The Irish Defence Forces
THE IRISH DEFENCE FORCES
The Defence Forces consist of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) and the Reserve Defence Force (RDF).
The PDF includes the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps.
The Reserve Defence Force comprises the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve.
The president is the Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces. Military Command is exercised by the Government through the Minister for Defence.
The roles of the Defence Forces as decided by Government are:
to defend the State against armed aggression; this being a contingency, preparations for its implementation will depend on an on-going Government assessment of the security and defence environment;
to aid the civil power (meaning in practice to assist, when requested, the Garda Síochána, who have primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State);
to participate in multinational peace support, crisis management and humanitarian relief operations in support of the United Nations and under UN mandate, including regional security missions authorised by the UN;
to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the EU;
to carry out such other duties as may be assigned to them from time to time, e.g. search and rescue, air ambulance service, Ministerial air transport service, assistance on the occasion of natural or other disasters, assistance in connection with the maintenance of essential services, assistance in combating oil pollution at sea.
Rank Structure
In common with other modern armies there are two basic rank structures within the Defence Forces.
Commissioned Ranks
Officers of commissioned rank normally enter as Officer Cadets and on completion of training receive a Commission from the President as a Second Lieutenant in the Army and Air Corps or as an Ensign in the Naval Service.
Other Ranks
Other ranks enlist as recruits or apprentices and on completion of training become Private Soldiers in the Army, Seamen / Women in the Naval Service or Airmen / Women in the Air Corps. As they qualify they may be promoted to higher non-commissioned ranks. Persons of Corporal rank and higher are known as Non-commissioned Officers. Selected non-commissioned personnel are commissioned as lieutenants from time to time.
While the non-commissioned rank structure is the same throughout the Army some corps may have different titles for their personnel, for example a private in the Air Corps is an Airman and a female private in the Signal Corps is a Signalwoman.
Ranks in the Defence Forces
Army Commissioned Ranks Second Lieutenant [2/Lt] Lieutenant [Lt] Captain [Capt] Commandant [Comdt] Lieutenant Colonel [Lt Col] Colonel [Col] Brigadier General [Brig Gen] Major General [Maj Gen] Lieutenant General [Lt Gen]
Non-Commissioned Ranks
Private 2 Star [Pte] Private 3 Star [Pte] Corporal [Cpl] Sergeant [Sgt] Company Quartermaster Sergeant [CQMS] Company Sergeant [CS] Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant [BQMS] Battalion Sergeant Major [BSM]
Naval Service Commissioned Ranks Ensign [ENS] Sub Lieutenant [Sub Lt] Lieutenant (NS) [Lt] Lieutenant Commander [Lt Cdr] Commander [Cdr] Captain [Capt] Commodore [Cmdre]
Non-Commissioned Ranks
Ordinary Seaman [OS] Able Seaman [AS] Leading Seaman [LS] Petty Officer [PO] Senior Petty Officer [SPO] Chief Petty Officer [CPO] Senior Chief Petty Officer [SCPO] Warrant Officer [WO]
Air Corps Commissioned Ranks Second Lieutenant [2/Lt] Lieutenant [Lt] Captain [Capt] Commandant [Comdt] Lieutenant Colonel [Lt Col] Colonel [Col] Brigadier General [Brig Gen]
Non-Commissioned Ranks
Airman 2 Star [Armn 2*] Airman 3 Star [Armn 3*] Corporal [Cpl] Sergeant [Sgt] Flight Quartermaster Sergeant [FQMS] Flight Sergeant [F/Sgt] Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant [RQMS] Regimental Sergeant Major [RSM]
