IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi has decided against integrating women into combat Armored Corps units, despite the military last year declaring a pilot program for all-female tank units a success, the military reported Sunday.
Kochavi decided that due to "personnel considerations," the army would instead focus on integrating women into existing mixed-gender combat units.
"It was decided that at this time it is appropriate to strengthen the integration of female combat soldiers into existing units and not to establish new combat units," an IDF spokesperson said.
Women currently serve in various combat capacities in the infantry, air force, Artillery Corps and special forces.
Last year, a record number of women were inducted into the IDF to serve in combat units, continuing a steady increase in the number of female combat soldiers in recent years.
The increase in female enrollment in combat units has come about both because of changes in society and a shortage of available personnel over reductions in the amount of required service time for men.
The IDF has made a number of modifications that have enabled more women to complete combat training successfully, including allowing female recruits more time to achieve minimum physical fitness levels, introducing more calcium-rich diets for female trainees and modifying certain equipment.
This article was originally published by i24NEWS. Read more at https://www.i24news.tv/en.
