IDF Women Not Afraid To Go To Battle

December 14, 2021  

But there is one group that isn’t getting upset over the discourse – the women serving in combat units, who are the ones establishing facts on the ground day after day. Or as Sgt. Ofir Weingold, a technician in the 53rd Armored Battalion who just finished a long deployment on the Gaza border – where she was serving during Operation Guardian of the Walls in May – puts it, “Going into battle? There’s no way I’m staying behind. It won’t happen.”

Every day, female soldiers – some in combat roles, some in combat support roles – work side by side with the men. Sometimes, they are the only women in their respective companies, and they prove that opposition to their doing these jobs is rooted in nothing more than stereotypes.

Staff Sgt. Daniel Hatan: I think some women are really cut out to be in combat

“My name’s Ofir. I’m 20, from Barkan. When I was drafted, I joined the Technology and Maintenance Corps, and after basic training and the tank course I was assigned to the 53rd Battalion,” she says. Weingold serves in a unit that fixes the tanks’ sophisticated technology, and in times of war, these soldiers can be called into enemy territory to make repairs, even under fire.

“I was the first girl who joined a company of male combat soldiers, and there’s no doubt they were a little in shock at first, but slowly we started to realize the advantages – like order and organization, and a different viewpoint,” Weingold says.

Lately, the 53rd Battalion has been training intensively on the Golan Heights after seven months on the Gaza border.

“We worked hard there, under fire, day and night. It was a challenge, no doubt,” Weingold says. “Our work is definitely hard, but we aren’t afraid of hard work. A little rain, a little mud, but it’s all OK.”

During Operation Guardian of the Walls, the IDF began preparations for a possible ground incursion into the Gaza Strip, which did not happen. However, much to Weingold’s dismay, even if the IDF had gone into Gaza, she would not have been part of the operation, as the military’s directive for the integration of women in combat currently does not allow lone female soldiers from her unit to enter enemy territory in an APC.

“I’m classed as a level 3 rifleman, a combat soldier, and I can cross the border, and if there was an incursion and there was another female soldier or officer, I could go in. I’d want to, definitely. When I was in the middle of all the craziness I said that if there was a ground incursion I’d 100% be part of it, there was no way I’d stay behind – it wouldn’t happen. At a certain stage I was given leave during the operation and I turned it down. I said there was no way the soldiers would go through it without me. I stayed with them,” she says.

Staff Sgt. Daniel Hatan, 19, a company medic at the 9th Armored Battalion’s training base, isn’t afraid of the idea of going into battle, either. She is even happy to have been moved up from her initial job in combat intelligence.

“At the start of my combat service I went through border infantry training, but then I realized that I was less suited to what went on there and asked for another job. They offered me a chance to join a new pilot that would put female medics into armored combat units. They even told me it would be easy because I was already considered a combat soldier and if things got real, I would be sent across the border,” Hatan says.

Cpl. Hadar Simchon: The men and women in this unit do exactly the same job

“I think there are women who are really cut out to be in combat and can do everything, which is great. But I don’t think it needs to come at the expense of professionalism – you need to look closely and make sure that every female combat soldier has the right character, because it’s still a battalion full of guys. I believe that there are women who can do the job just as well, or even better,” she says.

“I’ve had to carry a few tank soldiers on stretchers, and it wasn’t easy, but the exhausting part of the job is the routine medical care. I don’t regret the path I’ve chosen. I’ve experienced things I never would have anywhere else, and I recommend that girls that fit the job do what I did.”

Cpl. Hadar Simchon, 19, serves on a rocket launcher in the 334th Artillery Battalion, and doesn’t regret having chosen the role for a moment.

“At first, I wanted to join the special forces and I hadn’t heard of the rockets, but when I found out about it, I got excited,” she says.

Simchon and her comrades operated an MLRS rocket launches that can cover areas as big as a soccer field and help batter the enemy. “It’s an insane tool with enormous power,” she says.

Her artillery battalion is now in the midst of training on the Golan Heights. “We practice using the equipment … drill everything that could happen in war.”

According to Simchon, the men and women in the battalion do exactly the same jobs. “The advantage of the MLRS is that you don’t need to lift the shells, so the equality is notable – everyone does exactly the same thing,” she says.


Protect and Support Israel by Sharing our Articles

Similar posts

18 COMMENTS

  1. JEAN CHUE says:

    lady soldiers should be put in roles where the risks of being made prisoner or abducted by enemy is minimal. And God protect them!

  2. JEAN CHUE says:

    Ladies are our crown and as such should be kept from harm although they should not be prevented to train in all positions, even to acquire real combat experience and wisdon and knowledge.

    The ladies soldiers are dear to our heart and if any of them is abducted or raped then our heart will be broken beyond what we can express.

    Our ladies are more than refined Gold to us. Let us treat them fairly and with love.

  3. JEAN LAVAL CHUE HIM says:

    sweethearts. Precious ones!!!

  4. jean laval chue him says:

    tunnel detecting from IoT

  5. JEAN LAVAL CHUE HIM says:

    אם אתה כן ומחפש את האדון יהוה בכל לבבך, דבר אליו בסוד לבבך והוא ידבר איתך. הצעיף הוסר כדי שהאדם יוכל לדבר ישירות עם הבורא שלנו. כי לא נעבוד ונדבר עמו על ההר הזה או המקדש הזה או דרך כל אדם אלא ישירות בסוד לבבך. הוא מאתגר אותך לעשות את זה היום!!!

  6. john chue says:

    insert detector beacons geiger in ground at the right position to the N+ facilities to detect N+

  7. john chue says:

    beacons to be inserted from air or manually.

  8. john chue says:

    cutting off supplies chain of enemy is a very efficient method. From the source. From the mines to the manufacturing factories. Supplies chain upheaval is what is required.

  9. john chu says:

    set up a mosquito eBlanket over the land. Blown on impact with electricity detonators or triggers of dome. Squares hold Iots.

    eBlanket can be built at an instant over source of N+.

    Destroyed @ source.

  10. john chu says:

    reprogram iots in |R times. Disabled.

  11. john says:

    disrupt supplies chain in personnel and materials

  12. john says:

    curved surfaces Transforms

  13. john says:

    descendants of Jacob miss should be undetecteable by dome. Penetration full!!!
    Decoys divert dome.

  14. laval says:

    love u sweethearts! Do you?

  15. jean Laval Chue Him says:

    Happy New Year 2022!!! And remember Talk to HIM in the secret of your heart!!! The veil has been removed between you and Elohim!!! You can only know if you try sincerely!!!

  16. jean laval chue him says:

    שנה טובה 2022!!! וזכור דבר איתו בסוד לבבך!!! הוסר הצעיף בינך לבין אלוהים!!! אתה יכול לדעת רק אם אתה מנסה בכנות!!!

  17. jean laval chue him says:

    Bonne annee 2022!!! Souviens toi parle a Dieu dans le secret de ton coeur!!! La separation entre Dieu et l’homme a ete enlevee!! Prends le Challenge. Tu peux savoir si c’est la verite si tu LUI parles dans le secret de ton coeur!!!

  18. JEAN LAVAL CHUE HIM says:

    Role based specs shades equiv diff views of battlefield and battle info, .i.e. artillery, radio man, GPS, IoTs, Insert shades=diff views. Try prots.

Leave a Reply




© 2007-2023 Solve Israel's Problems. All Rights Reserved