- Modern Irish Army uniform
-
Irish Army 
Components Irish Army Army Reserve Equipment Equipment and uniform Personnel Officer rank insignia Enlisted rank insignia The modern Irish Army uniform is based on the layer principle and is designed to provide the soldier with the right degree of protection for any operational environment.
Contents
Field dress
An Irish army uniform[1] consists of the following:
- Boots barrack light operational.(worn in barracks and in warm weather at home and abroad)
- Boots desert light operational(overseas issue)
- Boots operational. (Gore-Tex lined all-leather waterproof, used in cold/wet conditions)
- DPM trousers(tropical all cotton and polycotton heavyweight versions)
- Green T-Shirt.(barrack wear only)
- Summer, winter, and tropical issue socks.
- Green Dry flo short and long sleeve tops.(to be replaced in 2011 by DPM versions)
- Green Dry flo short and long leggings.
Irish Defence Forces combat body armour
- DPM shirt - both temperate and desert pattern
- DPM smock - combat jacket with hood in both temperate and desert pattern
- DPM rainsuit - breathable material, temperate and desert pattern
- Bose crewman's helmet APC crew.
- Rabintex RBH 303IE combat helmet with DPM/UN blue covers (see: Image
- Beret - black for PDF, light green for Army Reserve, red for Military Police, bottle green for Ranger Wing, Glengarry headdress for Cavalry Corps and Reserve officers).
- Norwegian pattern combat shirt.(New lightweight type issued since 2010.DPM version to follow in 2011)
- DPM softshell operational fleece jacket
- Wool jumper.(DFHQ dress only)
- DPM Shemagh (overseas issue)
- DPM waterproof cap (overseas issue for winter trips)
- DPM bush hat
- IPLCS Battlevest/Large backpack/patrol pack. DPM web gear.
- Combat body armour (Personal body armour with DPM/UN blue covers)
- Hatch Protective knee/elbow pads.
- CamelbakHydration systems normal 2.5ltr version and 3ltr CBRN version.
- ESS profile NVG protective goggles.
- DPM Insulated/waterproof gloves
RBH303IE Combat helmetService Dress
The Service dress Uniform is used by the Army for ceremonial and administrative duties. It resembles khaki service dress worn in many armies, but is in distinctive green shade. The uniform, introduced in 1961, consists of a jacket which is open to show a creamy brown shirt and green tie.[2] The layout of the uniform varies from corps to corps. For enlisted soldiers, the rank markings are worn on the sleeves of the issue tunic. The Unit and Brigade Flashes are worn on the right and left sleeves respectively. A lanyard depicting the corps function is worn over the left shoulder and pinned to the left chest pocket button (e.g. white lanyard for artillery, red for military police). The corps badge is pinned to the tunic lapels. A cloth belt with brass buckles is worn around the waist of the tunic.
Black leather gloves are worn by privates or NCOs below BQMS rank. When worn as SD No1, the cloth belt is traded for a white dress belt, and white gloves are worn by enlisted personnel below BQMS rank.Medals are worn with SD No1.Medal Ribbons are worn with SD No2 and 3. Peaked caps have been introduced and are worn by other ranks on ceremonial occasions.
Regular soldiers and Reserve wear the all leather "Linkers" ceremonial boot., The tunic button is a staybright material with a harp and the inscription "IV" meaning Irish Volunteers.
Officers have their rank markings pinned to the shoulder straps of their tailored tunic. They also wear a Sam Browne Belt in brown leather. The Officers SD No.1 Uniform also includes brown leather shoes and brown leather gloves. Non-cavalry officers in the Permanent Defence Force wear peaked caps, whereas cavalry and reserve officers wear Glengarry hats with black and green ribbons respectively. All officers except Generals( who wear the Generals red backed cloth badge since 2010) wear bronze cap badges, marking them out from other ranks, who have anodised aluminium brass coloured cap badges.[3]
Army Bands wear a black ceremonial uniform with red stripes on the trousers and peak cap type headwear. The Cavalry corps ceremonial escort of honour wear a new dress uniform since 2010.
Army Pipers and drummers wear a safron kilt with Royal green tunics and black Glengarry with safron ribons.[4]
Brass type name tags are worn with Service dress No1,2 and 3. Cloth name tags are worn with field dress. A new "Defence forces Ireland" badge will soon be issued and will be worn over the left chest pocket of the field dress smock,shirt,fleece and waterproof suit
See also
- Modern weapons of the Irish Army
- Modern vehicles of the Irish Army
- Irish Army
- Irish Defence Forces cap badge
References
- ^ Official D.F site - Army Uniform
- ^ Donal MacCarron, The Irish Defence Forces since 1922, Wellingborough, 2004
- ^ Image of Reserve No.1 uniforms
- ^ MacCarron, Donal (2004). Irish Defence Forces since 1922. Osprey Publishing Ltd. p. 24. ISBN 1841767425.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
