THE only difference between a man in a blue uniform at a Border checkpoint and a man in a green uniform is in their pay packet, according to the families and supporters of soldiers based in Aiken Barracks in Dundalk.
Earlier this month, 70 Army dives held a peaceful protest outside the barracks as one of the most important men in the Defence Forces, General Officer in Command, Liam Mangan, arrived for a parade.
The women subsequently sought and got a meeting with the Officer Commanding, Col Dermot Earley, who told them he was not in a position to do anything for them.
These wives, girlfriends, mothers and sisters of the 300 or so soldiers in Aiken Barracks are not accepting that response. They want better conditions for the soldiers who, they say, do not get paid for protecting other taxpayers or for working anti social hours.
The women claim some soldiers are working more than 70 hours a week and - unlike the gardai they accompany on Border duties - do not get subsistence pay.
Gardai working on Border or BSE checkpoints get hot meals brought to them which are eaten on the side of the road out of aluminium trays. The provision of hot meals was introduced about three years ago, after complaints by gardai.
The gardai also receive subsistence if they are away from their station for more than five hours. The amount paid increases with the length of time away from base.
The women in Dundalk say the gardai cannot operate such checkpoints without the Army, and the soldiers are sent two sandwiches each and a litre of milk to be shared between three people.
"When they are doing checkpoints with the gardai they feel like second class citizens because the gardai get hot food and perks for being on BSE duty. We want the subsistence and entitlements to overtime that these men have as much right to as the men they are protecting," said one wife.
The provision of such cold food also means the soldiers are not paid the subsistence they are entitled to for being away" from the barracks for more than four hours, the women say.
"When they were out over four hours, the Army used to take them back in to feed them so they wouldn't have to pay subsistence. The BSE checkpoints brought them away from the base for six hours ... if they are out more than hours they should be getting the subsistence but they aren't," said another angry woman.
The women, along with one brother of a soldier, met in Dundalk on Friday and are forming a committee to organise future demonstrations to show their frustration and that of the men and women affected.
They want better conditions, acknowledgment of the hours for which the men work without getting paid and a review of the system.
They say they represent men working up to four 24 hour shifts in seven days.
In 1988 the wives formed the National Army Spouses Association (NASA) and campaigned nationally for fewer hours to be worked or else overtime and all allowances to be paid.
That campaign led to the formation of PDFORRA as a representative body for the Defence Forces members.
The women in Dundalk are highly critical of the group, saying the situation improved for a short time but is now the same as in 1988. PDFORRA is "a waste of time. They have done nothing at all".
Another wife said. Things have got worse since BSE and in the Dail the Minister for Agriculture said he was introducing mobile patrols so there would be three Army men to every garda cutting [back on the Army Garda rate of 4:2] and was that way saving the Exchequer thousands of pounds ... our men's." Work had doubled since BSE.