A view of the Ranks systems in the Irish Defence Forces. Other Ranks and Officer Ranks
MILITARY RANKS
ENLISTING and PRIVATE RANK. A career in the Irish Defence Forces can last three years for those who join but decide its not for them. They join up, do recruit training and do one overseas mission. A more popular term is to complete 21 years and get a pension from that time of service. The longer term is to do a full life in the forces from teenager to sixty years of age. In the Other Ranks section (Private to BQMS/Sgt Major) of the DF all entrants start out with recruit training. This brings them up to a two-star private rank. They must pass a medical to join and successfully pass a PT test. In the past decade it has become more difficult to get youngsters to pass this physical fitness test and there are calls to drop the standard levels.
If successful in Recruit Training they then progress on to a three star course to bring them up to full private soldier. During this training they are educated in discipline, weapon and tactical skills and endurance tasks. They become team members and learn to look after the person on their right and left regardless of gender, culture or manner. A private soldier looks after his/her uniform, their living quarters and has the discipline to turn up on time for duties regardless of the date or time.
Before moving on to the rank of Corporal a Private will serve guarding the Midlands prison, prisoner escorts to court and hospital and Shannon Airport. They will serve on an Overseas mission and back up the Garda when needed for river searches for missing persons. During floods , snow or summer forest fires they will assist government organisations as requested.
CORPORAL RANK. After a private has completed all above they will seek a promotion course to the junior leader rank of Corporal. The course will be completed in Collins Bks. Cork for all in the Southern Brigade and in the Curragh for all other Brigades. This is where the top privates train to become section commanders. After successful completion they will promoted and will now have a level of responsibility and can look at overseas missions again and all the above tasks but in a leaders role. A good Corporal will think of the time he spent as a Private and treat the subordinates with respect.
SERGEANT RANK. A good Corporal with a hunger to move on in the chosen career and who conducts the tasks given successfully will look towards the rank of Sergeant. To step up to SGT rank they will need to pass a Platoon Sergeants Standard Course and go through an interview process for promotion. As a sergeant the soldier is now in control of a 31 person Platoon. This may be in the prison or on an Overseas mission. It is a rank of responsibility. Once again the rank promotes discipline as well as looking after the Welfare of the troops. There are three platoons in an Infantry Company and the next step after years gaining experience as a Sgt is to move to Coy level.
COMPANY QUARTERMASTER SERGEANT RANK (CQMS).
COMPANY SERGEANT RANK (CS).
To enter into Coy level a soldier will make an important career decision to go the Logistics road as Coy Quartermaster Sgt or the personnel road as Company Sergeant. They are very different ranks as the soldier is now at company level and dealing with 120 persons plus the Coy Officer management team. The CQMS that goes the Logs road is now computerised,(Must successfully pass ECDL and MIF courses prior to interview) dealing with Ammunitions, Transport, Rations, Clothing, Utilities, Ordnance, Signals, IT, Medical, and Engineering accounts . The CQMS will also deal with Barrack maintenance and accommodation problems and will attend all Commanding Officers Conferences. The Coy Sgt will deal with duties, wages and all staffing problems. As before once the soldier gains years of experience in these ranks they will hope to move to Battalion level.
BATTALION QUARTERMASTER SERGEANT RANK (BQMS).
BATTALION SERGEANT MAJOR RANK (BSM).
The usual flow is that Coy Quartermaster will move on to Battalion Quartermaster and Coy Sgts to Battalion Sgt Major. Both these ranks are dealing with 600 to 650 troops in a given Bks or Camp on an Overseas mission. Both ranks will operate knowing that they set the example of an Inf Unit. (3 Inf Bn Kilkenny). The key to success as a BQ or BSM is to have the ability to liaise and work easily with the high ranking leaders of the Unit but at the same time look after and treat the Other Ranks with respect. A happy infantry Unit will be successful regardless of given tasks. The BSM will also deal with Guards of Honour for dignitaries and Overseas visitors to the Unit. The BQ will coordinate all Battalion Coy Quartermasters and place each one in a position that suits both the task and the person. He/ She will work closely with the Logs officer (Captain) to keep the Units Logistics accounts and stores in order. These stores will cater for training courses Home and International taskings. The BQ will liaise closely with the Bk Accountant in relation to budgets for Utilities.
MILITARY RANKS IN GENERAL. It can take the full 40 years of a military career to go through the rank system of recruit to BQ or BSM.
My personal experience was from Recruit in Sept 1980 through the rank system to BQMS June 2011 and retired 2020 with 16 tours overseas.
Four trips as a Private and Corporal, six as a Company Quartermaster and six as a Battalion Quartermaster.
Private South Lebanon 1982, 1983, 1984. Infantry Battalions.
Corporal South Lebanon 1988 Infantry Battalion.
Company Quartermaster 2002-2003 Mil Police Company Logs. US Base Camp Butmir Sarajevo Bosnia.
Company Quartermaster 2005 Project Fund Manager. Camp Film-City Pristina Kosovo.
Company Quartermaster 2006 National Support Unit. Skopje Airport Macedonia.
Company Quartermaster 2007 National Support Unit. Skopje Airport Macedonia.
Company Quartermaster 2008 Warehouse Manager. US BASE Camp Butmir Sarajevo Bosnia.
Company Quartermaster 2009 Transport CQMS Camp Shamrock Lipyan Kosovo.
Battalion Quartermaster 2011 Logistics Ops UN Post 245 South Lebanon
Battalion Quartermaster 2012 Logistics Ops Un Post 245 South Lebanon
Battalion Quartermaster 2014 Logistics Ops UN HQ Camp Fauoar South Syria.
Battalion Quartermaster 2015 Logistics Ops UN HQ Camp Ziouani North Israel.
Battalion Quartermaster 2017 Logistics Ops Un Post 245 South Lebanon
Battalion Quartermaster 2018 Logistics Ops Un Post 245 South Lebanon
The following is a breakdown in tabulated form of an overseas career from recruit to Battalion Quartermaster. This example is for 847414 BQ NOLAN J.
| RANK | YEAR | MISSION | LOCATION |
| PTE | 1983 | UNIFIL 53 INF BN | LEBANON |
| PTE | 1984 | UNIFIL 56 INF BN | LEBANON |
| PTE | 1985 | UNIFIL 57 INF BN | LEBANON |
| CPL | 1988 | UNIFIL 63 INF BN | LEBANON |
| CQMS | 2002/3 | SFOR MP COY | SARAJEVO |
| CQMS | 2005 | KFOR | KOSOVO |
| CQMS | 2006 | KFOR | MACEDONIA |
| CQMS | 2007 | KFOR | MACEDONIA |
| CQMS | 2008 | EUFOR | SARAJEVO |
| CQMS | 2009 | KFOR | KOSOVO |
| BQMS | 2011 | UNIFIL | LEBANON |
| BQMS | 2012 | UNIFIL | LEBANON |
| BQMS | 2014 | UNDOF | SYRIA |
| BQMS | 2015 | UNDOF | ISRAEL |
| BQMS | 2017 | UNIFIL | LEBANON |
| BQMS | 2018 | UNIFIL | LEBANON |
There is an increase in salaries as the soldier moves up the ranks but also an increase in responsibility and how many times you say goodbye to your family. But people who choose the Military life know this on day one.
The wages received at the completion of a trip will help Military families at home to get their children through college or down payments for house purchase. It may seem a large sum at first but when divided by 189 the amount of days served away from that family, and then by 24 ( hours per day ) it is not a great hourly rate. There are other reasons for travelling on these missions, namely adventure and a chance to see the world and its cultures, promotion and a chance to show what a soldier can do after tactical training is completed.
Each promotion is awarded by interview of the person and file inspection. Each year at home and each trip overseas sees a soldier appraised by and army form AF667. This notes your performance in the appointment you served in from poor to outstanding. Your medical class and fitness report also dictates progress. The system has become fair and transparent in the past two decades.
OFFICERS RANK SYSTEM CADET RANK.
To join the DF as an officer the starting rank is Cadet. It can be a tough disciplined and enduring 18 months in the Military College Pearse Bks in the Curragh Kildare. The Army cadets stay there for the full term and the Air Corps and Naval Cadets move to their respective HQs to finish their training in Baldonnell (AC)and Haulbowline (NS). On being Commissioned they get promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant or Sub Lt.
SECOND LIEUTANT RANK (S/LT)
During this rank duration young officers will move to various barrack locations around the 26 counties to begin there on the ground experiences as young junior leaders. It can be a daunting task giving orders to older soldiers in the prison or on Security duties. They become stronger in character and will learn by observing others at work.
LIEUTENTANT RANK (LT)
After spending three years at S/LT they will now be promoted on merit to LT and become Platoon Commanders. Tasks will now be of a higher responsibility and come around more often. A LT will lead a full Platoon of 31 troops on an Overseas mission. He /She will be responsible for the Welfare Admin and training of the Platoon.
CAPTAIN RANK (CAPT).
If all goes well at LT rank the next step in promotion is to the rank of Captain. Once again the task level will rise in importance and security. An example of the tasks awarded to a Captain would be Battalion Adjunant (Personnel Manager) or a Transport, Engineer, IT ,Signals or Ordnance account holder. These accounts can rise to seven figure sums and require budgetary skills and a trustworthy character.
COMMANDANT RANK (COMDT)
Only if the performance as a Captain is successful will an Officer be interviewed and promoted to Comdt. This rank will arrive during the officers late thirties as it is now Company level (123 Persons). Running a Company in an Overseas mission requires accurate decision making in relation to security and safety of troops on external patrols. Reporting tactical plans to a Battalion Commander will be a part of a Commandants life.
LT COLONEL RANK (LT COL)
As before if the performance at Commandants rank is successful then a promotion to LT Col is possible. The officer is now commanding a Battalion (667 Persons). He/she will lead a Battalion on an Overseas mission and take the responsibility of that task. The reporting level is now to the Minister of Defence.
COLONEL RANK (COL)
The rank of full Colonel places an officer as a director in the DF. It may be Director of Operations, Infantry or Intelligence and there are others. It’s the last step to becoming a General.
GENERAL RANK A general will be a commander of a Brigade. An example of a Brigade in the Irish Defence Forces is No 1 Bde. Kilkenny Bks, Cork Bks , Limerick Bks and Galway Bks. It involves the control and direction of the Battalions and Subunits in these locations. The final step in an Officers career is to gain promotion to the General Staff in DF HQ Newbridge of which there are four and one will become the Chief Of Staff of the Irish DF.
Lt Jim Nolan receiving his promotion markings on board the LE JAMES JOYCE north of the Libyan Coast on an African refugee mission.
TIBNIN LIFE 