RFCA

RFCA AGM

The RFCA NI held its AGM at Hillsborough Castle on March 25th 2010. The membership received the Chairman Colonel NJP Walker OBE TD JP and then they were addressed by Major General DAH Shaw

Click here to view the latest Annual Report, which contains all the news of the Reserve Forces and Cadets for Northern Ireland for 2008/2009.

Click here to view the latest Annual Report, which contains all the news of the Council of the Reserve Forces and Cadets for 2008/2009.

 

RFCA Annual Dinner

The RFCA NI Annual Dinner was held at the Ulster Reform Club on the 23 October 2008. Air Vice Marshal PD Luker CB OBE AFC was the guest speaker and addressed the membership on the benefits membership of the Reserve Forces brings to individuals and employers.


Royal Naval Reserve

Click here to visit HMS HIBERNIA website

Current Operations

There are RN personnel currently deployed to provide protection teams for the RN/RFA support ships in the Northern Arabian Gulf, Dubai & Bahrain, and the Iraqi oil terminals in support of Operation TELIC and there are anti-piracy teams for RFA/chartered merchant ships currently deployed off Aden/Somalia.

There are currently 2 members of HIBERNIA Ship's Company mobilised on Operations.

Recruitment

For information on recruitment and the date of the next open evening for potential recruits. Call 02892 266105

 

Territorial Army

UNIT NEWS:

152 (U) Transport Regiment (V) RLC. For information on 152 (U) Transport Regiment (V) RLC click here.

All personnel are now safely returned from their recent deployment in Afghanistan on Op HERRICK.

For more information on opportunities within the regiment please call 02892 260043.

253 (North Irish) Medical Regiment (Volunteers). For more information click here.

For information on the 591 Independent Field Squadron Royal Engineers click here.

Operation HERRICK (Afghanistan)

Operation HERRICK is the name of our continuing peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan. There are currently approximately 109 Reservists from Northern Ireland serving in Afghanistan in support of the peacekeeping force.

Operation TOSCA (Cyprus)

On 31st March, approximately 200 all ranks TA soldiers drawn from across NI took over UN duties on the Green Line in Cyprus under Operation TOSCA for a six month operational tour.

Recruitment

For information on recruitment and the date of the next open evenings for TA recruits, call 0800 730 730, for Regular army recruits call 02890 420170 or
click here

Cadets

Cadet 150



Cadet150 will be marked at all levels of the Cadet Forces and in many different ways across the country.

Congratulations to Cadet RSM Toni Brown from 2nd (NI) Bn ACF, Cadet RSM Tory Armstrong from Royal School Armagh CCF, Cadet Petty Officer Aaron Boyce from Training Ship WARRIOR and Cadet Warrant Officer Alex Minter from NI Wing ATC on their selection to represent Northern Ireland as Cadet 150 Ambassadors. All four cadets travelled to London to participate in the Cadet 150 Launch and a full programme of events which included a visit to Downing Street, the House of Lords and the Ulysses Trust reception at Lancaster House organised by the Council of RFCAs. In addition RSM Brown and RSM Armstrong were selected for an audience with Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

Some future dates:

  • September 19 :BTEC Presentation, Belfast City Hall

  • October 3 :ATC Wing Parade, Aldergrove

  • October 8-9 :Military Skills Competition, Ballykinler Weekend Training Centre

  • November 13 :Festival of Remembrance in the Royal Albert Hall

  • November 14 :Remembrance Day Parade, Cenotaph

  • November 15:Royal Gun Salute, Hillsborough Castle

  • December 2 :Annual Inspection and Families Visit, The Royal School Armagh



To find out more about what is happening, please visit
http://www.mod.uk/cadet150.

Sea Cadet Corps

Congratulations to the two Northern Ireland SCC cadets on their selection for places on the International Exchange Scheme and travelling to Ghana, Hong Kong, Cyprus and Germany.

Nationally the Sea Cadet Corps now boast 386 Training Ships and 102 Marine Detachments. Northern Ireland Sea Cadets are also flourishing with 11 Training Ships manned by 39 Adult Instructors and 280 cadets.

On Saturday 24th April 1 Sea Cadet Corps cadet received their Lord Lieutenants' Certificates and insignia from the Lord Lieutenants of the six counties and two cities of Ulster (Belfast has two Lord Lieutenants' cadets). These cadets are considered to be amongst the best cadets in the Province.


Army Cadet Forces


Congratulations to the Six Northern Ireland ACF cadets on their selection for the Canada courses this year which include representing the UK cadet forces on The Athelings Rifle Team, the Large-bore Marksmanship Course and the Rocky Mountain Cadet Leadership and Challenge Course.

Congratulations to Dundonald ACF Detachment on their award by the South Eastern Education Board Youth Section in recognition of their outstanding contribution to Youth training in Dundonald.


Lord Lieutenants Cadets

On Saturday 24th April 2010, 5 Army Cadet Force cadets received their Lord Lieutenants' Certificates and insignia from the Lord Lieutenants of the six counties and two cities of Ulster (Belfast has two Lord Lieutenants' cadets). These cadets are considered to be amongst the best cadets in the Province.

Camps

In 2010 1st (NI) Battalion ACF will be in Beckingham, Kent and the 2nd (NI) Battalion ACF will be in St Martins’ Plain, Kent.

Air Training Corps

Lord Lieutenants Cadets

Congratulations to the two Northern Ireland ATC cadets on their selection for places on the International Exchange Scheme and travelling to Ghana, Hong Kong, Cyprus and Germany.

On Saturday 24th April 2010, 2 Air Training Corps cadet received their Lord Lieutenants' Certificate and insignia from the Lord Lieutenants of the six counties and two cities of Ulster (Belfast has two Lord Lieutenants' cadets).


SaBRE NI


The Value of employers' support for the Reserve Forces

Since January 2003, more than 14,000 members of the Reserve Forces (Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve, Territorial Army and Royal Auxiliary Air Force) have been mobilised for full-time service, mostly in Iraq.

Their achievements have been immense and would have been impossible without the support of their civilian employers. The benefits for the civilian employer may be less obvious, but with 80% if employers agreeing that Reservists are an asset to the UK workforce, they clearly see the advantage.

Leadership and management are among the areas it is most difficult for employers to provide training for – and key areas of weaknesses in many businesses and organisations. With these being exactly the sort of skills which the Reserve Forces develop most, it is easy to see the benefit employers reap from having a Reservist in their workplace.

Perhaps the main reason so many employers support their staff in the Reserve Forces is not so self serving – with 83% of employers saying that Reservists should be supported as a matter of principle.

Whatever your motivation as an employer, your support is gratefully received by the men and women of the Reserve Forces whether they are at work, home or on the front-line. If you would like to become officially recognised as a Supportive Employer please visit www.sabre.mod.uk or call Athene Gordon on 02890 664902.

Employers Abroad Scheme

Since January 2010, several employers have had the opportunity to visit Northern Ireland Reservists on exercise and on deployment in Cyrpus, Afghanistan and Norway. If your organization would like to participate please contact Athene Gordon on 02890 664902.


Royal Gun Salute, June 2010

Pictured at Hillsborough Castle after the formalities of the Royal Salute, are John and Julie Stephens of Drumkeen Holdings, from Ballylesson with Colonel The Lord Caledon, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant for the County of Armagh and Trevor Salmon, Chairman of SaBRE (Supporting Britain’s Reservists and Employers) Regional Employer Support Advisory Group Northern Ireland and Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants Cadet Rebecca Murnaghan.


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Some Future Dates

Sept - Exercise Medical Challenge Team Building day



Exercise MEDICAL CHALLENGE

Exercise MEDICAL CHALLENGE is a weekend event, administered by SaBRE and organised by the Reserve Forces, designed to give medical professionals a taste of what the Reserve Forces is all about and an insight into the leadership, team skills and other aspects of personal development they can offer.

This year the weekend event took place at Ballykinler Training Centre in March. Congratulations to the winners, a team from the National Ambulance Service and the runners up, a team from Queens University Belfast, School of Nursing and Midwifery. If your organisation would like to participate in next team building day in September 2010, contact Athene Gordon on 02890 664902 for more information.


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XChange Issue 4

The next issue of XChange, the SaBRE newsletter for Northern Ireland employers is available. The theme of the newsletter is Reservists around the world and their experiences. If you would like to contribute to our next edition or receive a copy please call Athene Gordon on 02890 664902.