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| OVERSEAS SECTION |

Irish troops with the EUTM-Mali
mission are involved in developing
capability for the country's security
forces to deal with the ongoing
security situation in the country.

Irish participation in NATO missions once the ‘triple lock’ we have deployed to both in Lebanon and on the Golan
deployment criteria have been met. Recently the Defence Heights, but also the operational complexities in these two
Forces joined EU Operation SOPHIA in the Mediterranean areas. However, all the missions have their own particu-
providing a Naval Service ship and HQ staff personnel in lar requirements. An example would be the EU mission to
a another complex mission as part of wider EU efforts to Mali , to which we are contributing 20 personnel. This is a
5
disrupt the business model of human smuggling and traf- hugely important mission, unfortunately in a very unstable
ficking networks in the Central Mediterranean Sea.The country. Our personnel are based in two locations in Mali,
Defence Forces are very proud to support these lifesav- assisting the Malian armed forces in developing capability
ing activities and dealing with an EU OHQ opens a new to provide their own internal security and counter the forc-
chapter for the Defence Forces in its long history of peace es of instability in their country,” explains Lt Col Hearns.
building operations. The Lt Col has extensive and diverse overseas experi-
“The troop missions as you can imagine take up most of ence himself, as his accompanying career bio illustrates.
the Section’s time, considering both the number of troops “I’ve completed 8 missions overseas, including two de-

5 On 18 February 2013, the European Council agreed to set up a military mission to contribute to training of the Mali security
forces to help combat security issues and conflict in the country. Ireland has contributed to the mission since its inception.

Career Bio: Lt Col Mark Hearns
Current role: Officer In-Charge Overseas Section J 3/5 (Operations and Plans) Branch.
Mark has 34 years of service with the Defence Forces and was commissioned with
the 60th Cadet Class. He has eight tours of duty overseas, two to UNIFIL (1990 / 2000);
European Commission Task Force to Russia (1992); OSCE Mission to Georgia (1995-
7), 1st Irish Contingent to ISAF, Afghanistan (2002); Company Commander in UNMIL,
Liberia (2004), Observer with UNSMIS in HOMS, Syria (2012) and was Irish Contingent
Commander with UNDOF on the Golan Heights in 2016.
Lt Col Hearns is also a graduate of the Defence Forces Senior Command and Staff
Course at the Military College 2007 and a graduate of US Command and General Staff
Course, Fort Leavenworth 2008-9. Other Career appointments of note include Execu-
tive Officer J 7 (Training and Education) Branch 2012-14 and Officer Commanding 27th
Infantry Battalion 2012-14.
Education; BA from NUI Galway; Dip Russian TCD, MA International Relations DCU,
MA in Leadership Management and Defence, NUI Maynooth. He speaks Russian, Ital-
ian and French. ¾

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