Following several accidents, IDF says it has found problems in forces’ training

The Israeli military says it has found a number of significant issues in the way its special forces are trained and will seek to correct them in the coming months, following an investigation into the matter prompted by a series of training accidents last summer.

“The [investigatory] commission found lacunae in the norms of these units, which could be seen in some of their exercises and training, and which came from the way in which team leaders were trained in these units,” the army says in a statement.

Then-IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot ordered the probe last August following a number of incidents in the military’s Commando Brigade, including a soldier being accidentally killed by his comrade during a game of “draw,” a serviceman being seriously injured after he jumped out of his jeep into a thorn bush, and a soldier being moderately injured during a martial arts training session without receiving necessary medical care.

The findings of the investigation were presented to IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi yesterday by Maj. Gen. Itai Virov, who led the probe.

Kohavi called for a number of changes in the way that these special forces are trained “with a large emphasis on safety principals,” the army says.

The army chief also calls for additional study of safety issues and the “organizational culture” of IDF units in general.

— Judah Ari Gross