Page 49 - Signal Summer 2019

What has your next step been since leaving the military and what are your plans for the future?
I have been fortunate to find employment as a HR Manager with a multinational company where employees are respected, recognised and rewarded. It is also a company that recognises the holistic benefits in the maintenance of a healthy work-life balance for employees.
Why do you believe that the private sector, and other elements of the public and semi-state sector, value those who have worked within the Defence Forces?
The private sector has recognised the benefits of hiring Defence Forces personnel where they are getting highly trained and talented leaders who make a real and positive impact on the business. This really reflects the best-in-class training and leadership development provided by the Defence Forces. Almost three quarters of my cadet class have moved on from the Defence Forces. This is indicative of the inability to retain key talent at cost to the Exchequer, because of the absence of any credible retention strategy. I would even go so far as to say that the DOD has failed the State with its mishandling of the Defence Forces. The exodus of people from the Defence Forces has been unnecessary and preventable. While damage has been done and the DF is at its lowest strength in decades, there is still hope if the necessary urgent action is implemented by Government in taking care of the State’s most loyal but undervalued servants.
| RETENTION |
Lt Col Sean Flynn Officer Commanding 69th Regiment (Fighting 69th) New York officially visiting members of the 28 Inf Bn. Also in attendance is Mr. Hilary Beirne Executive Secretary St. Patrick’s Day Parade New York City.
Commandant (Ret’d) Declan Sheridan
Straight out of school I joined the Defence Forces as an Army Cadet in 1993 as a member of the 70th Cadet Class. I retired in the rank of Commandant last December having served in 12 Inf Bn, 28 Inf Bn, DFHQ with Directorate of Training and 2 Bde HQ Operations & Plans as well as many other shorter-term appointments in my 25 years of service. In terms of overseas I served in many interesting places around the world in UNMEE (Eritrea), UNMIL (Liberia), MONUC (Congo), ISAF (Afghanistan), UNTSO (Lebanon) and UNDOF (Syria) with the latter being in a civilian capacity with the UN. I gained valuable experience in the Defence Forces across various strands of the Organisation in HR, operations, planning, logistics, training and numerous command postings. All my service was a great privilege and being a Platoon and Company Commander for recruit training and putting my mark on the future talent pipeline of the DF has been a source of great pride for me.
Disclaimer: Any views expressed in this article are the subject’s own and not those of RACO.
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