IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi accepted the recommendations of the IDF Awards Committee, headed by Brig.-Gen. Tal Russo. Other members are a former Mossad Deputy Head (whose full name is still not permitted for publication), Brig.-Gen. Ram Rotenberg, and former National Security Task Force chief Brig.-Gen. (res.) Danny Arditi.
The Commando-13 force, the Sayeret Matkal (Chief of Staff elite commando unit), and a special intelligence force will receive Chief of Staff citations. The Commando-13 force will receive two citations for a series of complex military operations carried out over the last year and a half, and the Sayeret Matkal will receive one for the same reason. The special intelligence unit will receive a tzalash for unpublicized reasons.
In addition, a fighter in a special Intelligence Wing unit will receive the Medal of Distinguished Service.
The Medal of Distinguished Service, blue in color, is the IDF’s third-highest medal. First is the Medal of Valor (orange), followed by the Medal of Courage (red).
“The actions for which the awards are being given,” Ashkenazi announced, “are testimony to fighting spirit, striving for high military standards as the army's main objective, determination, daring and creativity on the part of commanders and fighters.”
As of now, 599 medals have been awarded to IDF soldiers over the past six decades; the intelligence unit soldier to be awarded in the coming weeks will be the 600th.