A senior IDF officer in the Personnel Division says that more incoming soldiers are requesting to serve in combat units than before. In a talk with military correspondents, the officer noted that this past summer's war in Lebanon united the country and made people understand the need for volunteers to combat units.

Motivation for service in the IDF's combat Golani brigade has shot sky high – perhaps because the newly-appointed IDF Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, is a Golani veteran. While there were 1.9 volunteers for every opening in Golani in the previous round of conscription, the number has shot up to 2.7 volunteers per opening in the present round (March 2007).



Of all the conscripts with a combat ready physical profile, 69.5 percent asked to serve in the IDF's field units. This number is down from over 70 percent in the November conscription immediately after the war, but up 0.7 percent from March 2006.

The Nahal Brigade is in second place after Golani, with 2.3 candidates for every empty spot – up from 1.7 in the previous round of conscription. The Givati brigade registered a small rise in motivation, with 1.1 volunteers per spot, and the new Kfir brigade – which includes Nachshon, Shimshon, Haruv and Duchifat – has its PR work cut out for it, with only 0.7 volunteers per empty spot. The new brigade was a success in the last round of conscription, with 1.1 volunteers per opening.



Meanwhile, the IDF has begun a recruitment drive for the Tank Corps, after scuttling plans to shorten conscripts' terms of service and close down some tank battalions. Following the 2006 war in Lebanon and renewed tensions in the Middle East, tank crew men – "tankistim" – are back in high demand.

There were 1.9 volunteers for every opening in Golani in the previous round of conscription. The number has shot up to 2.7





Motivation for service in the Tank and Artillery Corps, which are generally considered less glorious than infantry and air force units, has never been particularly high, but it has gone down even further lately. According to newly-released IDF statistics, only 3 recruits volunteer for every 10 available tank service spots. In the past few weeks, tank commanders have been visiting the homes of recruits in an effort to convince them to join the less attractive units.