One of my major expectations was that it was going to be physically intensive. I expected to be doing a lot of push-ups on a regular basis. surprising to me, push-ups were only a form of punishment, yet even the extensive amount of standing around waiting made me very tired. In the end I did do a lot of push ups, but not nearly as much as I expected. Another, surprise was the short bursts of running. When moving from place to place our commander would give us 10 second bursts to make our way to our destination. At the end of the ten seconds we also had to be in the two columns we began in. At the start of the week we would all just sprint and end up very spread out. After one day of this mess we figured out we could slow down our counting and run at a slower pace as a team. This changed my way of thinking as an individual to focus on our team.
Another unexpected aspect of Gadna that I found to be helpful was the strict timing. Our schedule was set to the minute. The strictest time that was set was our sleeping time. From 9:50 to 6:10ish we had our right to sleep. Not only was it a right, it was also enforced. With this quality amount of sleep I felt energized throughout the day until I got bored with the weapon class. The point being I feel I should give myself more time to rest than I normally do. Gadna was treating my body better than I was.
Throughout the week our "mifakedet" or commander tried her best to show no emotion. She did falter at some points but she remained strict most of the time. At the end of Gadna we actually sat down with our commander and got to know the real them. Our commander was Liran, 19, and her army service was to be a instructor at Gadna. Every Thursday and Sunday she makeU77s a 6 hour drive to and from the Gadna base.
With this experience how would you feel about joining the IDF as an Israeli? Do you think you would feel more enthusiastic and willing? Or would this be a deterrent for you?
Looking bad at my Gadna experience I had a great time, I didn't always feel that way when I was there but now I can say I have completed Gadna! After this experience I would not want to join the IDF, I never had plans to join the US army or the IDF but as an Israeli going into the army is what you do and you don't have a choice. After this I would be scared to join because it was exhausting and basic training is much worse and I am not willing to experience this again and for a much longer time.
ReplyDeleteI think I would feel more willing to join the IDF. Knowing what to expect, even if its not totally accurate, would make me feel more comfortable. This wouldn't be a deterrent for me because I would have to join anyways (if I was israeli) so I would decide to look at this with the glass half full type attitude.
ReplyDeleteAs an Israeli I would have immense pride in joining the IDF, it is part of the culture here and is something that I would use to identify with my fellow countrymen. I do not feel that Gadna is an actual reflection of the Army, even though there are some parts of the Army that may be even more tough, people also take it MUCH more seriously. Lets be honest, Gadna was a huge joke, and the only thing is make me laugh at how Israel wants to beautify the military and the poor way they achieve this.
ReplyDeleteWhile my experience at Gadna was definitely not the best, it did help me open my perspective on the IDF and realize what they go through. As much as I think it would be quite an honor to join the IDF and serve my country, I don't think that it is the ideal for me. We were told Gadna was just a game to be played but I think, and while this may only be me, I think I learned that it is much more than a game and it is something more than just a game or a joke to be in the actual IDF, not just in Gadna.
ReplyDeleteI think that gadna was an extremely difficult experience, but very valuable at the same time. In the moment, it was hard and seemed quite pointless, but not too long after each endeavor did I realize what I gained from it. However, I was also able to see some of the israelis that will end up in the army of Israel, and many of them were unenthusiastic and uncooperative. This felt like a major deterrent for me. In the Israeli army, everybody goes whether they want to or not, and for us in the US, it is a voluntary army (most of the time) and therefore has a different spirit and many soldiers have different attitudes. So, if I was thinking about any army at all, I think it would first be the US army.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very interesting experience for me. The overall experience is something that definitely would increase my desire to join the IDF, but the gun ruined it for me. Seeing as anyone in the IDF would have to learn how to shoot a gun, I don't think I can do that.
ReplyDeleteThis was definitely not one of my favorite experiences on EIE, but there were some parts of it that i definitely enjoyed a bit. I liked getting to shoot and then the race. It was fun being able to do activities as a group and being the first girl team to get up the mountain, but I don't think that evened out how much I disliked the first two days. I believe that for me it was a definite deterrent. I still can't even imagine if I lived in Israel and was required to join the IDF because it was not a good time for me. I wouldn't be enthusiastic or willing about joining it especially after seeing how there were Israelis who took it as such a big joke. If I had to join an army for some reason, it would probably be the American one because I think people would have better attitudes there, which would create a better atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteI would not say I'd be more enthusiastic, but I'd be more comforted. Going into Gadna I was not worried, and I enjoyed most of the time there. After having gone through it, the IDF service does not seem as intimidating as it once did. Intimidating might not even be the right word, but there is always something comforting in knowing what you are getting into before you do. If it wasn't for the bathrooms and for the dietary restrictions, I would gladly join the IDF without hesitation.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely feel more willing to do it. From what I got from speaking to a couple of people at Gadna who knew more about the IDF than I do, it seems as if Gadna is a toned down, maybe even worse, version of the real IDF. I have heard that basic training is similar, better and worse in some ways, but that whatever job you have after is very different. In Gadna I was opened up to the many many jobs that I could do in the IDF, especially the less combat-based ones. Knowing that these exist in such a vast capacity, and that I might be able to choose where I go, I am more inclined to consider the IDF in one of these forms.
ReplyDelete"Just play the game," they told us, prior to Gadna. And to me, that's all it really was; a game. I had a great time, and I don't think it affected my view on joining the army in a negative way. I'd still like to maybe serve, but if I don't, it's going to for another reason, not because I disliked Gadna. I love the IDF, and this experience makes me definitely appreciate all of the soldiers I see day to day.
ReplyDeleteGadna was one of the hardest experiences on EIE for me. It really challenged me not only physically but mentally. Having to be on time for everything and everything having to be perfect really stressed me out. While I do believe this was an amazing experience it really turned me off on joining the IDF or the American Army. However, as an Israeli I would be so scared to join. I was scared to do this for 5 days so I have no idea how I would do it for 2 years.
ReplyDeleteOn the first day of Gadna, I was seriously considering joining the IDF. I liked how organized everything was, working as a team and the idea of protecting Israel. By the end of my Gadna experience, I came to the conclusion that I will not join the IDF. I have more of an attachment to Canada and I would not want to spend that much time away from my family and friends.
ReplyDeleteI have never liked doing anything army related,its just not for me. I found his out at gadna. i was considering joining the IDF but now seeing what it really takes to be a soldier, I dont think I would enjoy it very much.
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