaline

davetherave wrote: »

I went through a good seven or eight of them during this week because you miserable feckers didn't give them back. :mad: :pac:

Love it hahahah:D:D:D

EGOSHEA

Hey there. Not sure if anyone'll be able to provide any information on this but...

With regards medical specialists, I see that there are some in the RDF as well as PDF. What I'd like to know is this: While doctors are the only ones (on the DF website, at least) mentioned as part of the medical corp, I believe that other allied health professionals are also included (at least in the PDF). I see that physiotherapists work there also, for example.

I was wondering if psychologists (there are three of them in the PDF) would also be able to apply to become an RDF specialist. I'd be interested in this.

Like I say, bit of a long-shot that anyone'll know this but let me know what you reckon, thanks.

JB400

Does anyone have a rough idea of how long we'll be waiting before we hear from them again??

davetherave

You should get an email in two to three weeks.

Irishboy!

davetherave wrote: »

You should get an email in two to three weeks.

Any idea when we would be starting if successful?

Lockstep

Recruit camp is at the end of August apparently. Although I'd imagine we'd get our kit and some preliminary sessions beforehand.

Irishboy!

Lockstep wrote: »

Recruit camp is at the end of August apparently. Although I'd imagine we'd get our kit and some preliminary sessions beforehand.

How long is recruit camp do ya know?

Doctor14

Lockstep wrote: »

Recruit camp is at the end of August apparently. Although I'd imagine we'd get our kit and some preliminary sessions beforehand.

Irishboy! wrote: »

How long is recruit camp do ya know?

It isn't called "camp" anymore, except by those in longer than they should be, It is called FTT -Full Time Training.
Recruit Training is 4 weekends plus 2 weeks FTT. There are also other things thrown in but nothing major.

MRnotlob606

I applied to The NSR , My recruitment training might take place as a different time

Irishboy!

Doctor14 wrote: »

It isn't called "camp" anymore, except by those in longer than they should be, It is called FTT -Full Time Training.
Recruit Training is 4 weekends plus 2 weeks FTT. There are also other things thrown in but nothing major.

Would ya get paid for this training?

Doctor14

Irishboy! wrote: »

Would ya get paid for this training?

Normally weekends and training parades are unpaid with only FTT usually being paid. Military.ie has it up on
http://www.military.ie/careers/reserve/join-the-reserve/rates-of-pay/
but I think that is out of date with the figures being 10 or 20% less than that, So as a recruit you can expect to be paid about €270 to 300 each full week.

Very few of us do it for the money because there isn't much money in it - it offsets the expenses and any money you lose from not working (if you are not on holiday pay from your work) but it isn't much. If you are on jobseekers, then you lose that for the 2 weeks.

Lockstep

Doctor14 wrote: »

It isn't called "camp" anymore, except by those in longer than they should be, It is called FTT -Full Time Training.
Recruit Training is 4 weekends plus 2 weeks FTT. There are also other things thrown in but nothing major.

Fair enough. I haven't been involved with the RDF for a few years so I'd imagine my vocabulary is a bit outdated at this point.

FinnLizzy

Doctor14 wrote: »

Normally weekends and training parades are unpaid with only FTT usually being paid. Military.ie has it up on
http://www.military.ie/careers/reserve/join-the-reserve/rates-of-pay/
but I think that is out of date with the figures being 10 or 20% less than that, So as a recruit you can expect to be paid about €270 to 300 each full week.

Very few of us do it for the money because there isn't much money in it - it offsets the expenses and any money you lose from not working (if you are not on holiday pay from your work) but it isn't much. If you are on jobseekers, then you lose that for the 2 weeks.

I gave myself no delusions that it would be a cash cow, but how often do you get one of these opportunities to be paid?

Garzard

Doctor14 wrote: »

Normally weekends and training parades are unpaid with only FTT usually being paid. Military.ie has it up on
http://www.military.ie/careers/reserve/join-the-reserve/rates-of-pay/
but I think that is out of date with the figures being 10 or 20% less than that, So as a recruit you can expect to be paid about €270 to 300 each full week.

Very few of us do it for the money because there isn't much money in it - it offsets the expenses and any money you lose from not working (if you are not on holiday pay from your work) but it isn't much. If you are on jobseekers, then you lose that for the 2 weeks.

How much could this amount to a year for an Army Recruit?

salthilljourno

I was a member of the RDF ,,

I regard myself as a specialist in the fields of Photography , Journalism , airplane spotting , scanning , military affairs , air corps matters .

Local-womanizer

Garzard wrote: »

How much could this amount to a year for an Army Recruit?

You only do 2 weeks FTT a year minimum. If you're lucky you may get an extra week or 2 depending what's on.

€334 is before any deductions from your pay.Myself was only getting €270 into my hand after taxes and paying for the privilege for room and board for 17 weeks. We don't do it for the money apparently though!

Doctor14

FinnLizzy wrote: »

I gave myself no delusions that it would be a cash cow, but how often do you get one of these opportunities to be paid?

For the first few years you will get your 2 weeks and that is it until you are a fully trained Private 3*. Then you have more opportunities to get on courses etc. If you can put in the time and find where you are needed then you can get up to 28 days (4 weeks). In VERY limited circumstances it can go beyond the 28 days but you are talking maybe 3 or 4 people in the last few years and only because they had certain skills the army needed.

You will get your opportunity to do your 2 weeks and that is what most people get.

Doctor14

EGOSHEA wrote: »

Like I say, bit of a long-shot that anyone'll know this but let me know what you reckon, thanks.

Check out
http://www.military.ie/careers/specialists/medical-doctor/
Goes into a lot more detail. PDF related but I reckon the same applies for the RDF.

Possess the minimum qualifications of M.B., B.Ch, B.A.O., or L.R.C.P. and S.I.
Hold current, full registration with the Medical Council of Ireland. (A successful candidate will be required to maintain registration).
Have 3 year’s post graduate experience.

In addition it is desirable but not essential that candidates be entered on one of the following Specialist Register of the Medical Council of Ireland.
Emergency Medicine
Anaesthetist
General Practice Medicine
Occupational Medicine
Psychiatric specialties
Public Health Medicine

Irishboy!

Can anyone that done there interview tell me how they prepared for the questions that are coming? Any tips?

EGOSHEA

Thanks, Doctor14.

Thing is, though; these are the criteria for the medical doctors (which I'm not). But the defence forces also seem to employ psychologists (at least in the PDF) as specialists.

I was wondering if this might also be the case in the RDF as I am a psychologist - but not a medical doctor - and was just wondering if they might also take such people in the RDF.

Either way, though, I'd be interested in joining at next recruitment. Might try and train as a medic if they don't take psych's.

Thanks again.

TheAlkaline

Irishboy! wrote: »

Can anyone that done there interview tell me how they prepared for the questions that are coming? Any tips?

I didn't really prepare, I just research in more detail the corp I want to get in and thought about the reasons why I want to join the Army.

TheAlkaline

Irishboy! wrote: »

Hey guys,

I have my interview for the RDF on the 10th of May just wondering has anyone done one yet and could you give me any advice as to questions or to wear suit or whatever!

Thanks

It's been discussed already, look through the forum.

Wear a full suit, or something looking neat at least. (I had full suit except tie)

They will ask you questions regarding yourself, working under-pressure, motivation and team-work. At the end you will have a chance to ask questions and if there is anything that they didn't went through and you would like to say.

The only advice is to think about the examples before the interview and don't be stressed because the board is really polite and as long as you act mature, it will be fine. Good Luck :):)

Garzard

Anyone gotten the next email?

rizzee

Not yet, they told me it would be a few weeks!

Irishboy!

Garzard wrote: »

Anyone gotten the next email?

Next email for RDF or for PDF?

I have interviews next week for both

rizzee

Irishboy! wrote: »

Next email for RDF or for PDF?

I have interviews next week for both

Have the RDF interviews not finished on the 2nd of this month?

I think Gazard was talking about the next email after the interview has been completed.

Good luck btw!

MRnotlob606

rizzee wrote: »

Have the RDF interviews not finished on the 2nd of this month?

I think Gazard was talking about the next email after the interview has been completed.

Good luck btw!

I have my Interview for the 28th of this month

rizzee

MRnotlob606 wrote: »

I have my Interview for the 28th of this month

Navy?

Lockstep

Had my RDF interview. Got an email saying I'd done well and would be contacted in the next few days about the next stage of the application process.

rizzee

Lockstep wrote: »

Had my RDF interview. Got an email saying I'd done well and would be contacted in the next few days about the next stage of the application process.

Medical yeah? Congrats! Havent heard anything yet

Lockstep

It seems to vary a lot by unit. My friends applying in Cork were told when their interviews would be 2 weeks before I was.

MRnotlob606

rizzee wrote: »

Navy?

yes are you applying for the navy also ?

JB400

Does anyone who was interviewed for infantry in cathal brugha know what kind of numbers were put forward for interview??

Lockstep

I dunno about Dublin but one member of the Galway RDF told me that they between people failing the fitness test or not showing up, they don't have enough people to fill all the numbers they need.

EGOSHEA

I missed the application deadline on April 9th but made an enquiry anyway about next recruitment. I was told (no need to mention a name, I assume) that there may (bold print his) be an opportunity in the next few weeks to apply. Lends some credence to what's said above about insufficient numbers.

Here's hoping - I'll be 35 next May so this might have been my last chance.

mick94

I just got an email there inviting me to a fitness test for the reserves on Thursday May 22nd in McKee. I missed my last fitness test in McKee in April, due to sporting commitments. I'd regretted not doing the fitness test since then.

They must really be struggling for numbers if they're emailing people like me that didn't show up offering them another date for the fitness test. I'm not complaining though roll on next Thursday.

p.jm64

hey, ive done my fitness test and interview in Aiken in Dundalk but im going to be living and working in Dublin from next month which is a bit of a ways to travel to Dundalk,

does anyone have any idea of how I could go about about continuing the competition (i.e medical etc) in a Dublin barracks so I can be in the dublin rdf, i.e. should i ring and ask? ive already emailed about it but got no reply.

any advice appreciated :-)

Garzard

A mate of mine who's applied to Cavalry vaguely mentioned something about being able to switch fields by order of 3 preferences after selection or training. I'm going for CIS myself but if he's right I might swith my first choice to Cavalry, second to CIS and Infantry to third. How diverse is the RDF Cavalry? Would it be part Mechanized Infantry and the odd bit of driving? Asking on my mate's behalf who's hoping for Mowag, Scorpion and lorry training, which to me does seem a bit much to expect.

Doctor14

Garzard wrote: »

Asking on my mate's behalf who's hoping for Mowag, Scorpion and lorry training, which to me does seem a bit much to expect.

Forget it,

2 years of basic training before you can attempt any Corps Training. Then, depending on what they want you to do etc., you can apply for driving courses. It would start off on small stuff like the Pajero, building up to larger stuff. Not 100% sure but don't think Cav do trucks - Cavalry do recce with Pajeros, LTAVs and Mowags. While a Pajero Cse can be done in a fairly reasonable time, Mowags and LTAVs take a lot longer and have to be built up to and probably will take too long for the average RDF guy to do. Also, Mowag drivers are sorely needed in the PDF, esp for overseas, so it is unlikely you will get a place over a PDF guy, as it should be.

Scorpions are only used by 1 unit, 1ACS in the Curragh. Unless you join that unit, you will not get near them and even then, it is unlikely for any RDF guy to get a course on them unless they have put in a good amount of time with the unit.

I am open to correction on some aspects of the Cav side of it but it WILL take 2 years minimum for you to get through basic training.

So, in short, 2 years before trying for a driving Cse on something small, then maybe something big to drive within 5 years.

rizzee

So has anyone else heard back after their interviews? Will be 3 weeks this Wednesday for me, hope I hear from them soon...

JB400

rizzee wrote: »

So has anyone else heard back after their interviews? Will be 3 weeks this Wednesday for me, hope I hear from them soon...

Not a peep yet...could be a while ...

Lockstep

I've heard nothing yet but one of my friends got invited to a medical in Cork last week.

Lockstep

Just got my medical email, set for the 9th June in Cork.

TheAlkaline

Lockstep wrote: »

Just got my medical email, set for the 9th June in Cork.

I'm still waiting for an email, where did you apply to reserves?

Lockstep

I applied in Galway. It seems to vary a lot by area though. One of my friends heard back last week, another still hasn't heard anything.

JB400

Applied for brugha, but I've been doing my interviews and test in Athlone...Still haven't heard from either...

Garzard

Still haven't heard back either, it's taking ages.

Irishboy!

Got my email for medical too, 5th of June in Cork

Garzard

Every applicant who's made it this far will get an email, right?