Images, videos expose sanitation failures in IDF bases
Soldiers send Ynet slew of pictures depicting horrible sanitation failures in IDF kitchens. Images include snails, mice, cockroaches. 'It's important to remember we feed 2,000 soldiers three meals a day all week, commander says'
The repulsing images arrived from the IAF's Tel Nof base, the Combat Intelligence Collection Corps School in the Arava, the Reserves' Command at the Nachshonim Base and one of the Infantry Corps' training bases. Three of the four kitchens serve thousands of soldiers daily.
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Even if the images are not indicative of a large phenomenon within the IDF, the large number of reports sent by soldiers proves the sanitation dangers know no rank or corps.
"Parents are forced to bring their kids hot meals during the weekends," one such soldier said. "We are sick and tired of seeing such disgusting sights on a daily basis."
In one of the bases, which serves for the training of Infantry Corps, the base's infrastructure is considered very old and attempts have been underway during the last six months to bring them up to date.
A senior source within the Arava's Combat Intelligence Collection Corps School said "in the last half year we have begun at massive overhaul of our kitchen's hygiene and sanitation levels. The current level (of sanitation) was never too good, but a soldier saw a mouse and photographed it. All the food in its vicinity was collected and destroyed, and the next day an exterminator was called to set traps.
"Last week the Medical Corps conducted an inspection of our kitchen. It's important to remember we feed 2,000 soldiers three meals a day all week."
The IDF Spokesperson Unit said in response: "The reported incidents are well known to the IDF. As a rule, the IDF conducts daily inspections of its kitchens by medics, on a weekly basis by commanders and on a yearly basis by senior medical officials. Sanitation failures are dealt with by the relevant parties under supervision of IDF doctors."
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