Army Reserve ( Ireland ) The Army Reserve ( ) is the land component of the Reserve Defence Forces ( RDF ) . It is the second line reserve of the Army . The Army Reserve is a part - time , fully voluntary organisation , and is one of two elements of the Reserve Defence Forces of Ireland , the other element being the Naval Service Reserve . It was established on 1 October 2005 to replace and reorganise the previous reserve organisation , and to improve training and courses similar to those of the Permanent Forces . This reorganisation saw the creation of an overriding Reserve Defence Forces structure which spans both the Army and Naval Service Reserve . Prior to the 2005 restructure , the reserve forces of the Irish Army were known as the " Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil " ( " Local Defence Force " ) , which in turn has its origins in the Units formed in 1920s . History . Early Reserve / Volunteer forces . In the years following the establishment of Defence Forces various classes of army reserves were experimented with . Between 1927 and 1939 , these comprised several reserve classes . Classes . In May 1927 , the " " Class A Reserve " " was established and consisted of regular non - commissioned officer s and men transferred to the Reserve . Though numbers never exceeded 5 , 000 , they were the best trained of the reserves , with over 80 % reporting annually for training . In January 1928 , the " " Class B Reserve " " was formed , with the object of building up the infantry arm of the Defence Forces - on a voluntary basis . Its conditions of service were three months ' initial training , followed by one month ' s annual training with liability for six years Reserve service . It was not a success however , never exceeding 3 , 600 in strength , and had practically ceased to exist by 1934 . The " " Volunteer Reserve Force " " was established in Autumn 1929 . No initial training was required - instead members attended parade once weekly , with four weekend camps per year along with fifteen days annual training . It was divided into three units , one Battalion in Dublin , an Artillery Battery in Cork and an Officer Training corps in universities . A total of 1 , 229 enlisted in the Officer Training College ( OTC ) while 987 enlisted in the other two units . The units were disbanded in 1935 . The " " Volunteer Force " " was established in March 1934 . Apart from basic military requirements there was a political consideration in its formation . Fianna Fáil , who had assumed power in 1932 , were anxious that the army should be more representative of the different political persuasions in the country . Since 1924 , the army had been composed of pro - Treaty supporters . It was hoped that this new force would attract men who would be considered anti - Treaty in outlook . To this end a number of men who had prominent anti - Treaty records in the Civil War were commissioned at the initial stages as Administrative Officers . On 6 November 1935 the " " Pearse Regiment " " was added . Named for Pádraig Pearse , this force consisted of three lines of Reserve with varying conditions of service . Those of the first line had to undergo initial training along with a commitment to thirty days annual training , and reached a maximum strength of 10 , 578 by April 1935 . On 1 September 1939 the strength was 257 officers and 6 , 986 other ranks . The second line consisted of personnel who had been trained in the first line and had been transferred . The third line was intended to be a reserve of specialists in civilian life who would be of value to the army upon mobilisation . Organisation . The Volunteer Force was the first scheme to make provision for recruitment into all Arms of the Service . It also provided for the special training of non - commissioned officer s and the training of NCOs for commissions . The inclusion of civilian committees ( known as ) to help recruiting and administration at a local level was a feature of the Force . The however gradually disappeared and were replaced by committees composed solely of Volunteers . The Volunteers had a distinctive uniform , darker than the ordinary uniform , with black boots , leggings , belts , chromium buttons and badges and forage caps . Territorially these early volunteer / reserve forces were divided into regimental areas , which took their names from the ancient Irish kingdoms where they were raised : - The Emergency . In response to the various security threats posed during " The Emergency " ( Second World War ) , a new reserve force - the Local Security Force ( LSF ) - was created on the 28 May 1940 as an auxiliary police service . Instituted under a Garda Act its activities were to be devoted to auxiliary police and internal security work . Recruiting forms were dispatched to Garda stations on the 31 May 1940 and by 16 June of the same year 44 , 870 members were enrolled . On 22 June 1940 it was decided to divide the force into two groups : - By August 1940 the strength had risen to 148 , 306 and by October of the same year detailed organisations for each group were issued and District Staffs were formed . By the end of 1940 the army had more or less completed its expansion to a war - time footing and was then in a position to take over the control of " A " Group from the Gardaí . On 1 January 1941 it was handed over to the Command and control of the Army and was given the new title of " The Local Defence Force " ( An Fórsa Cosanta Áitúil ) . The " B " Group continued as an auxiliary police force and retained its old name - " The Local Security Force " ( L . S . F . ) . From the military point of view the L . D . F . was the equivalent of many additional battalions to the Defence Forces . Local Security Force . The L . S . F . was organised in groups around each Garda Station . It was organised into sections and squads and its general duties consisted of traffic control , communications , protective duties , transport , and first aid . While other elements of the Defence Forces devoted most of their time to training , the L . S . F . , while training was important , were required to devote much of their time to actual work . Police duties , patrolling and observation were important aspects of their activities . Unlike the soldier who was trained to act as part of a team , the L . S . F . member acted more like a policeman and therefore more emphasis was placed on training to enable him to act alone . In the cities and large towns their systems of patrols and beats were designed to coincide with times of local crime peaks . A survey of 200 commendations issued to members include the detection of such crimes as housebreaking , larceny , dangerous driving , saving of life from burning buildings , assistance to Gardaí under assault and others . They also assisted the Gardaí in searches for reported parachutists , missing persons , and crashed aircraft . They kept a watch for floating mines and provided cordons when required . They also assisted in policing at two General Elections . Assistance to other Government Departments was also provided , and included the distribution to households of tea rationing forms and ration books ( March 1941 ) , census of turf cutting ( July 1941 ) , a survey of accommodation available for refugees , and the provision of patrols to enforce the regulations governing the movement of cattle on outbreak of foot and mouth disease . Local Defence Force . As noted above , this was the " A " Group of the L . S . F . that had been transferred to the army in January 1941 . With its military status and responsibility , it was integrated into the combat organisations under full military discipline . The main LDF weapons were the rifle , bayonet and grenade . The organisation was mostly one of rifle companies and platoons . In 1942 the LDF strength was 98 , 429 . In 1943 this rose to 103 , 530 . And in 1944 it was at 96 , 152 . These strengths were regarded as being 90 % effective and may reflect a rise and fall as the European battle front approached or receded from Irish shores . Establishment of the FCÁ . A post - war establishment of 12 , 500 in all ranks saw a rapid demobilisation and reorganisation within a small period . The Regular Army was now composed of three Brigades . In 1947 all reserve forces were dis - established and in their place were created the First Line Reserve and the Second Line Reserve - An Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil ( FCÁ ) ( Local Defence Force ) . The basic principles underlying this establishment were that : - This organisation remained until 1959 when " integration " was introduced by which the FCÁ was integrated with the Regular Army . Six Brigades of mixed Regular and FCÁ units , each with only one Regular Battalion were established with the intention that the remaining units would be filled by FCÁ personnel upon mobilisation . In 1979 there was a change in the structure and role of the FCÁ which had existed since the 1959 integration . The six integrated Infantry Brigades were reduced to four PDF ( Permanent Defence Force ) Brigades and the Eastern Command Infantry Force ( ECIF ) . A new Command structure was set up for the FCÁ with a Directorate of Reserve Forces . Changing role and the RDF . Confirmed by the Minister in the Dáil Éireann on 15 May 1991 , the role of the FCÁ units changed . They were now to be tasked with local defence and security , reinforcement of PDF units with trained manpower , and the replacement of PDF units in Barracks should the need arise . Females were inducted into selected units of the FCÁ in 1991 and from 1993 all units were permitted to recruit females . In 1997 a Steering Group was convened by the Chief of Staff to conduct a special study on the Restructuring of the Reserve Defence Forces . The Report was completed in May 1999 . On October 1 , 2005 the FCÁ was stood down and the RDF ( Reserve Defence Forces ) , consisting of the Army Reserve and Naval Reserve , was established . In 2013 a major reorganisation was carried out that implemented the Single Force Concept . RDF units would now be attached to Army units . Training . All enlisted members of the Reserve Defence Forces ( RDF ) undergo recruit training on a part - time voluntary basis . This training takes place mostly on weekends . Recruits must undergo at least 14 days full - time training and pass proficiency tests on foot , arms drill , tactics and rifle training with the Steyr AUG to qualify as a 2 Star Private . 3 Star training includes navigation , training on the FN MAG machine gun , fieldcraft and tactical training and is also 14 full - time days in duration plus weekend training . Rank structure . The Irish Army Reserve is organised along the same rank and command structures as the Permanent Defence Forces ( PDF ) , however there are some differences . All Ranks within the Reserve Defence Forces ( RDF ) are enlisted as recruits . Potential officers are chosen from the Non Commissioned ranks , normally only Corporal and Sergeant ranks are selected . The Potential Officers course is run over 2 years . There is some Direct Entry routes for Officers in the Reserve . This is only available for professionals like Dentists , Engineers , Doctors etc . A Lieutenant Colonel is the highest rank in the RDF .