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Soldier in trouble slept in woods, officer who helped him punished

Officer responsible for care of special populations in army tried to help soldier left homeless, but found herself punished after she ‘circumvented authority.’ What led to this situation?

An IDF officer insisted on helping a soldier in trouble, and got herself court-martialed for it, Ynet has learned. A lieutenant colonel who serves in the Southern Command tried her subordinate, a lieutenant, who is responsible for assisting special populations in the army. The commanding officer accused the young lieutenant of "circumventing" her authority.

 

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This incident in question occurred when the young officer contacted a senior commanding officer in a attempt to expedite the handling of a situation relating to the soldier in trouble.

 

Lieutenant Anat Berdugo was severely reprimanded by an officer at the rank of colonel, and a comment was added to her personnel file under "conduct unbecoming.” The complaint that led to the trial alleges that the young officer spoke disrespectfully to her commander during conversations regarding the soldier, who serves in an administrative position at the Givati training base.

 

The soldier found himself in financial difficulties, and lived in the woods between Kiryat Arba and Hebron over the period of a week, not returning to base.

 

The officer asked her commander to assign a military vehicle so that she could go see the soldier and find a solution for his situation. The officer refused, saying that those who were supposed to do this were the soldier's commanders on the base.

 

The young lieutenant did not give up, and approached the adjutant commanding officer. Following her request, two senior officers from the Givati brigade drove to the woods on Friday. There they found the soldier inebriated and sleeping on a mattress. The officers persuaded him to return to his family and he is soon is expected to return to base.

 

A military official familiar with the case said, "The young officer felt she had to do everything to help the soldier, and the fact is that since then, the situation has gotten relatively better, thanks to actions of the officers from Givati.

 

"If an officer bent over backwards to provide assistance to a soldier in a difficult situation, even if she cut corners on the way and took the initiative, we should praise her for it and certainly not punish her. What would have happened if the soldier had been unconscious or run into hostile people?"

 

The IDF spokesman responded, "For reasons of privacy we will not address personal issues relating to soldiers. However, it should be noted that the soldier’s commanders did their best to allow him to return to normal service, including attempts to locate his whereabouts, home visits and conversations with his family. A friend of the soldier who also went AWOL accepted the request of his superiors to return to active service, while the other refused, and is therefore a deserter.

 

"The soldiers are cared for continuously by the commanders of battalions to which they belong. Regarding the decision to court martial the officer, the decision is based on conduct unbecoming an officer in light of remarks she made and the fact that her behavior in relation to her commander was in a manner that is inconsistent with what is expected of IDF officers."

 

 

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פרסום ראשון: 06.13.13, 10:24
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