Let's talk about the navy again!

[John K]

GTTC you're right about the reluctance to spend time outside the 'Don. I know I didn't enjoy my detachments to Finner and Monaghan-unless it was with Cygnet and then we just drank lots of beer for the week! I flew down to Cork while they were building the Eithne and when I saw how relatively small it was and heard that the Air Corps crews were to be billetted in the 'pointy end' I envisaged how seasick I'd feel while 200 miles out in the Atlantic in a storm! Also at that time they were predicting another two ships of the same class and they would patrol for three weeks at a time. I'd joined the ARMY Air Corps, when they said at the beginning that I might get posted anywhere in the country I'd not given it much thought, but later on when I was living in Lucan and treating Baldonnel as much as an ordinary 9-5 job, any disruption wasn't eagerly anticipated! Especially if it kept me away from my girlfriend! I did enjoy being involved in Army exercises, especially down around Kilworth and there was a big one in Shannon. Also during the Don Tidy ordeal and the bad snow of '83 we pulled out all the stops and I really felt proud to be in "....the best unit in any mans army!" as Kenny Byrne put it. Well that's my 2c worth! Oh yeah I did have a good week in Finner over Christmas '80 with Franz Walner, we'd been in the NCOs mess all day and were pretty hungry at the end of the night, so we went snooping 'round the kitchen and found the next days cooked turkey in one of the ovens. Well the temptation was too much so we had it away and lived off it for the rest of the week! Ahh those were the days! Franz! He was a one for the ladies, though what did they see in him? And his breath stank!

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hello all
Clan, the average Donner doesn't/didn't do "military" like the devotees from the Army.It didn't take long for anyone joining the Don to develop an "anti" attitude,either deliberately or accidentally.People were/are professional enough when it came to keeping the aircraft going, but,basically, couldn't give a sh1t for any military stuff.Enthusiasm for such was not encouraged among the techs.A few weekend guards or an unwanted stint in the Depot knocked that out of one, pretty quick.The Don has always had an "apart" attitude, which didn't endear it to the soldiery or the boat people.
regards
GttC

[sealion]

Quote (Stinger @ 26 Oct. 2004,14:04)

I think the idea of the Navy acquiring the old Irish steel plant is a good idea.  At least it would be available to the service in the event of the service ever wishing to expand.  It would be a tragedy if such an opportunity was passed up

Current Cleanup of the Former Ispat Plant is in the region of €30m(estimate) which is being paid for by the state. Mittal in th emeantime has just become the Largest steel producer in the world.

No plans are being made for the site until the cleanup is complete.

[clan]

Hi Gttc, speaking to a Techie at the weekend I totally agree with what you have just said. He knew all about the Plane he was assigned, but did not care for the others ,did not like having to wear a uniform to work. And hated the thought of doing soilder work. I have to say I was and still am flabbergasted. To me Military ,meant Army/Navy/Air Corp. Which I presumed would mean, joint patrols/training the odd firing of a gun the once a year trip to Cork to throw two grenades was done by all members of the DF.

[Buran]

Well the reason i didnt join the corps was because i didnt fancy the whole military side of things. But i went through several interviews etc, so i nearly did. But i just felt id prefer working in the civil side (how innocent was i).
But i think id represent a huge amount of the staff in the Don, in that i wanted to work in aerospace, but in this country, its very limited so the Air Corps is a real opportunity.
It not really the same with the army if you grew up always wanting to work on heavy machinery etc.
Also the Air Corps/military maybe seen by some as the pinnacle of aerospace, whereas i dont think you would have the same idea about army machinery if you were that way inclined (as in heavy plant/formula 1/etc)
So i can understand if some people at the Don see the military side of things as a side effect of working there.

[John K]

You've got the wrong of the stick, Buran, most people joining up in Baldonnel don't have any preconceptions about postings or detachments. It's just that the 'old sweats' condition you into thinking that military stuff is for soldiers and as Air Corps we don't do that sort of stuff. Also there's the 'I'm better than them' syndrome, that Air Corps personnel look down on soldiers and I was as guilty of that as anyone while I was there, even though I'd shit talk with any rookie from skid row!

[pilatus]

when you join the defence forces you join to defend the state from whatever precieved threat(s) so everybody either aircorrps navy or army should not look at the other services personnel as being inferior or part timers perhaps maybe because you get payed more than them or whatever the reason(s) are.and also when you join the army or navy you dont know where you are to be based you could be sent anywhere and accept as part of the job and not be complaining about it,even though the aircorps only has 1operational base the same should be expected of them that they should go were told!im not in the corps so i dont know what it is like being expected to move to finner or monaghan but its just what i think of it.look at foreign airforces they deploy 1000s of miles away from home for 6months at a time so corps personel should at least be willing to move at the most 200miles from baldonnel!

[John K]

Oh Pilatus, you're so naive! Of course other units get postings, detachments, deployments or whatever, but when they get there there's usually something to do! Try Finner in January! Maybe a walk down to the Holyrood for a bit of grub to supplement your (meagre) ration in the mess, then a walk back in the freezing wind and rain with only Cygnet for company! Or a trip to Monaghan where you're not too well received 'cos the locals think you're spying on them from the heli. maybe a trip to the Four Seasons for a bite that gets cut short by the Stand Too landrover dragging you back to barracks 'cos there's been an incident and they need the chopper. Like I said on army exercises it was good because there were a big group of you but when there's only a couple it can get depressing!

[John K]

Only joking, Cygnet!