IDF creates military unit to film combat soldiers

Soldiers tasked with joining units to film work; spokesman says soldiers must have "additional level of thinking."

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Counterterror soldier 521 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
Counterterror soldier 521
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
In a bid to keep one step ahead in the media war, the IDF inaugurated on Tuesday its first company of soldiers tasked with joining combat units to film their work.
The images will be made available instantly to the IDF Spokesman’s Office, Military Intelligence and internal inquiries.
The soldiers completed their training, which included acquiring combat skills, this week.
IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai told the soldiers during their end of training ceremony that “in recent days, there has been a debate over who should be considered a combat soldier. Regarding you, there is no debate.
You are the combat soldiers of the IDF Spokesman. But beyond the fact that you’re combat soldiers, you’re required to have an additional level of thinking.”
“In 2013, results are not only determined in battle – not in [counting] Kassam or Grad rockets. In addition to military achievements, perception has a critical role. One can win the battle but lose [in the battle for] public perception. Today, the army is most aware of this,” Mordechai said.
The picture has become “the queen of the battle. We must bring the real story, quickly and accurately,” he said.
The current security situation was fragile and explosive, and the coming months will be “very complex,” Mordechai said.
Three years ago, the IDF launched its first pilot program to train soldiers to film combat units in action.
Today, all the members of the company have a background in film production.
They also received full combat training in the Golani Brigade.
The company will be headed by F.-Lt. Boaz Malkieli, an officer in the Egoz reconnaissance unit.
During the ceremony, Malkieli said that the soldiers would bring “a live and genuine image from the ground.
This is a possibility hasn’t been available to the IDF in such a professional way until now.”