Recently the Northern Command has been trying to aid career army officers who wish to devote more time to strengthening their ties to their homes and families.
Northern Command head Major-General Aviv Kochavi, says that "I have daughters at home and even though we are a loving and close-knit family I'm not sure that I have invested everything in them. I couldn't bring them to school or kindergarten in the morning, I couldn't tell them a story before going to sleep or say prayers with them or even be at home on most days. I realized that things must change."
In order to implement his idea, Kochavi ordered upon entering his post at Northern Command that every career officer and family man should go home at least once a week earlier in the day to be with his family.
Additionally, no meetings will take place on Thursday after 6 in the evenings and on Sundays officers will be allowed to arrive later so that at least once a week they can accompany their children to their various educational institutions.
Kochavi told Arutz Sheva that when he entered his new appointment he used to interview officers on Fridays. "I cancelled this custom because I wanted to enable them to be at home on Fridays and not in the army. I don't want them looking for different ways in order to leave the base. I want to compel them to be both military officers and family men."
This week Northern Command conducted surveys to check how the new guidelines are being implemented in practice. "I'm not sure it's working yet but this is our goal and we will continue to follow up until we implement it fully.Everyone here will be a military officer and a family man."