Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., July 11, 2008 Tamuz 8, 5768 | | Israel Time: 12:16 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 19:48 10/07/2008 IDF non-combat reservists say they're being thrust into war zones By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent nnel which was due in part to the increase in the scope of training and operational activity in the IDF. Advertisement Other soldiers have also complained that they were being deployed in areas of service for which they were not adequately trained. Soldiers who served in the same unit with Assaf Wachsman, who was killed when his armored personnel carrier overturned while training on the Golan Heights, say they were given a 20-minute refresher course before the exercises. Noam Berg, a reservist who was called upon to serve in an operational function as a driver in the northern West Bank, said he and his friends were forced to undergo driving instruction in armored jeeps before serving in the territories. "Fourteen years ago, when I was in compulsory service, I did training that all IDF soldiers go through and through most of my service I did not carry a weapon because my job did not require it," Berg said. "I did my service in one of the technological units in the Intelligence Corps. They called us to reserve duty, took us to the training base of the Central Command, and gave us 100 minutes worth of instruction on driving an armored jeep, thinking that afterwards we would become combat drivers that would go into war zones and transport forces [into them]," he said. Berg said the training he and his comrades received for the various driving duties encompassed just 60 minutes of operating a "Sufa" model armored jeep on a highway, 30 minutes on a dirt side road, and 10 minutes of driving at night. "As a civilian, I drive a small car with automatic gears," he said. "Here, they expected us to turn into the ultimate combat drivers within one hour and a half, with heavy vehicles that operate in manual gears. I drove during the training but I was feeling the pressure." "They didn't tell us what we should do if something happens," he said. "They didn't say what we should do if they shoot at us or if they throw rocks at us. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Photoshopped launch Did Iran doctor an image of its provocative missile test launch? 'Hitler was a good boss' Nazi bodyguard describes the fuhrer's last moments in a Berlin bunker.   1.   It is called training on the job. 20:26  |  ottomatik 10/07/08   2.   Simply Kvetching 20:57  |  Gideon Reader 10/07/08   3.   Cooks, bakers and clerks were always called up 21:53  |  * BEN JABO 10/07/08   4.   Gideon #2 is an ass 00:25  |  RK 11/07/08   5.   #2 Say Gideon, are you and yours out there? 00:37  |  ballistic 11/07/08   6.   Say Otto down in FL 00:39  |  ballistic 11/07/08   7.   #3 Yes BJ, even the idiots and insane must go! 00:40  |  ballistic 11/07/08   8.   Any decent soldier should refuse to serve in occupied territories 01:10  |  Chanalau, Tova 11/07/08   9.   Ruin the War Effort! MAKE PEACE! 01:59  |  KMansfield 11/07/08   10.   This will produce more atrocities 03:11  |  Colin Wright 11/07/08

Read & React Did Iran doctor an image of its missile test launch? Responses: 68 Hitler's bodyguard: The Fuhrer was a good boss Responses: 42 Police source: Anyone but Olmert would have been arrested by now Responses: 14 Ari Shavit: The real problem is America Responses: 18 H.A. Hellyer: Who speaks for Europe's Muslims? Responses: 6 Rosner's Domain Is the Arab love affair with Obama over? (WTR) On Iraq, Obama draws to the ground of reality Poll: The more religious the Jewish voter, the more pro-McCain Iran's bomb-building potential more than doubled (WTR) More Headlines 10:26 Police questioning Olmert for 3rd time in graft probe 08:03 ANALYSIS / Olmert won't be able to recover from this interrogation 10:10 IDF officer, civilian wounded by Palestinian fire near Qalqilyah 12:05 Hezbollah swap set for midweek, barring last-minute changes 10:02 Dollar up to NIS 3.378, day after BOI decides to buy $100m daily 12:03 Israeli wedding halls install credit card facilities for guests' gifts 11:12 Five people killed in seperate car accidents overnight 07:15 Defense officials: Renew diplomatic pressure on Syria as Hezbollah rearms 05:36 Hitler's bodyguard: The Fuhrer was a good boss 09:00 Arab state tells Israel it won't oppose Iran strike 02:50 Ex-soccer star Revivo leaving Israel following underworld 'banishment' 06:49 Did Iran doctor an image of its missile test launch? Previous Editions Select Day 10 jul 09 jul 08 jul 07 jul 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul 30 jun 29 jun 27 jun

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