The People's Army? The increase in prices in the economy does not skip the recruits - voila! money

In the video: Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, visited the Tel Hashomer recruitment office today and met recruits for combat/IDF Spokesperson

The People's Army? The increase in the price of products in the economy does not skip the field of equipment for recruits, but reality shows that thousands of parents in Israel also pay considerable additional sums of money, in order to increase the chances that the boy or girl will fulfill his dream and be accepted to one of the elite cruisers, a technological unit or a pilot's course. Vision correction surgery to raise a profile, preparation for a psychological test, or pre-draft mental support are some of the options currently available to boys, or more precisely, to their parents.

Preparation for the first order

The first order, which constitutes the initial selection for IDF service, includes, inter alia, a number of tests according to which two fateful values will be determined - DDR and IVG. The grades received constitute decisive variables in deciding which unit or corps the boy will be sent to, whether he will be allowed to become an officer, etc. The implications of these grades do not end only with military service: the labor market in Israel, and especially in the high-tech industry, sees military service in relevant units as a significant advantage, based on the extensive experience accumulated by the soldier during his service. In light of the enormous importance, the field of preparation for the First Order tests has begun to flourish in recent years.

Uniforms await the new recruits in the military service. Placement in the IDF may affect the professional track in citizenship / Reuven Castro

The range of solutions offered today is very broad, and includes preparation for the DPR tests, or combined preparation that also includes preparation for the psychotechnical tests, or as an alternative - group preparation, which even includes simulations of the personal interview. Some of the service providers allow customers (parents of the boys and girls) to purchase a digital binder and in some cases, the studies involve physically coming to school. It should be noted that a detailed explanation of the tests is provided free of charge by the IDF, which also provides instruction in the school on the subject.

"The free preparation is far from exhaustive, and it does not help the student significantly improve his abilities. She's nice, but nothing more," says the owner of an institute we spoke with. A website that offers a first-order preparation service provides another argument: "The score on the DPR test is relative. Which means that if you prepare only on the basis of the IDF's courseware, like many other NCOs, it will be difficult for you to stand out in your achievements. On the other hand, if you experiment with more questions and more techniques for solving, it can totally push you forward and give you a relative advantage that others don't have."

Cost: 250-2,000 NIS.

Laser surgery to remove glasses

Visual impairments and wearing glasses or lenses used to be an insurmountable barrier for teenagers whose desire was to be accepted into one of the elite cruisers, which set threshold conditions for Profile 97. Moreover, a score of 97 may be supplemented by various clauses (an eyesight clause, for example) that prevent the candidate from serving in certain positions. Thus, for example, if the evidentiary clause is less than 7, the DSS may be accepted into a paratrooper patrol, but the door to recruitment to the flotilla, for example, is blocked to him. If the number in the glasses is greater than 7, the profile drops to 72, with all that entails.

Today it's simpler. Eyeglass removal surgery/ShutterStock

However, in recent years, in light of technological developments that have led to a significant increase in the quality of laser surgery, there has been an increase in the number of boys undergoing eyeglass removal surgery, either before or even during their enlistment. Assuta Optic notes that "this is a tens of percent increase in recent years in the number of pre-draft youth undergoing this medical procedure, subject to a suitability test, of course." They also explain that candidates for security service may submit a request for postponement of service, and if approved, they will receive a deferral of several months in order to perform the surgery, at the end of which the soldier's medical profile will be redetermined. In addition, they add that alongside this trend, there has also been an increase in the number of regular service members who choose to undergo laser surgery to remove glasses, in order to transfer to another unit where admission requires higher quality vision. One way or another, most often, the preferred surgical method in the case of young people is TRANS PRK, which is done without corneal abrasions.

Cost: A few thousand shekels, depending on the arrangement with the health fund (if it is a DSB).

Preparation for the formation of combat units

Shayetet 13, Sayeret Matkal, 669, Kingfisher, Captains, Pilot Course, 504, etc., these are some of the units that quite a few boys who dream of military service in a framework shrouded in aura, mystery and action, a great deal of combat action. However, in light of the scope of demand, along with the specific abilities required for each unit, the candidate is required to undergo consolidation, among other things. Ostensibly, this is mainly about the boy's combat ability, but not only, but about his ability to act within the framework of group dynamics, and adaptation to different personality backgrounds, which varies from unit to unit.

Activity of the IDF's elite cruisers. Preparation costs thousands of shekels / Image processing, IDF Spokesperson

In order to increase the chances of passing the consolidation, which in some cases is spread over 5 days, many boys enroll in a preparatory course. Its nature and frequency vary. There are those who offer a one-week course and there are training frameworks that offer three workouts a week. "Many of the boys enroll in courses as early as tenth grade," notes a source involved in the field, "We also offer a panel of fighters, Krav Maga workshops, training at sea, elite training, home training programs, etc."

Cost: 250-700 NIS per month. Total for two years - NIS 11,400 on average.

Mental and psychological preparation for a team building day

As stated, alongside the physical abilities and level of intellect (DPR), including the IVG score, the instructors as well as the unitary psychologists also examine the personality characteristics of the DSS that will suit the specific role and the specific unit. Therefore, alongside physiological preparation, a long list of preparations are currently offered, delivered by former military psychologists or retired mental health officers who have accumulated experience working with the military system. As part of the meeting, a simulation is conducted, and the boy receives feedback and emphases that should help him pass the suitability examination process successfully.

Cost: NIS 500-1,500 for a single hour of treatment.

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