It’s the career you’ve been training for your whole life.
The Irish Defence Forces are looking for 1,450 new recruits over the next two years, with a particular focus on increasing the number of female members.
We recently caught up with the star of the new recruitment ad, Sergeant Valerie Cole, to find out more about the career and educational opportunities for women in the Defence Forces
Originally from Carrick on Shannon, Sergeant Valerie Cole has served in a variety of appointments in Ireland and has served overseas in Chad during her 12 years of service. She has completed some of the most challenging courses Óglaigh na hÉireann has to offer including The Physical Training Instructor Course, The Fighting in Built Up Areas Instructors Course, and The Infantry Platoon Sergeant’s Battle Course.
Her.ie: Tell us how you got started in the Defence Forces
Sgt. Cole: When it came to choosing a career, I definitely knew a 9-5 office job wasn’t going to suit me. I wanted something different, something exciting and challenging.
I’ve always been really active and involved in running and sports, so the army seemed like the perfect fit. I joined in 2004 straight after the Leaving Cert and I did my recruit training in Dundalk. I was posted to an infantry battalion in the Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines, where I spent a few years as an infantry soldier learning my trade.
After that, I went to the Brigade Training Centre where I worked as an instructor for eight years. I was involved in instructing courses from weapon systems to tactical training and everything in between.
I was then selected to go forward and be promoted sergeant. I went through the competition process and I was promoted to sergeant last year.
Currently, I’m a training sergeant in the Infantry School in the Curragh. My role is to train people who have ambitions to go on to be sergeants themselves. The sergeant rank is a vital rank in the Army, we are the people who provide instruction, leadership, and direction to the daily tasks within a unit.
I’m still involved in training students on different weapons systems too, which is a great way to stay current. The course I’m instructing on is fully accredited by Carlow IT and I’ve recently received a certificate in Leadership, Management and Defence Studies from Carlow IT having completed the course myself.
Her.ie: What has been your proudest moment so far working with the army?
Sgt Cole: Representing Ireland while serving with the UN mission in Chad in 2009. It was probably the best experience I’ve ever had within the Defence Forces. To say that I was there on behalf of my country was a really proud moment. It really tests your training and your experience, but it’s a huge buzz too.
Although we had done loads of pre-deployment training, you can’t prepare yourself for flying to the middle of Africa by plane, then another 4 hours in a helicopter to an Irish base built in the middle of the desert. It only really hits you when you actually land in the country what you’re facing.
Chad is right in the heart of Africa – it’s about as isolated a place as I can imagine.
We built our camp from scratch, dealing with a hostile environment. We were living in tents, and there was no TV, alcohol, no Wifi.
You adapt to it. After two or three weeks you can make life-long friends because you’re sharing a tent with four or five other people, you’re patrolling together, you rely on each other.
A welfare committee was set up to sort out the evening entertainment – bingo nights, quizzes. You find yourself doing things in the middle of the desert that you never, ever thought you would do! In the middle of the hard work, we had great craic!
Her.ie: Why is it so important to get women joining the Defence Forces?
Sgt. Cole: Currently, the army is only 6% female. Ideally, we’d like to get that up to 12%. Diversity is a hugely important issue. We think a more diverse organisation that reflects Irish society is a stronger organisation.
There are real operational reasons why having more women in the Defence Forces makes sense. During overseas deployments it helps us connect with the 50% of some communities that our male colleagues find hard to do for cultural reasons.
Take the Navy’s work in the Mediterranean last year. When you have females working on board the ships they can build up a rapport with the females that are being rescued.
In some parts of the world, local women won’t talk to men.
Her.ie: What are some of biggest benefits of being in the Defence Forces?
Sgt. Cole: With my experience, I’ve gotten to do things I would never have got to do in another career, I’ve done interesting things that matter to Ireland and to the people we protected in Chad. The challenges of the Defence Forces means that I’ve made life-long friends. You can imagine when you’re in a training environment, you’re living with these people – doing absolutely everything together in each other’s pockets 24/7. There’s a bond there that you develop with people that you wouldn’t in a different career.
I think the fact that your job changes so much is exciting. I’m currently training soldiers who hope to get promoted to sergeant. I was involved in the Easter Centenary Commemorations and I’m expecting to travel to the Golan Heights and the Lebanon in the coming 18 months. The more you put in, the more you get out of a career in the Defence Forces. There really are so many opportunities.
There’s so much pride in being able to say you’re in the Defence Forces and representing your country overseas.
Her.ie: What advice would you give a girl interested in joining the Defence Forces?
Sgt. Cole: What I would advise is to talk to someone who is either serving in the Defence Forces at the moment or talk to a member of the RDF (Reserve Defence Forces).
Pop into your local barracks to get more information, send an email or ask a question via the Defence Forces Recruitment Facebook page.
Anyone training in a team three or four times a week and playing a match at the weekend would be more than capable of joining the Defence Forces. They’re already training for it. Contact team sport is tougher than anything!
So if you’re already into sports, the entry process is so achievable. You’ll get it no problem. Practice your sit ups and push ups and take a look at the demo videos on military.ie.
For more information about joining the Defence Forces visit military.ie
