An Israeli Air Force squadron commander has been removed from his post at the Air Force flight school after allowing cadets to drink beer following a sensitive captivity survival exercise, the military said.
The officer, a major regarded as an outstanding pilot, was reassigned to another position after what the IDF described as “exceptional incidents.” The decision followed a disciplinary review led by the head of the military’s personnel directorate.
The incident, considered a serious breach of discipline in the Air Force, occurred during the final weekend of November. Cadets from Flight Course 191 were staying at a civilian hotel in central Israel after completing an intensive captivity survival workshop that included classified training.
During that weekend, several cadets committed information security violations by disclosing sensitive details from the workshop. Additional disciplinary offenses included consuming alcohol and allowing unauthorized family visits, during which cadets discussed aspects of the training.
An internal IDF investigation found that the squadron commander had authorized the cadets to drink alcohol. The officer, who flew operational missions across multiple fronts during the war, appeared before a dismissal committee, which decided to remove him from his post at the flight school.
In addition, 15 cadets were tried by the commander of the flight school and sentenced to three to six days in military detention. The IDF said they could ultimately be dismissed from the course upon its completion.
Other cadets involved in the incident were not detained and were handled through command-level disciplinary measures, the military said, noting that their offenses were less severe. The IDF is also examining whether some cadets provided false statements during the investigation.
Military officials said it appears that some of the cadets who were detained will be dismissed from the course in about two weeks, following a broader review of each individual’s conduct throughout the training program.