Major General Dermot Earley is the Deputy Chief of Staff (Support) of the Irish Defence Forces. The Irish Defence Forces are the army, navy and air force of the Republic of Ireland. ...

Earley was born in 1948. He joined the defence forces as a cadet in 1965 and was commissioned in 1967. His first posting was as a platoon commander in the Recruit Training Depot at the Curragh. In 1969 he was appoited an Instructor at the Army School of Physical Culture (ASPC). In military organizations, a commissioned officer is a member of the service who derives authority directly from a sovereign power, and as such holds a commission from that power. ...

Earley was educated at St. Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon. He obtained a specialist diploma in physical education at St. Mary's College Twickenham in 1971. Ballaghaderreen (Irish: Bealach An Doirín) is a town in the north west of County Roscommon, Ireland. ... County Roscommon (Ros Comáin in Irish) is a county located in central Ireland. ... A diploma (from Greek diploma) is a document issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that is one of the following: A certificate testifying that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study, A deed conferring an academic degree. ... In most educational systems, physical education (PE), also called physical training (PT) or gym, is a course in the curriculum which utilizes the learning medium of large-muscle activities in a play or movement exploration setting. ... Twickenham is a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in the south-west of London. ...

Earley played Gaelic football for Roscommon for twenty years from 1965. Gaelic football (Irish: peil ghaelach) is a form of football played mainly in Ireland. ...

He undertook the Ranger Course in the Defence Forces, which led to the establishment of special operations training and the establishment of the Army Ranger Wing (ARW).

Early's service record includes overseas service with UNTSO in 1975, Adjutant to the 52nd Infantry Battalion UNIFIL, Military Advisor to the Secretary General to the United Nations, New York, 1987-1991 and Battalion Commander of the 81st Infantry Battalion UNIFIL in 1997. UNTSO is an acronym for United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, an organization founded in 1948 for peacekeeping in the Middle East. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Forces In Lebanon) was created in 1978 by the United Nations to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore the international peace and security, and help the Lebanese Government restore its effective authority in the area. ... A large number of international organizations and other bodies have a secretary general or secretary-general as their chief administrative officers or in other administrative capacities. ... The examples and perspective in this article do not represent a worldwide view. ... State nickname: The Empire State Official languages None. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Forces In Lebanon) was created in 1978 by the United Nations to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore the international peace and security, and help the Lebanese Government restore its effective authority in the area. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

He is a graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies, London (2001) and holds a Master of Arts (Hons) in peace and development studies from the University of Limerick (1999) The Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the United Kingdoms National Defence Academy. ... The University of Limerick (UL) was established in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick and became a university by statute in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act, 1989. ...

Earley was appointed School Commandant of the ASPC. In 1991 he was appointed an instructor at the Command and Staff School of the Military College and in 1994/95 he helped establish the United Nations Training School Ireland (UNTSI) in the Military College.

He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1995. He commanded the 27 Infantry Battalion on the Irish border. He was promoted to Colonel in 2001. In December 2003 he was made Brigadier General and was appopinted Major General in March 2004 when he received his current appointment. He replaced Lieutenant General James Sreenan. In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ... Colonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ...

Earley is married with six children. They live in Kildare. Kildare (Irish: Cill Dara) is a town in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland. ...