Last update - 00:00 04/04/2007
Report: A fifth of IDF reservists have poor combat readiness
By Haaretz Service
A fifth of IDF reserve troops suffer from poor combat readiness due to a prolonged lack of battle training, Israeli media reported Wednesday, quoting data collected by the IDF Ground Forces Command.
Reservists are unable to properly use weaponry and cannot perform basic combat functions, Israel Radio and Yedioth Ahronoth reported, adding that the problems were especially marked in armored, artillery and combat engineering units.
In light of this finding, the chairman of the IDF reservists' lobby in the Knesset, Meretz MK Avshalom Vilan, urged passage of a bill that would focus reserve duty on training seessions, with soldiers called up for actual operational missions under special circumstances.
Reserve Lt. Colonel Itai Landsberg, a representative of the battalion commanders' forum, stated that many reserve soldiers in armor and artillery units have not had basic combat training since operation "Defensive Shield" in 2002.
Landberg called for a law to insures a minimal allotment of training days for reserve soldiers.