Soldiers await clarity on army reorganisation

Soldiers in Custume Barracks are this week awaiting clarity on what impact the reorganisation of the Defence Forces will have on their lives. The finer details have yet to emerge following the announcement from Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence Alan Shatter last week that the Western Brigade will be disbanded, resulting in the removal of 96 personnel from Custume Barracks. And while soldiers in the units that have been disbanded, along with their families, are sure to have many questions this week, it appears they will not receive answers to these questions until the end of the year. The Westmeath Independent yesterday (Tuesday) sought to have a number of questions relating to the reorganisation answered by the Department of Defence. The query was forwarded to the Defence Forces which issued a statement, which read: "On foot of the announcement the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces has formed an implementation board in order to ensure the effective implementation of the changes whilst minimising its negative impact on the men and women of Oglaigh na hÉireann. The Implementation Board will address all of the issues arising from the re-organisation including HR, administrative and operational challenges." The statement added that as soon as this process has been completed the plan will be communicated to all Defence Forces personnel and said it is expected to have the process complete by the end of the year. It was revealed last week that Athlone will lose 96 personnel and three units under the reorganisation plan, according to Minister Shatter, who made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon of last week. Custume Barracks will lose a Cavalry Squadron, a CIS (communications/signals) unit and the 4th Western Brigade HQ unit. The 6th Infantry Battalion will remain in Athlone. The 4th Field Artillery Regiment (FAR) will be rebranded as the 2nd Field Artillery Regiment but the personnel attached to the 4FAR will be staying in Custume Barracks. The 4th Field Engineers Company will become the 2nd Field Engineer Group. The band will also be staying in Custume Barracks but will no longer be called the Band of the 4th Western Brigade. The 4th Logistical Support Battalion (LSB) has been disbanded under the restructuring plan, but elements will remain in Athlone, such as an Ordnance platoon, a transport platoon. A medics platoon will be based at Custume Barracks and will be part of a new Central medical Unit. It is not yet clear what is to happen to the military police unit, or indeed to the brigade training centre. It is not yet clear whether personnel currently attached to specialist units - the 4th Cavalry Squadron and the 4th Field CIS - will be moved to units in Dublin or the Curragh of if they will be moved into units that will remain in Custume Barracks, such as the 6th Infantry Battalion. It is likely that each person will be dealt with individually, will be asked what their preferred location is and the implementation board will then assess what positions are available based on each soldier's qualifications. It is hoped that the numbers being moved out of Athlone can be kept to a minimum. Under the new two-brigade structure, Custume Barracks will be managed from the 2nd Brigade Headquarters, which will be based in Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin. The barracks that will come under the control of this brigade will also include Aiken Barracks Dundalk, Finner Camp Donegal, Gormanstown Camp and the Defence Forces Training Centre in the Curragh. Defence Forces Headquarters will remain in McKee Barracks Dublin. After the reorganisation, however, McKee will have no infantry battalion or an artillery regiment. Cathal Brugha Barracks is to lose an engineering company, while there will be no changes in Donegal, Dundalk or Gormanstown. The 1st Brigade, under the reorganisation, will now encompass Collins Barracks Cork, Sarsfield Barracks Limerick, Stephens Barracks Kilkenny and Dún Ui Mhaoliosa Galway. The only change in this area will be loss of an infantry battalion from Collins Barracks Cork.