Joining IDF in november, advice?

[jason82]

Shalom l'coolam (hi everyone)

I'm a new immgrant to israel, 22 years of age, and will be in the IDF this novemeber. I know I want to be in infantry, but I am not sure which brigade (nahal, tzanhanim, givati, golani) I want to join. I'm leaning towards givati right now.

Either way, i'm pretty determined to give the full three years (if i get a 97 on my profile) and am currently in the garin tzabar program, living on a kibbutz in the north.

This post is a general shalom to everyone here, as I've been lurking these forums for about a year now, and also a request for any specific tidbits of advice from the numerous IDF vets on this forum. :D

P.S. Don't make this a political thread asshats! :bash:

[ShotOver]

Your not going to get any help if you call us all "asshats".

[UoUo]

Shalom l'coolam (hi everyone)

I'm a new immgrant to israel, 22 years of age, and will be in the IDF this novemeber. I know I want to be in infantry, but I am not sure which brigade (nahal, tzanhanim, givati, golani) I want to join. I'm leaning towards givati right now.

Either way, i'm pretty determined to give the full three years (if i get a 97 on my profile) and am currently in the garin tzabar program, living on a kibbutz in the north.

This post is a general shalom to everyone here, as I've been lurking these forums for about a year now, and also a request for any specific tidbits of advice from the numerous IDF vets on this forum. :D

P.S. Don't make this a political thread asshats! :bash:

Hi :)

I whould say...go to Nahal.

The best people (alot of people from"kibuztim"). and they are doing the same job as every brigade doing...and if you can..try to pass the gibush after the "tironot" and then go to sayert nahal...

Anyway good luck!!! and where are you from?

[UoUo]

DP

[jason82]

Your not going to get any help if you call us all "asshats".

It was a pre-emptive strike against those who would ;)




Hi

I whould say...go to Nahal.

The best people (alot of people from"kibuztim"). and they are doing the same job as every brigade doing...and if you can..try to pass the gibush after the "tironot" and then go to sayert nahal...

Anyway good luck!!! and where are you from

Thanks, i have a good buddy who finished nahal and he liked it, but most of my friends so far have suggested givati.

I'm from NY and I'd love to be in a palsar or sayeret, but I can't get a straight answer as to how to even get into the gibbush. Do they pick you, or do you sign up?

[seruriermarshal]

Good luck to you .

[UoUo]

Your not going to get any help if you call us all "asshats".

It was a pre-emptive strike against those who would ;)




Hi

I whould say...go to Nahal.

The best people (alot of people from"kibuztim"). and they are doing the same job as every brigade doing...and if you can..try to pass the gibush after the "tironot" and then go to sayert nahal...

Anyway good luck!!! and where are you from

Thanks, i have a good buddy who finished nahal and he liked it, but most of my friends so far have suggested givati.

I'm from NY and I'd love to be in a palsar or sayeret, but I can't get a straight answer as to how to even get into the gibbush. Do they pick you, or do you sign up?

Givati is nice also...but i think for a new guy from USA nahal whould be The best....but like i said in the base they all the same...


And everyone can get into the gibush after the "tironot" will start...after few day it would be gibush and you can go to th gibush...if you will pass..you will in the "sayert" or in the "orev" (anti tank) and so on....

[mack pl]

Good luck to you .
x2 :D

[Moledet]

First thing, I have to say that I still haven't served in the IDF, so I can be wrong, check my advices before listening to them.

So I'll tell you about the units.
Givati, its a new infantry unit that is not highly appreciated (even though now after all the battels in Gaza their appreciation is growing). The unit is mostly made out of USSR immigrants.
Prfiel needed 82-97.

Golani, a highly appreciated unit with a great record, the people that are in this unit are not realy smart but they are nice and warm people.

NAHAL (noar hiloni lohem), it's also a "young" unit, that has an image of "not so good soldiers". The unit is pretty good.

T'zanhanim, it's the most prestigious infantry unit. That's a unit that you need to volounteer to it and to pass gibush(on) to get accepted.

If you want to go to Sayeret NAHAL/Givati/Golani you need to pass the advanced training and then they might pick you.
If you want to be accepted to PALSAR T'zanhanim you need to pass Gibush T'zanhanim and Gibush Yahatiyot at the start of the tironut.

There's also the engineering unit, they also have a good Sayeret (Yael) and a NBC unit.

In addition, you have Haruv and Duhifat, they are regular infantry units that use armored vehicles a lot. The problem with this units is that there are no heroic stories in it because there's no one to tell about them (that's how it is when you run near the tank and you are not in it).

To join the other SF units you need to go to "Yom sayarot" and if you pass yom sayarot you choose the gibush that you want to go to (Hovlim/Matkal/S'13).

That's the map of Gibushim:
http://www.idf2000.co.il/corps/gibush_map.jpg

Mack PL, your avatar is totaly wrong, that's not the right way to be released if someone is choking you. You only need to move one hand (fast and not by struggling) then you need to punch the guy with your "good" hand and then you use the same hand to flex him and then you use your "good" leg to hit him in the stomach.

[ZeroPositive]

Take care u gimp don't do anything u dun have to do...
and good luck

[jason82]

Thanks for the breakdown moledet, as far as i understand (as an outsider) you are pretty close to what i heard, but this is how it was explained to me (note, these are opinions of other people in IDF, not me, so i hope I don't offend folks here)

Tzanhanim - every american from the states dreams of joining this unit because of its rich history and jump training, but I hear that they do mostly bitachon (security) work most of the time, and their reputation amongst israeli's is waning.

Golani - Excellent reputation, but known to be filled with hardasses who aren't the brightest.

Nahal - I've heard that this unit has many stoners, and has a reputation for lax discipline. I don't want to believe it, but i have 2 friends who are living proof. :(

Givati - Not as tough or hardheaded as golani, but an impressive unit with a difficult AO (gaza).

I don't know much about the other units under general staff, like engineers or duhifat but I hear that field intelligence is an good unit to be in as well.

I already missed the gibushim for the really special units like 669 or matkal, but I don't think they would take me anyhow.

I also realized that my commander will most likely be younger than me, i dont think this will be too difficult to deal with, but I want to hear if any other forum veterans (from any army) have been in this situation...

Thanks for the support guys. :D I just got myself a sweet canon digicam (4.0 mp) so I will post some cool pictures when I get the chance (if i'm allowed that is).

[UoUo]

Just wanted to say that my cousin served in golani and now is doing "toar slishi" in Germany he got scholarship...

So not eveyone from Golani are stupids.....

Any way...when are you going to Israel? and you been here before?

[jason82]

Just wanted to say that my cousin served in golani and now is doing "toar slishi" in Germany he got scholarship...

So not eveyone from Golani are stupids.....

Any way...when are you going to Israel? and you been here before?

I'm already here! I've spent alot of time here in the past, but I only offically got my teudat zehut last week. :D

[caleb]

hmmmm...don't shoot at unarmed children..... :cantbeli:


aaaaaahhhh.....I'm outta here.......




anyway, good luck.

[cut]

hmmmm...don't shoot at unarmed children..... :cantbeli:


what was the point of that? what a ****head

[NBC Trooper]

I think Nahal will be the best for an American that is new in Israel.

[gilgoul]

OK, I don`t serve in a prestigious unit at all (pikud ha oref, mechaletz :oops: )
But from what I understood so far from friends who served in different combat units, the description given so far by Moledet fits more or less the picture, I can tell you also that for having worked a few times with golani that there`s a lot of stoners there too ;) .
I would say that Nahal might fit you the best if you can`t join tsanhanim, wich would be my choice unit if I was given the chance ( I`m so "old" (30) that I had to volunteer even for miluim :cantbeli: ). Nahal does a lot of jobs over there, and the level really hiked in the last years.
In any way, whatever happens don`t give up, if they want to send you in a unit you don`t want to go, insist, put pressure, write letters. In brief, show your motivation.
Second thing, it`s a good thing to start training if you want to take a leap forward during tironut, especially because you are a little "older" than the other recruits, you might be able to put more phsycholigical strengh, but the body takes longer to adapt and build up.
in any way בהצלחה woot

[W(M)D]

It is better to go in with the mainstream Israeli intakes and mainstream units, rather than doing mahal in nahal. You get to go alot more native :lol:

For sure they wont make you a kashar mem mem with your accent :lol:

[UoUo]

Go to nahal...best people and they are doing great job..hebron...and act..

[Roger Rabbit]

Take photos of the naked IDF chicks used to lure terrorists into ambushes :D

Heres some topics with advice given to people joining various brances of various militaries. Some of it may help you.

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17017&highlight=advice

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=320502&highlight=#320502

topic on blisters

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=299032&highlight=#299032

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12705&highlight=kapooka

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=280717&highlight=#280717

[jason82]

I think Nahal will be the best for an American that is new in Israel.

By best, do you mean easiest? Because thats the last thing I would want (different treatment b/c i'm a new oleh)

[UoUo]

I think Nahal will be the best for an American that is new in Israel.

By best, do you mean easiest? Because thats the last thing I would want (different treatment b/c i'm a new oleh)

I don't think he meant that....

Look...i think the best people are in nahal...they come from "kibuztim" and act...and they have diffrend mentality and they will help you...

Any way..all of the units do the same work!! and they have the same training regime...(more or less).

Go to nahal...or go to Tznhanim...after that you can go to Givati...

It's depends how you gonna get along with that people..i think the best choise will be nahal.


Just wanted to add that i didn't yet served in the IDF...

[jason82]

in any way בהצלחה woot

תודה גבר, as a funny aside from your sig, i was just at mike's place TA this past weekend. My younger brother used to be the house bassist there and we've played many a concert there (well, more so in the jerusalem one, but maybe i'll see you there sometime).:P

[AirZone]

Well ask IDFM203 he's american who served in the IDF...
good luck woot

[NBC Trooper]

I think Nahal will be the best for an American that is new in Israel.

By best, do you mean easiest? Because thats the last thing I would want (different treatment b/c i'm a new oleh)

By best I meant socialy.

[anonymous individual]

Good luck, jason. woot

[UkrainianAmerican]

Good luck man!
And dont forget to rep the EAST SIDE :lol:

[Zenchan]

Jason, go to Zenchanim,
forget about Givati. Period.

The training ist still the best, the variety of operations, too. YouÄll be all over the country and not just in the North or south as some other units.
As to the selection of personnel - they are a 100 % volunteer unit, and you can't beat that. There has always been a lot of envy re the Paratroop Brigade, and a lot of badmouthing. But then, who cares. The army is what you make of it.

You will have a hard time anyway, being a 22 year old Oleh chadash from the US, while evrybody else is 17-18 around you and has a different socalisation than you had. And boy, those few years seem to mean a lot at that age. When I was in hadracha later, I had a 25 year old US immigrant, B.A. and all, boy, had that man a hard time, but then he was in a typical Mao-mao company (geijuss May!) You'll be entering in August, and that is nearly as good a gijuß as November. Make the best of it. I envy you!

I was only 20 and I was still older than my platoon Lt. and Coy commander. Your officers and NCOs won't give you as much **** as they give the sabra kids, because they'll realize how hard it is to fit in for you.

[NBC Trooper]

Jason, go to Zenchanim,
forget about Givati. Period.

The training ist still the best, the variety of operations, too. YouÄll be all over the country and not just in the North or south as some other units.
As to the selection of personnel - they are a 100 % volunteer unit, and you can't beat that. There has always been a lot of envy re the Paratroop Brigade, and a lot of badmouthing. But then, who cares. The army is what you make of it.

You will have a hard time anyway, being a 22 year old Oleh chadash from the US, while evrybody else is 17-18 around you and has a different socalisation than you had. And boy, those few years seem to mean a lot at that age. When I was in hadracha later, I had a 25 year old US immigrant, B.A. and all, boy, had that man a hard time, but then he was in a typical Mao-mao company (geijuss May!) You'll be entering in August, and that is nearly as good a gijuß as November. Make the best of it. I envy you!

I was only 20 and I was still older than my platoon Lt. and Coy commander. Your officers and NCOs won't give you as much **** as they give the sabra kids, because they'll realize how hard it is to fit in for you.

Zenchanim sucks

[Javehn]

Zenchanim sucks

Word .

[sgt.pepper]

moledet NAHAL means noar halutzi lohem not hiloni.Jason82 i would recommend you armoured corps woot but if you have chosen already infantry then go to golani brigade.

[gilgoul]

Zenchanim sucks

Word .

Don`t be jealous Jahven :D

The truth is that Tsanchanim is really above the basket for human ressource qualities, and they still do a lot of hard jobs woot

[W(M)D]

Good to still see those old inter unit rivalries exist, it is good for healthy competition. :lol:

[Javehn]

Trust me , I have seen this "excellent human resource" at work too many times ... :( :lol: :( Infact , Golani maybe be extreme dumbasses , but at list they get the work done (as long it's not including something sufisticated :oops: ) .

[W(M)D]

[quote="Javehn"]Trust me , I have seen this "excellent human resource" at work too many times ... :( :lol:

I think that it existed - in their own minds!
Did you know that only two things drop from the sky, zanchanim and bird ****! (Sorry could not help myself).
Are the znefelim still square headed?

[Javehn]

Are the znefelim still square headed?

The stories I have ... But they are not suitable for international forums :oops: . Perhaps some Hamdi reading them and will get some ideas .

[alexbmn]

Dont mess around man. Go immediately to Duvdevan or Shayetet 13. :D

[Sayeret]

Jason82 i would recommend you armoured corps but if you have chosen already infantry then go to golani brigade.

woot woot armoured corps

[Javehn]

To tell you the truth ? If you American , then I think you will preffer the Nahal . Military service is nothing without the friends and someone to share the experience , and I think the biggest number of foreign jews in IDF is in Nahal .

The baddest place for you would be Golani . And I think you would like to stay away from armored corps , and trust me , not everyone like it , and perhaps you wouldhave some problems with people there . So , Nahal would be more to your like - Kibutsniks and guys from all over the world .


There is offcorse Karrakal - the joined battalion of dike babes and gay soldiers . :lol:

[gilgoul]

To tell you the truth ? If you American , then I think you will preffer the Nahal . Military service is nothing without the friends and someone to share the experience , and I think the biggest number of foreign jews in IDF is in Nahal .

The baddest place for you would be Golani . And I think you would like to stay away from armored corps , and trust me , not everyone like it , and perhaps you wouldhave some problems with people there . So , Nahal would be more to your like - Kibutsniks and guys from all over the world .


There is offcorse Karrakal - the joined battalion of dike babes and gay soldiers . :lol:

Those guys took my battalion traditional line (arava), at lest can they have a very boring and uneventfull service :D

But I saw some of he chicks there, some real cuties believe me :D

[IDFM203]

Oh boy not this again………..anyways I don’t have time to get into it here so I will repeat a post of mine that I did when the last time something like this came up….



I am going to address this to the Israelis here that did not served (yet ;) ) but yet have found the utter confidence to make blanket and clear cut statements on units they “feel” to better or what not :roll:

First, remember you have former or serving members in just some of the units that you rate better or worse then, and lets just say that it’s a bit absurd to read from some that never served, claim on a international board who is the better units or who is the worse :roll: ………..cut it out.

Secondly, saying for example Golani is better then Nachal is false for its too general of a statement, I mean in Golani for example you have many “Gduding” and many different units, so for example I don’t think that Gdud 12 in Golani is better then Sayeret Nachal………so even if we get into this game here, please be specific and signal specific units, for I can guarantee you that there are certain units in Nachal that are considered on top level and certainly better then some unit in Golnai, Givat and Tsancahnim and also vise-versa


Thirdly these “rankings” change all the time, I mean heck just look at a lot of units in Givati where before the intifada, they had lets just say a very “weak” reputation, though now four years later, well they fixed that very well, and the same for a lot of units in Nachal, who did excellent jobs in the past four years of fighting and they too have moved up their rep :D

Lastly, this is a international forum, as such I advise as always to not get into this inter-service rivalries here, on Israeli forums between Israelis, like in the army, thats fine, but in public in a international forum, it should just be “kol’ ha’kovoad le’ Tzahal” and that should be the unifying message, whereas in the army, there were say rivalries between “chir” and shiryon” for example, in here I don’t bring that up and I fully support and defend (when necessary) comments directed from outsiders against “shriryon”

Anyways that’s my take on all this, you can either agree or not, that you prerogative.

P.S. Great link (if I have some time I will make another thread with some of the pics there)


Shalom :D

[gilgoul]

Oh boy not this again………..anyways I don’t have time to get into it here so I will repeat a post of mine that I did when the last time something like this came up….



I am going to address this to the Israelis here that did not served (yet ;) ) but yet have found the utter confidence to make blanket and clear cut statements on units they “feel” to better or what not :roll:

First, remember you have former or serving members in just some of the units that you rate better or worse then, and lets just say that it’s a bit absurd to read from some that never served, claim on a international board who is the better units or who is the worse :roll: ………..cut it out.

Secondly, saying for example Golani is better then Nachal is false for its too general of a statement, I mean in Golani for example you have many “Gduding” and many different units, so for example I don’t think that Gdud 12 in Golani is better then Sayeret Nachal………so even if we get into this game here, please be specific and signal specific units, for I can guarantee you that there are certain units in Nachal that are considered on top level and certainly better then some unit in Golnai, Givat and Tsancahnim and also vise-versa


Thirdly these “rankings” change all the time, I mean heck just look at a lot of units in Givati where before the intifada, they had lets just say a very “weak” reputation, though now four years later, well they fixed that very well, and the same for a lot of units in Nachal, who did excellent jobs in the past four years of fighting and they too have moved up their rep :D

Lastly, this is a international forum, as such I advise as always to not get into this inter-service rivalries here, on Israeli forums between Israelis, like in the army, thats fine, but in public in a international forum, it should just be “kol’ ha’kovoad le’ Tzahal” and that should be the unifying message, whereas in the army, there were say rivalries between “chir” and shiryon” for example, in here I don’t bring that up and I fully support and defend (when necessary) comments directed from outsiders against “shriryon”

Anyways that’s my take on all this, you can either agree or not, that you prerogative.

P.S. Great link (if I have some time I will make another thread with some of the pics there)


Shalom :D


One word, KOL HA KAVOD LE IDFM203 :D

(How bad can I be, I` supposed to be the older one here :roll: )

[IDFM203]

I think Nahal will be the best for an American that is new in Israel.

By best, do you mean easiest? Because thats the last thing I would want (different treatment b/c i'm a new oleh)No he just meant it as easier for the fact that there are more Americans there and not that Nachal is easier in general for its NOT!!

If you ask me my advice to you as a new “oleh” would be to try to make it in some units in Nachal (not every one but there are a few good ones there) or in Tzanchnim......golnai and givati are not for you IMO (and for reasons I will explain IN PM if you so desire for I don’t like to talk negatively on a international forum) and also from what I understand from you, “Shiryon” and “totchanim” are also out of the question and well I think that’s a good decision for there too its not what your looking for from what I understand from you thus far.


Anyways if you have more questions feel free to PM me and I would be glad to help you out.

Shalom :D

[IDFM203]

One word, KOL HA KAVOD LE IDFM203 :D hehe :D thanks man, but I say it to you as well ;)

and yes Kol Ha Kovaod Le" IDF and also Le M203 ;) :D


Shalom :D

[citizen-k]

Yeah yeah...

Repeat after me: "Golani, osheani lo mitpane", "Golani osheani lo mitpane"

The only real advice I can give you nowdays is:

Try to remmember at all times who and what you represent - don't let the hard times twist your conscience and turn you into something you don't want to be.

GOOD LUCK! woot

Oh, and if girls is what your looking for, try get a green barret, the nice ones - not the light green glowing in the dark screaming "I'm here! come and capture me!" type ;)

[W(M)D]

not the light green glowing in the dark screaming "I'm here! come and capture me!" type ;)

Are they still called 'sticklight'? :lol:

[Zenchan]

IDFM203:

Thanks , well said ! :hug:
About time, somebody pointed that out...

[Mark_Aspen]

I'm curious to how acclimated you are, and your level of Hebrew. Are you a visitor at Degania, or in a tahlich klita (absorption and candidacy for membership).

Not knowing anything about you or your real circumstances, I'd venture that Tzanhanim or Nahal (do they still have Nahal Mutznah?) are your best fit. I've met Anglo-Saxon olim who served successfully in Golani and a handful in Givati. Maybe it depends on how Israeli you like your haverim. Lets go for a minute and agree that the gibush, training levels, and kav duty are the same. If its going to be more bearable for you to have some other olim around (not only US), give you a chance to stop tripping over your Hebrew, and maybe talk 5 minutes about the Jets or Yankees, then go Nahal. If its the experience and service, go Tzanhanim. Golani may give you the greatest exposure to a side of Israel you probably haven't seen much, but how much of a social experiment do you want this to be?

I wouldn't discount Gilgoul's post either. But then I began in armour too. IDFM's point about an international discussion is true. I remember someone telling me about a site called USIDFVETS.COM maybe there's recent experience there. You may have to join it too.