A serious disciplinary incident involving cadets at the Israeli Air Force Flight Academy has erupted just before they complete Flight Course 191, according to a report on Sunday.
During the last weekend of November, the cadets were staying at a civilian hotel in central Israel for rest after an intense week of captivity‑simulation training that included significant classified instruction. Over that weekend, several cadets committed information‑security violations by disclosing sensitive content, alongside disciplinary offenses such as alcohol consumption and unauthorized visits by family members.
An IDF investigation found that one of the course commanders had allowed the cadets to drink alcohol. The commander, an experienced pilot who fought throughout the war on all fronts, is now facing consequences: 15 cadets were tried by the Flight Academy commander and sentenced to three to six days in detention. The commander, a major, will appear before a dismissal hearing chaired by the head of the Manpower Directorate.
In addition to those 15, other cadets involved were not sent to detention and will “will be dealt with in a command manner in the future,” meaning their violations were less severe and they will receive disciplinary punishments. The incident is being addressed in line with the Air Force’s especially strict disciplinary standards, which are considered harsher than those in other IDF branches.
Flight Course 191 is set to conclude next month, and a committee will be formed at its end to decide whether the cadets involved will be expelled from the course, with each case to be examined individually. The IDF is also reviewing whether some cadets lied during the investigation. For now, it appears that some of them will indeed be dismissed in about two weeks, after commanders review each cadet’s conduct throughout the course.
During the weekend, three visits by relatives—such as partners and siblings—took place at the hotel in violation of regulations, and the cadets drank one to two beers with their commander’s approval. Any cadet who commits an infraction in flight course is required to report it, but this time other commanders present at the hotel noticed the family visits, triggering an internal probe that uncovered the additional violations, including alcohol use and sharing that week’s training content with relatives.
“No one lied, but a cadet is expected to tell the whole truth immediately,” the IDF said in a statement on Sunday. “We are also looking at the effects of the war and at content they did not cover in the course because of the war as a factor that could affect their behavior at the end of the course, and these things will be taken into account when we decide if and who will be dismissed from the course, which a total of 39 cadets are supposed to complete.”
The military added that “there may have been a release of tension there following the content they went through that week, but in any case these are things that are totally unacceptable in the Air Force in general and in flight course in particular. Therefore, the response was stringent and two investigations were conducted.”
Other offenses by some cadets included receiving clothing items from relatives—such as underwear and socks—during the same visit. The IDF said lessons were learned and passed on to other Air Force courses to prevent similar incidents.
‘No leniency despite the fighting’
In the investigation summary led by Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, it was noted that on Thursday, November 27, the cadets “completed an intense week that included significant physical effort and complex examinations. In accordance with procedures, at the end of the week the cadets were required to stay in a concentrated and isolated location for processing and rest.”
The summary added that “during the weekend, several cadets acted contrary to the procedures defined for them, committed disciplinary offenses, and violated information‑security directives. Once the incident became known, the Flight Academy commander ordered a comprehensive investigation. The investigation found numerous departures from procedure during that weekend. Accordingly, all those involved—cadets and staff—were dealt with through command and disciplinary measures.”
After the incident, the Air Force commander stressed that “despite the operational load and continuous fighting in recent years, no leniency will be given on value‑based matters that are a foundation of the corps’ ethos.” Although some cadets may be dismissed, there is currently no concern about future damage to the Air Force’s operational readiness.