State Comptroller Lindenstrauss
Photo: Noam Moscowitz
Comptroller: IDF officers lack training
State comptroller's report on appointments of army's senior officers reveals grim picture
The appointment procedure of senior IDF officers is flawed, with many top officers lacking the proper training, a special state comptroller report revealed.
Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss, who looked into the appointment process, concluded that officers who currently hold senior military posts did not undergo sufficient training, and that top appointments are affected by personal ties with the army chief and defense minister.
The IDF does not meet its own criteria for appointing senior officers ranked lieutenant colonel to brigadier general, often designating officers possessing insufficient experience and knowledge for top jobs, the comptroller said.
The report warned that the process of appointing major generals is inconsistent, is not properly recorded, and is not conducted in line with clear-cut rules. As result, the decisions are at the sole discretion of the serving army chief and defense minister, with personal ties playing a key role.
The report, which examined the appointment of officers in the second half of 2007 and 2008, revealed that 34% of the 50 lieutenant colonels appointed in that period did not complete a minimal term in their previous role. Meanwhile, eight officers ranked lieutenant colonel did not meet the education or military experience requirements for the post.
According to another disturbing finding, about half of new brigade and division commanders in the regular army did not undergo the required training for the job, while 43% of their reserve counterparts were also insufficiently trained. The comptroller noted that while the situation has improved compared to the past, it is still far from being satisfactory.
