Teens drafted to Israel's army may be discharged after their three-year stint with more than a new rank to show for the experience.
The IDF is testing a new program to offer higher education to soldiers during their mandatory tour of duty, allowing recruits to end their three years with a Bachelors Degree.
The pilot program began last week with 50 combat soldiers attending the Open University for the next six months. The recruits, extracted from their respective units in order to participate in the program, will board at a nearby school building and attend classes in computer technology and engineering. All are approaching their discharge dates, and each will complete the program with 35 credits transferable to any university in the country.
The program, suggested in February at a Herzliya policy conference by President Shimon Peres, is seen as a way to facilitate the transition from soldier to student for young adults who are returning to civilian life.
The transition, which is often a difficult one, is already being carried out with observant Jewish soldiers who participate in the Netzah Yehuda (Nahal Hareidi) combat unit. The soldiers in that unit are required to complete two years of combat service, but combine that with a third year in which they either study in yeshiva, learn a trade, or begin formal study towards an academic degree.