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| FORMER MEMBER INTERVIEW |

‘The Skills Of Military Professionals Need

To Be Valued To Stop The Exodus’

Captain (ret’d) John Aherne retired from the Defence Forces in 2015, after 15 years
of service. His career in the organisation included roles in intelligence and the Army
Ranger Wing. Now working full time and endeavouring to grow an innovative start-
up business, he writes for SIGNAL on the wrench it was to leave the Defence Forces
amid intense personal frustration with the organisation, but also how his military skills
have been of benefit in business as he looks to the future.

My Defence Forces Career
I joined the Defence Forces in October 2000 as a mem-
ber of the 77th Cadet Class and was posted to An An
Chéad Cath in Galway on commissioning in July 2002. I
completed an Arts degree in NUI Galway prior to joining
the Defence Forces and so I was very lucky to have been
chosen to serve on my first overseas mission in December
2003 as a Platoon Commander in Liberia with the 90th
Infantry Battalion while my classmates were starting their
first year in college. Following that mission, I was posted
back to the Cadet School in 2004 as a Platoon Command-
er Instructor for the next four years.
I left the Cadet School in late 2008 and was posted to
the 2nd Infantry Battalion in Cathal Brugha Barracks as a
Company 2 I/C. While serving in the 2nd Infantry Battalion,
I travelled with the 41st Infantry Group to Kosovo in 2009
as the Intelligence Officer. This appointment allowed me
to expand on competencies developed as a Junior Officer
and apply them in a post war, highly complex environment
with many political and security related challenges.
On returning from Kosovo, having passed the Army
Ranger Wing (ARW) Selection Course in 2008, I was se- Forces skill sets require adequate and continual resourcing
lected to serve in the unit in 2010. over a considerable amount of time. There must be clearly
The opportunity to serve in Defence Forces Special Forc- defined command and control relationships to maximise,
es was a tremendous honour and one afforded to a very maintain and retain the best military operators. These per-
small percentage of Defence Forces personnel. I finished sonnel are highly skilled, professional state assets that
the ARW Skills course in April 2011 and took up the role of have taken considerable time and resources to develop.
Training Officer in the Training Detachment. This was easily Retention of these personnel makes both organisational
the most challenging and rewarding period in my Defence and financial sense.
Forces career. In my experience, the ARW is the most
functional unit in the Defence Forces, with some excellent Considering Departure
people who do a tremendous job working in a highly com- Moving to an appointment in Human Resources Branch
plex and challenging security environment in Ireland. The caused me to seriously consider my future in the Defence
role certainly helped me to develop both leadership and Forces and was the beginning of my decision to leave the
high-end military skills. Service in the Army Ranger Wing Defence Forces. Personnel working in Defence Forces
requires tremendous commitment and dedication from Headquarters do a tremendous job in a difficult working
personnel and incredible support from their families. environment trying to juggle Defence Forces strategy with
Personnel of the ARW are some of the most capable the day-to-day realities of the Defence Forces. The reduc-
and professional people I have come across anywhere tion in Defence Forces numbers over the last ten years
and it’s a huge honour to have served with them. Special combined with inadequate structures has severely hin-

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