Monthly military organ, Bamachane, has revealed that
the IDF plans to re-induct men discharged from army service
over the last five years after their profile was reduced to
21 or 24 for health reasons, following the institution of
the new criteria for a 30 profile, the minimum necessary for
induction.
The induction will not be sweeping but instead will be based
on army needs, and on condition that the candidate has
profession or academic training in demand in the IDF. The
profile for such soldiers will be raised to 30.
Soldiers found fit for service by a medical committee will
be inducted and will receive special, lenient terms
individually suited to meet their needs. Thus, for instance,
the committee will be able to assign them desk jobs in rear
units.
If necessary the soldiers will be eligible to receive
exemptions from carrying a gun, from basic training, from
rotational duty and from sleeping in their units. In
addition the soldiers will receive lighter disciplining
based on their medical condition. In order to ensure that
these special rights are preserved, the soldier will receive
a certificate listing the terms of service and the
restrictions that apply to him.
Personnel Department sources told Bamachane that it
has not yet been decided after how many years the exemption
could still be reversed. The journal also reported that
family heads would also be eligible for this draft.
This new step came as a surprise to many figures following
pronouncements by military heads over the past several years
about designing "a small, effective military."
Now there seems to be a return to the previous trend of
universal induction, including nonessential candidates who
generate added expenses and prompt demands for increased
defense spending.
