Combat is the Best - Part 1

October 29

Each Wednesday, our group does something that prepares us for the physicality that is to come in basic training in the army. It is called קרבי זה הכי – combat is the best. This is to test and gauge our mental and physical strength all while learning three of the army’s most important concepts – time, group work/cohesiveness, and הכל בראש, hakol b’rosh – everything is in your head. This is the first of a two-part account of each week’s events and what transpired.

The first week (August 20) we had our entire group with us and it was based around running and staying together. It was about three hours long and it doesn’t seem like it would be so difficult, but keeping 20+ girls and guys together as one is a big challenge. The main section was being given 12 minutes to run an unknown distance in groups of two to a place where our guides were waiting. During this exercise, I along with others even had to help carry people up the remainder of a hill just to make it on time. In the end, we were all winded but had completed something challenging and had done so together.

The second occasion (September 3) had a group that was dwindled down to nine. The advantage was that we could work together as a closer group. The disadvantage was that we did this run around with a stretcher (alunkah pronounced in Hebrew) and three sandbags on top. The weight was one thing, the shoulder pain was another. We all worked better this time around, even if we were given tasks that seem borderline crazy. One was running up a hill extremely steep with a person labeled as “injured” through brush and thorns. After falling multiple times and bleeding as well (and having to push some friends down the hill in order to make it on time), we did it, again together.

The next two times (September 10 and 17) our main guide was tending to a new daughter so one of the people who works with us on the kibbutz led the sessions. The first of these found us carrying people on our shoulders this time instead of a stretcher. The most interesting thing about this task is that a person really can carry any other person on their shoulders, regardless of the weight. It’s just another test of mental strength. The second time had only three of us involved in the activity so we went for a run in the hills behind our kibbutz. This was the most painful on my legs up to that point but even so: running 5-6 kilometers in the hills of the forest was an enjoyable break from bruised shoulders. Unfortunately, I had no idea what was in store for me.

One week later (September 24) we rejoined with our leader and, to say the least, he wasn’t really too pleased that only three of us were ready to participate the previous week. I don’t know if this changed the plan, but within minutes we found ourselves standing next to three telephone poles and we were being instructed to pick one up on our shoulders and be ready to carry it away. I can’t say I ever thought I’d do something like this – ever.

We started at a walking pace and then suddenly our leader stopped walking on the trail and headed up the side of a mountain. “Was he really doing this?” I thought to myself. No doubt he was. We had nine people carrying a telephone pole up the side of a mountain through thorns and barbed wire. It’s hard to describe what was going through my mind, but I switched my focus to the challenge at hand, as daunting as it seemed.

After about 45 minutes we finally made it to the top, battered and bruised, scratched and bleeding. If that hadn’t been enough, we walked down on a trail to a house about 15 feet in height. The task? To get the pole and everyone up the side of the house, walk on the roof to the other side, carry it more when we arrived back on the ground, then to descend it and everyone from a 10-foot drop off of a stair case. I smiled when I heard the instructions because, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t really that crazy – I along with my friends had just carried the pole up the mountain for crying out loud. We completed the assignment and all went home knowing we had just done something we could have never imagined doing; a feeling like that instills much self confidence and positive feelings into each person.

To be continued…

Tick, tock...Tanks

October 23

The clock is starting to tick. The feelings are getting stronger. The nerves are getting tenser. It’s all becoming more and more real. The army is now less than a month away and I couldn’t be more excited and scared at the same time.

About one week ago I received news that every 17 or 18 year old receives – a letter or phone call with one’s placement for the army. This will be the unit with whom I do basic training, advanced training, and beyond. Of course things can eventually change, but this will be the mainstay of my life for the next two years.

Starting on November 23, I will begin serving in a tank unit. Like many of the things that have happened or will happen to me here, I couldn’t have even pictured that as part of my future. Combat is going to be a part of me, regardless of what I begin to feel or other people’s opinions.

Yesterday, two girls from our group were the first to have their draft day and began their basic training. The army was no longer a distant thought within our group of friends, our family – it was real. They left the kibbutz in their uniforms with their huge bags and looks of angst and anticipation. We were all proud of them and could definitely feel a part of the group sink away with the thought of them leaving.

Just last week, I came into conversation with more Israelis about my situation here. It’s usually more on the, “Good luck!” side, but I also received the, “Are you crazy? Why did you come here?” questions. To the second set, it can be difficult to convince other people of why I made the decision I did. It has only been two months since I made the move here, but when it comes down to it, the only person I need to convince is myself.

Slowly but surely, we will all have our draft dates where we begin to be put through some amount of time of hell while eating dirt (for lack of a better word) and feeling utterly exhausted. I have days when I feel ready and anxious to start. I have others when I want to continue the life I have with kibbutz life, relaxing, and Hebrew learning. Either way, I have one more month of waiting; all I can do is try to mentally prepare while at the same time live my life as I know how – as me. The tanks are in my future. Living in the middle of the desert is in my future. Going home only every three weeks is as well. But, as Israelis say יהיה בסדר, yihiyeh b’seder – it will all be OK.

With the first pick in the 2008 Army Draft, Israel selects:

October 6, 2008

Yom Chiyul – יום חיול Becoming a Soldier

This was a day that could easily go down as one of the more exciting yet overwhelming days in my life. I was completely there mentally and physically while at the same time I was very lost. So much was going on around me and I was trying to take it all in while the big event was happening – October 6, 2008 is the day I became a soldier of the Israel Defense Forces

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The day started with something that seems to be a future commonality in the army where we waited around aimlessly for two hours waiting for the journey to start. Finally, at 8 AM, we set off in the opposite direction of our final destination in order to be separated into groups with other Garin groups; then we were to go to the location where the drafting takes place. There I received another envelope stipulating my service time and my status as a lone soldier. We were on our way.

After another long bus ride and more waiting around we made it into the base where the proceedings were going to be taking place. They yelled a little. They set forth some rules. Then it was down to some business.

It began slowly and calmly with giving them our banj account numbers so as to have the correct place to put our salaries once they really start. After I waited in line for some time (which would be a theme of the day), I got my picture taken that was to go on my army ID. I was photographed without my glasses and showed a quick, blatant sign of confusion when they said, “Profile” (it sounds almost the same in Hebrew as it does in English). I thought they meant my physical profile number I received. I awkwardly answered, “72,” until almost immediately the lady snapped back with a, “No. A profile picture – turn to the side.” I was hoping this would be the only time I would feel confused or lost. Other friends of mine, like Danny Fleischer, had an almost identical experience with this confusion so I felt better in that sense. But still…

Right after this I walked across the hall to get some pictures of the inside of my mouth. Next was back across the hall to get fingerprints of every part of both hands. The thing is, throughout this whole thing, nobody was explaining where to go or what to do next. I don’t think they expected us to be perfect but they sure didn’t seem to care to help so much. We had learned the day before about the army’s bureaucracy and it was very apparent. Station by station we went not knowing if it was the right place or the right time or if we were doing things correctly. However, as the army works, we just kept doing as we were and followed the few orders we had and continued.

Next I went through a corridor and found my way to a line for 360 x-rays of our teeth/mouth. Here again I missed the boat several times in directions given of what to do and had some misunderstandings which made things take longer. No worries, it wasn’t to the point of meriting punishment. Onward we went.

Following this I made my way to a short interview to make sure some information was correct. Then I went down the hall and around to get a blood sample for my DNA. While I was at it I registered to donate bone marrow. After the blood was drawn I had no idea where to go so I took a guess. Guess A wasn’t correct; good thing I guessed again and made it to the next station. I got a few shots in my arm. Harmless and hardly painful.

Next came the בלגן – balagan (meaning mess) which I had really anticipated. We received our boots, uniforms, and other things related to it in a huge bag. However, I was turned back because I missed a step that nobody directed me to do. After exchanging my shoes twice, my clothes once, and fiddling with a broken zipper on my bag, I was ready to rock and roll. The only thing is this is the army and the time doesn’t revolve around me – it revolved around them.

We sat and stood and screamed for no reason while in our uniforms. It felt really itchy and sweaty in those uniforms but really, really good at the same time. I looked like a legit soldier. That’s because at that moment I and the rest of my friends were soldiers. We took pictures, hugged, and just smiled. We had taken another step towards what we’re here for now. We already saw some benefits of the soldier deal as I got a free drink at a restaurant in my uniform. But this isn’t all fun and games and we know that. We are officially a part of the army and this will be life. Now we can hope this life path will be what we all dreamed of and more. Besides – we are Israeli soldiers after all. I like the sound of that.