ARmy Rumour SErvice

**Imshi-Yallah** · 01-10-2004, 12:02

Any opinions or experiences (based in fact) of the Irish defence forces?
Please save the "they love the IRA" comments for your personal consumption.

**doghead** · 01-10-2004, 12:12

Worked with them in Kosovo, really good bunch of guys.

**hackle** · 01-10-2004, 12:55

Originally Posted by doghead

Worked with them in Kosovo, really good bunch of guys.

Hear, hear.

One of the most irritating assumptions by some of our esteemed multinational colleagues is that for some reason Brits don't get on with the Irish. Not that I get easily irritated.

**dui-lai** · 01-10-2004, 13:11

In Kosovo they had draught Guiness, now thats a way to do a tour

Everytime I visited, they were courteous and friendly to the point of getting me blind drunk

**hackle** · 01-10-2004, 13:34

Originally Posted by dui-lai

In Kosovo they had draught Guiness, now thats a way to do a tour

Everytime I visited, they were courteous and friendly to the point of getting me blind drunk

Yes, draught Guiness at Camp.. Clark? certainly put a new slant on the two-can rule.

**Sapukay** · 01-10-2004, 13:43

The IDF's orbat is a bit strange. It seems to me as an outsider who had to study them once that their Battalions only have two companies and a total strength of 245 men. Hence why they appear to field such a large force (3 Bdes, reducing to 2 by the latest Defence white paper), but each Bde is actually about the size of a large battlegroup. Their UN service forces seem to be new (full strength) Bns drawn from the other units

Why only experience with IDF (FCA/CA) personnel is with ex-FCA/CA servicemen in the TA, and all three of them were slightly worrying (2 who failed basic training, and one who failed RMAS). That said, I got the impression the FCA/ CA can not really be considered in the same way, and is basically a continuation of the old militia.

**Imshi-Yallah** · 01-10-2004, 13:56

I take it you didnt score well in your studies?
Irish battalions are 650 strong and without going too much into orbat they consist of the usual HQ, A,B,C rifle companies and Support company.
Brigades consist of three battalions a cav squadron an artillery regiment, logistics support battalion plus various other CSS subunits attached to brigade HQ.
The 1999 white paper on defence reduced the Regular army from five brigades to three, with three reserve brigades (formerly the FCA (FCA= Local defence force) the Reserves are indeed a bit ropey and individual standards vary hugely .
Which is why the reserves are in the early stages of a major reorganisation to turn them into a functional army reserve.

As I said please base posts on fact.

http://www.military.ie/army/eastern.htm

**Micky_Dees** · 01-10-2004, 14:08

Originally Posted by hackle

Originally Posted by dui-lai

In Kosovo they had draught Guiness, now thats a way to do a tour

Everytime I visited, they were courteous and friendly to the point of getting me blind drunk

Yes, draught Guiness at Camp.. Clark? certainly put a new slant on the two-can rule.

That's probably why they did quite well at rugby against 1 Royal Irish in pristina stadium in '99 !

**tricam** · 01-10-2004, 14:15

ouch!!! steady on imishi...

isle of wright was only trying to be helpful even if he was inaccurate....

dunno what the brits think of the irish army but I know they defintely have a very positive attitude towards irish applicants... have been on a fam visit recently and they were very welcoming - even if a little surprised at a southern irish boy wanting to join them... only a handful of potatoe jokes!!! unfortunately they only had guinness in cans... if i do get in then that will have to change...

**doghead** · 01-10-2004, 14:52

When a bunch of Irish MP joined the multi national MP, they were located on a Brit Camp, the only people who had any problems with them, were little knobs from the RLC who'd never been to Ireland, or had any idea of what they were talking about.
The IDF are the same as the Brits, good sense of humour, work hard play hard and always get the job done no matter how shite the kit is.
Think we need to do more work with them.
If only to get draught Vitamin G