The association representing Defence Forces staff says long commutes and cuts to border and security duty allowances are hitting members in the North West.
Gerard Guinan, general secretary of PDFORRA, says these are two of the issues that affecting members in Finner Camp in Ballyshannon in particular.
The group is holding its annual conference in Cavan today where the staffing crisis is a key topic with numbers at their lowest in 30 years.
Almost 3,000 have left in the last 5 years alone, with 1,000 having bought their discharge.
The government has launched a major recruitment campaign but PDFORRA says they are not paid enough and they don’t get the same benefits as other public sector workers.
Speaking to Ocean FM News, Mr Guinan outlined the problems facing Defence Forces personnel in the north west:
