Kiltoom man retires after 41 years of Army service

Having spent 41 years serving his country loyally at home and overseas, Kiltoom man Col Seán Kilbride is getting ready to walk away from Army life. Col Kilbride, who currently serves as Executive Officer (EO) and 2i/c (second in command) of the 4th Western Brigade here in Athlone, will retire on Thursday, October 15, next. Speaking to the Westmeath Independent this week ahead of his retirement, Col Kilbride reflected on the highlights of his current appointment, his career and the changes that have taken place in the Defence Forces since he joined in 1968. Although he served for a time in the Curragh and at Defence Forces Headquarters in Dublin, Col Kilbride, a proud St Brigid's club man, has spent most of his military career in the 4th Western Brigade. He recently travelled to Chad with the General Officer Commanding the 4th Western Brigade Brig Gen Gerry Hegarty. The visit had particular significance for Col Kilbride as he had been involved in the planning process for the Chad deployment from its infancy as a diplomatic project while he held an appointment in Brussels. He was also actively involved in the planning for the deployment of the first and second Western Brigade battalions to the central African country in his current role. A native of Ballaghadereen, Col Kilbride served as Deputy Military Representative to the EU in Brussels, an appointment that he held for three years, and it was during this time that he was involved in the planning for the Chad mission. Speaking about his recent visit to Chad, he said: "The visit to Chad was fascinating given the fact that, firstly, I was in Brussels when the French Government brought the concept of this mission forward at diplomatic/political level and also while it was being planned. Secondly, I was involved in the Planning Groups for the Western Brigade deployments. It was very gratifying to see the Defence Forces - and the Western Brigade in particular - deployed on the ground there and to witness the success of the mission and the stability it has brought to the area." Col Kilbride described his current position as very challenging and rewarding. "However, overall I still think I preferred command appointments; while they are inherently more difficult, ultimately I found them more enjoyable because of the human interaction involved," he said. To this end, Col Kilbride said the pinnacle of his career remains his appointment as Officer Commanding 6th Infantry Battalion and Custume Barracks, a role he held for two years from 1999 to 2001. "I worked in the barracks at various ranks throughout my career and the pinnacle of it was to command the Battalion and the barracks here. It was a great honour and privilege," he said. "I was blessed with my immediate staff and the personnel generally in the Battalion, who made the job very rewarding and made the challenge involved relatively easy to meet." "It was an appointment I had always aspired to," he said this week. "At that level, you still have contact with those under your command and you are also in a position where you can bring about quick change. Finally, I was always very conscious of walking in the footsteps of my predecessors and the tradition I inherited." Col Kilbride also has an extensive overseas service under his belt, having served in the Middle East, including Lebanon a number of times, Syria, Croatia, Kosovo and Brussels. The highlight for him with regard to his overseas service came in 1989/90 when he served as Company Commander of C Company in Lebanon, which was a Western Brigade company. "There was a special relationship within the company. It proved to be the most challenging and difficult appointment I held, but also the most rewarding," he said. Col Kilbride held various appointments at home and abroad throughout his career, including Brigade Commander with the Reserve Defence Forces in 2002, in the Directorate of Operations in Defence Forces Headquarters working on EU-related matters and of course as Deputy Military Representative to the EU in Brussels. During his time in Brussels, while Col Kilbride was involved in the early planning of the Chad mission, he was also involved in the in the preparation for Ireland's participation in the Nordic Battlegroup, the first time the Irish Defence Forces has signed up to such an initiative. He then had the opportunity, during his current appointment, to see Western Brigade troops train and participate in the Nordic Battlegroup, under the leadership of Comdt Johnny Whittaker. Speaking this week about battlegroups, Col Kilbride said: "While the term has an unfortunate war-like ring to it for what is a peacekeeping force, the EU battlegroup concept simply involved Member States combining together to contribute military capabilities and then making those forces available on stand-by to deploy rapidly in a crisis situation where vulnerable civilians need protection. "It's the kind of force that the UN requires as it does not have the capability itself for such rapid response. As a result, it has requested regional organisations, such as the EU, to develop small mobile forces that can move quickly and deploy for a short period to allow for the mobilisation of a larger UN force." It's one of the main recommendations arising from the Brahimi Report that followed the failure to protect civilians in former-Yogoslavia and in particular in Srebrenica. He has witnessed many changes during his 41 years in the Defence Forces, but the two that stand out most for Col Kilbride are the addition of women to the Defence Forces and the improvement in equipment for soldiers. He said the Irish Army was now among the best equipped in the world and the equipment was on a par and, indeed, better than other armies of similar size. Col Kilbride added that women entering the Defence Forces had been a very beneficial development. "Even though the numbers are smaller than we'd like, women are vital in all aspects of our work, particularly overseas. Crisis Management Operations must be able to relate to the local female population. It is critical that we have sufficient females to deploy for that reason," he explained. Reflecting on his 41 years of service, Col Kilbride said he has no regrets. "It's a career I'm very happy I went into. I felt that the career involved doing something worthwhile at home and overseas. The role of the Defence Forces at home in times of peace is easy to underestimate, but our main role will always be the defence of the State. In this context, we shouldn't forget that the Army supported the Gardai in countering subversive activity in recent times and this use of the Defence Forces in aid to the civil power makes it possible to retain an unarmed police force - which I consider a worthwhile aspect of our policing philosophy. We should always remember that Private Paddy Kelly (from Moate) who lost his live in the service of the State, is an example of the Army's willingness to fulfil its duty to the citizens of the State," he said. "In terms of overseas service, we are seen as a critical component of the State's foreign policy, the cornerstone of which is support of the UN. When we deploy as part of a mission with a UN mandate we are supporting our foreign policy in a very significant way while at the same time bringing stability to crisis situations and protecting local populations. This in turn provides the necessary breathing space for political and diplomatic activity to take place that, hopefully, will bring lasting peace to such troubled parts of the world". And while he has held a myriad of appointments at home and overseas, Col Kilbride is conscious that he couldn't have done it without the support of his family and said: "The requirement to serve overseas is an inherent part of our career and none of us could do that without the support of our families and, in particular our spouses - in my case Deborah." While he looks back on his career with no regrets, Col Kilbride is also now looking forward to the next chapter in his life, although he has no immediate plans for his retirement, other than to travel a little, possibly learn to play golf and catch up on reading.