Commission on the Public Consultation Response Template

1. Capabilities – In this regard, you may wish to consider future integrated capability development and the planning and delivery requirements to support a joint force approach in terms of new equipment, professional military education and training, maintenance and development of infrastructure, developments in military doctrine, and transformative concepts, including specialist capabilities, that prepare and support the Defence Forces for future operations.

Hi, this is just a quick brief of my back ground within the Defence Forces to date,

My name is from the 27th Infantry Battalion, A-Coy, , Co. Louth. I have being in the Defence Forces since joining up since 2008. I did my training with 5th Battalion in Gormanstown Co. Meath and was sent to serve in 5th Infantry Battalion SP, COY, McKee Barracks, Dublin. I served three years in Dublin during this time I served on my first overseas mission 102nd to CHAD Africa. On my return I was granted an intercompany posting back to 5th BN B-Coy which I was based in Gormanstown. I served a further 6 years here. During this time the RE-ORG happened in the Defence Forces. Gormanstown had being now changed to 27 INF BN B-Coy. I then took a career (8 months leave) break to travel. On returning from this I went and done the PNCO’s course in the 2 BTC which is based in the Cathal Burragh Barracks, Dublin. On the passing of that course I then transferred up to serve in 27 INF BN Sp-Coy. During my time in SP-Coy I took a work placement offered to me to work back in McKee barracks in the Gym. I done this for four months. On my return to Dundalk I was promoted into A-coy. I am now currently serving overseas on my second mission with the 62nd INF, GP, UNDOF, where I am serving as a Section Commander in the rank as a Corporal.

I will just highlight what I gather what I feel you guys could look into, also have a discussion about and give you a few key points from what I feel would make the Defence Forces a better working environment.

Doctrine: As of what I have seen over my time more as a Corporal rather than a Private, the Doctrine is very much outdated and is more based on the trouble days and mostly relates back to the early 70’s/80’s. This should be looked at and updated the likes of DFDM-L2.

Development of Infrastructure: To my knowledge this is ongoing and some barracks are to a high standard and some then to a very low one. This needs to be looked at with more of an onus’s of each UNIT but falls on what they always say, funding.

2. Structures – In this regard, you may wish to consider the most effective high-level Command and Control (C2) structures within the Defence Forces to ensure an agile and balanced approach that can function across all domains at home and overseas.

Additionally, you may wish to address appropriate future force structures for the Army (including its brigade structure), the Air Corps, and the Naval Service, individually as component services and collectively as part of an integrated joint force approach.

Furthermore, you may wish to address the changing nature of reservists, which presents an opportunity for the Reserve Defence Force to further integrate and support the Permanent Defence Force through the provision of enhanced collective and specialist capability across all domains.

Structure: Since the Re-Org has happened, a lot of troops has being shifted around the island. Some units disbanded and some units strengthened. For me the Re-Org didn’t really affect me in my living requirements as I have just bought my first home last year. But for some people this would of being/ is still meaning a 2hr drive to and from there place of work. That said it did affect me in terms of promotion as there was an embargo on promotion and climbing the ranks. This then would have a knock on effect on my contract (contracts this I will get back to). To what I see now and have witnessed first-hand is what I am going to talk about.

The 2-BTC being based in Cathal Burragh Barracks, Dublin. As I stated I spent six months here doing my PNCO course with men all in my brigade. From , Donegal, , Athlone Co. Westmeath, Air Corps, Balldonnell Dublin, Aiken Barracks, Dundalk Co.Louth, Cathal Burragh, Co. Dublin partaking on the course. Now some of these troops for six months only spent Friday and Saturday night at home with their families due to how far the 2-BTC is from their home unit. They had to spend the other five nights living in the barracks. Sunday night to Thursday night due to how far away it was and how bad the accessibility is to get in and out of it. You could be 1 hour trying to get out of the city and then have another 2 hour plus of a journey, your day would not finish to 1730 some nights. They did state on the joining instructions this is a family friendly course. To this day I did not witness anything to agree with this.

My Recommendation would be to Change the 2-BTC to Gormanstown Co. Meath as I feel this is a far better training environment. Would be ideal for training Physical Fitness (in which I am a P.T.I in the Defence Forces) so can speak first hand and say that. In Dublin you are confined to train within the barracks which isn’t ideal. They also have a full functional shooting range in which our soon to be young leaders of the Defence forces could get more time teaching how to teach. On a accessibility front it would be also ideal as would mean four out of the five units would be closer to the home unit’s and would even entice more instructors to go and train them rather to be detailed to do it. They could get to go home to their families during the six months also.

3. Staffing – In this regard you may wish to consider the HR policies that support the requirement for an agile and adaptive modern military force. You may wish to consider issues such as recruitment and retention, organisational culture and values, gender and diversity, career progression, and industrial relations machinery.

Recruitment and Retention: This seems to be the big bubble topic at the moment since I joined we hit a recession. This hit the Defence Forces and the whole of very bad, but obviously the first / easiest target to cut the wages was us. We do not have a seat at the table to fight our coroner in this regard but I know we are fighting this at the minute through P.D.O.F.R.A.

I will just give you a few points on retention as I feel it looks like the recruitment is going well. • I reckon 75% if not higher of the troops I speak to do not understand or know what exactly there contact for when they retire. There is no information out there you can go and get to truly explain it to them. • For Example my contract was recruit – two star training, the three star private to serve from three to five years having to hit a certain amount of points. Five to seven same again the seven to nine same again then nine to twelve. At twelve I had to be a Corporal within the Defence Forces. This then changed one year before I was due to sign back on. Luckily do as I had this done so either way I can now serve till twenty one year’s service. But this is the part that is up in the air, it is rumoured know let that sink in a rumour within the Organisation that pride itself on professionalism. That I can now serve to the age of 50 years of age in any rank. I for one did not sign a new contract to say this so how that is acceptable. • Post 2004 joining if you served 21 years you could retire and draw a full pension. They changed it again in 2006 than in 2013 yet again. So I feel all these people feel they are working for the state but all on different contracts. I feel this is wrong and if I am serving with a troop he or she should be earning what I am earning within the rank structure as me.

Career Progression: This is where the embargo has affected me. So there was an embargo for close to 5 years. This meant no PNCO courses where ran. Taking away my chance of becoming a corporal before I did. This then reduced my chances of reaching a higher rank before my time 21 years serve is done. So question that needs to be asked is will I get them extra 5 years added on to my contract to serve till I am 55 years of age ?

4. Any other comments you may wish to make in relation to the Defence Forces having regard to the Commission’s Terms of Reference

Overseas Flights while on Leave: So my last point is the overseas payment for flights while on leave of duty during your time working with the United Nation’s. While / when it is your time to go on leave you have to hit a certain amount of points. You cannot wave your leave and stay working in the A/O at times. You are told you have to leave the country where you are working in some cases. These flights you have to pay for then yourself which to me and troops I have spoken to an outrage and a massive loss of earnings as you are being told you have to leave the area of operations.

Now some missions are different but where they are close to or told they have to leave the country or the A/O they should be reimbursed that money.

Duty Pay: I feel that while working passed 1630hrs while on any form of operation or tasking i.e not a course or something you chose to be on. There should be a per hour working rate while that troop is out of normal working times. For example if I was on a week away in the glen and was used for a century post or used as work body for the week that said troop would not get anything extra in their wages. This could happen to a young Private 5 or 6 times within the working year. I would recommend something like a €6/8 an hour rate after 1630hrs for set day. This is still well below minimum wage but they are still working outside of their time frame of being paid.

So they leave Monday @0830 (normally not the case normally leave @0600) just for the purpose of this lets state it is. Not due back till Friday @1630hrs During that time they have gotten Zero extra in the wage. Maybe a day in lieu.

So if we were to give them say €6 extra an hour outside working times. 16 hours outside their normal times of 0830-1630 = 8 hour “working day”

16 x 4 =64 hours x €6 = €384 extra per week

This will / would make a massive difference in terms of payment in anyone’s pocket. As of now the get ZERO. YES I WILL SAY IT AGAIN ZERO….

This concludes all of my points. I kindly say thanks very much to the person who is reading this and to the whole commission in general. Along time coming and hopefully you all can find a good structure to bring our brilliant State of Defence to a good light and our troops will benefit in some ways.

Anyways i can help out I can be reached on the flowing bellow.