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8 soldiers refuse maintenance orders over 'food shortage'
Yoav Zitun
Published: 03.09.12, 13:14
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1. The way the U.S. Marine Corps avoids the problem of
Rivkah   (09.03.12)
the most junior enlisteds on up not getting enough food to eat is that the senior officer in charge of the group eats LAST. If it is a Colonel or General, that person eats LAST after every other Marine in the group has eaten. I forget who said to a group of US Marine Corps Officers who were just commissioned that anyone who does not appreciate the junior enlisteds who give so much and get so little, and anyone who thinks he is better than the least among them in rank can leave right now.
2. #1 Same in the British Army
Sarah B   (09.03.12)
The Officer in charge is responsible for his men, if there is a problem with the food supply he drops everything to sort it out. In fact I believe the welfare of the men under his command is his legal responsibility with a complaints procedure to ensure that it is adhered to. Surprised that the higher ups in the IDF appear not to have any responsibility for the welfare of his men. Imagine the fuss if the Haredi went hungry in their Yeshivas
3. Starving soldiers
Steve ,   Texas   (09.03.12)
I am a former Army soldier. One time my unit went without food, logistical problems. The Army promptly disciplined the Officer and or First Sargent for failing to feed us. The Chain of command should court martial the people responsible for feeding these soldiers. How dare they punish the poor starving soldier. The IDF veteran that self immolated the other day is still fresh on my mind. What's happening to Israel?
4. Very strange to hear that soldiers in peace time don't get
me ,   here   (09.03.12)
properly fed! General army field work needs 3000-4500kcal/day. In Scandinavia the soldiers get this daily amount of calories as hot, cooked food three times a day, whether they are stationary or mobile. The messes are very much appreciated and mobile field kitchens behind the front line deliver hot cooked food anywhere. Only on survival exercises are the soldiers told to find food and cook for themselves. Field rations are for emergencies. - I have absolutely no understanding how these soldiers in the IAF are neglected, given the information in the article is correct.
5. #1 thru 4
mba ,   Israel   (09.03.12)
Of approximately 180,000 soldiers on active duty and another 450,000 reservists 8 (eight) soldiers complained about insufficient amounts of food. And you yahoos have the answers, especially Sarah B who always knows everything about everything.
6. Out of curiosity - can criminal charges be filed against
Patriotic Israeli ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (09.03.12)
the commanders BY THE PARENTS of the soldiers? Dan Halutz starved my son when he was in Lebanon 6 years ago, and I don't forgive him or Putz, I mean Peretz, for starving my son. I wanted to press criminal charges against whoever but didn't know if that could be done. Anybody know?
7. #1, #2 Problem With This Approach in the IDF
EGGM ,   Petah Tikva, Israel   (09.03.12)
While this approach is good, it unfortunately doesn't work in the IDF because the country is small and there are usually civilian places to eat right next to every base. Enlisted soldiers might end up not eating because there's no food, but many salaries soldiers and officers don't eat in the mess hall in the first place. Disciplinary court or court martial (depending on the seriousness of the problem) for the senior officers involved is unfortunately the only way to solve this.
8. 8 soldiers disciplned
Tania   (09.03.12)
Their supiror should also be punished for neglecting the well-being of the soldiers.
9. 1 thru 4 plus 5
Philos ,   Herzeliya   (09.03.12)
Clearly none of you have served in the IDF nor really know anything about it. Food shortages are common place. Serving out in Schem during the 2nd intifada no food arrived at the base for days. We had to order pizzas on our meager "wages." That was 2002. It was probably the same in 1992, and it's the same today. I'm surprised that this even made the news to be honest. There is no accountability whatsoever in the IDF. Only "pazam" counts not competence. I also have to muffle a laugh and bite my tongue every time I hear someone say, "The IDF is the best in the world." That's true so long as the enemy are the Arabs. I don't think we'd last very long against anyone else based on my experiences. Do you honestly think the Israeli attitudes of "why now? manana" "why do a good job when you can do beseder" "screw over the next guy so you don't get screwed" stop in the IDF? If anything the army reinforces these terrible national traits and encourages nepotism and cutting corners.
10. Food comes in cans
BEN JABO (MACHAL) ,   ISRAEL   (09.03.12)
Why weren't they being stored for emergency use
11. Please tell me where ...
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (09.03.12)
.... I can send stuffed quail, Beluga caviar and truffles. These poor little namby-pambies mustn't go hungry ....
12. #9 Is Bang on
Yoav ,   Vancouver   (09.03.12)
100% agree. Those bastards kept us on combat rations for so long during and off of training exercises, that when Magen David adom came to collect blood donations, our hemoglobin levels were too low to even donate blood. Magen David Adom was actually upset with the commanders since how the hell do you expect an infantry unit to be able to endure a sustained war or conflict, when their hemoglobin levels are so low before they even go into combat? We couldnt even meet the minimal requirements for donating blood! Did anyone get disciplined for that? No. There is ZERO accountability in the IDF and everything falls on the lowest common denominator which is the starved and malnurished soldier. Nobody is expecting Hotel Tsafon, but make sure the warriors of your nation are capable of going to fight a major military campaign. It just seems pathetic that the IDF has malnourished soldiers in its ranks. For f*cks sakes, we arn't the goddamn Soviet Union.
13. Sarah, once again we're at loggerheads...
M. Davison ,   Ra'anana, Israel   (09.03.12)
You've never served in the IDF,m so your ability to make relevant comments is severely limited. I remember a case where the Sergeant-Major of the kitchen regularly stole army rations and sold them to civilian stores. In the end, he was caught because of complaints exactly like the one of these soldiers-- that they were hungry. These things don't get solved overnight, investigations aren't like a same-day dry cleaners, but the end result was that the Sgt-Major wound up in jail for theft, and when he served 5 years in a military jail, he was dishonorably discharged and lost his pension rights. Sometimes justice takes its own sweet time, but it does happen. There's no need to be sarcastic about what the soldiers eat-- I'd bet that we ate a lot of meals in the field and during wartine that you'd run from the table to get away from.
14. Wasn't it Napolean that said, "An army marches on it belly"
Bunnie Meyer ,   Los Angeles, CA USA   (09.03.12)
This is absurd they can't feed the people who take care of the equipment, jail the commander who didn't see the food was delivered, not the troops.
15. Feed the soldiers, they protect you ass...feed them
Al   (09.03.12)
for christ sake. This kind of shit pisses me off. A soldier needs to be fed like a king. He.She needs lots of food to do what he/she has to do. What the hell is going on with the IDF? Gantz are you a leader or a piece of shit? God damit.
16. Conscientious Objectors?
Orly ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (09.03.12)
The soldiers were disciplined for refusing orders because they were not physically satisfied. If their health was at risk someone should be going to prison. However, the consensus is with the soldiers not with "the great threat to the rule of law and a functioning army." When objections are made on spiritual/conscientious grounds the vultures come in to rush the issue to the headlines; ministers decry the behavior; rabbis line up to write off the "refusers." As a nation, we have been threatened with the loss of our national phiosophical continuity as well as our physical genetic continuity. Both are viewed historically as very, very grave. Consider Hannuka; consider Purim. The State of Israel, and its army, are supposed to be here to insure that neither of these ever happens again - and certainly not to implement them.
17. 15 Al This makes my blood boil too.
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (09.03.12)
Not feeding the soldiers is barbaric and inhumane. May G-D bless the soldiers and your sons.
18. Philos and Yoav - You have nail it ,...
split ,   US   (09.03.12)
Those so called 'civilian places to eat right next to every base' that EGGM mention @ 7 are where the soldier's rations end up ,...
19. Mother of Commando
Riva ,   Israel   (09.03.12)
My son often lived on the minimum and lost lots of weight. Fortunately, he is very strong and can survive with difficult conditions which is why he is a special forces commando, but the fact is i am really MAD at the IDF for neglecting our sons and daughters!!! Most soldiers cannot survive on such neglect!!!
20. 15 Al For whose sake?
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (09.04.12)
Anyway your outcry is inappropriate in a Jewish site.
21. Kick their stinking a$$eS so hard that they...
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (09.04.12)
Can't sit for weeks... What the hell is the IDF turning into? A Micky mouse army?
22. #21 Sarah, such languge!!
BEN JABO (MACHAL) ,   ISRAEL   (09.05.12)
Be a dear, when did you serve & where, plus your dergah & Yechida, not that I expect an answer, you're not the real Sarah
23. #5 Al - American soldiers got candy & gum
BEN JABO (MACHAL) ,   ISRAEL   (09.05.12)
& toilet paper with ther rations, that's how well they were fed & pampered. They it took 10 rear echelon soliders to care for and feed one on the line Cigarettes were usualy removed by the non-coms & officers, who stole them for their own use
24. #11 Sarah, don't take it bring it with you
BEN JABO (MACHAL) ,   ISRAEL   (09.05.12)
I am really sick and tired of hearing this discussion I spoke to my Dad, who served during the 1948 war His unit was beng fed on tins of Kosher bully beef that had been made in Canada Small tins of Polish fish (Brand name was Skumbira) Their cigarettes were Simon Aartz & Matosian, tobacco if you can call it, grown in Israel, he said it was like smoking dried grass Butter, forget about it, there wasn't any, in place of the got Magarinah sehl Ben Gurion Sarah when did you perform your last service in the IDF?
25. #17 Split - Within your limited ability
BEN JABO (MACHAL) ,   ISRAEL   (09.05.12)
you're thinking (LOL) of the American Army not Israel G.I. food is supplied at absolutely no charge, they have to pay for civilian chow out of their own pockets, unless of course you want to treat them out of yours USA HAD C&K ratons also MRE, plus candy, cigarettes & toilet paper I admire that your able to comment without ever having been here
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