Tironut 2.0

It's been a long two weeks and a new week is starting now. As soon as we got on the buses, those of us trying out for the gibush were separated and told our time started now. Before I got on the bus, I ran into some of my michve friends in infantry units! It's so cool seeing that we are doing the same things and we are all happy. On the bus, these ladies get on and hand out prayer booklets telling us they're going to pray for us. It was funny because there was one lady talking and another taking pictures of soldiers taking the booklets but also really sweet. The gibush didn't actually start until the next day, but we were split up into groups and even moved into rooms separate from the other girls. It was also very strange just to be allowed to talk to boys. We woke up at 3 AM to get started (having to wear these funny hats), and started the physical portion. We ran and crawled for a little over an hour, and then after about a solid 40 minutes of crawling I realized I wasn't having fun anymore, and I was holding the group back when we did group tests. So I tapped out and made some new friends among the other people giving up. We hung out in a tent waiting to go back to base and found a box of rugelach that we dipped into because we had only been allowed a piece of fruit before the tests started so we wouldn't throw up or anything. About half an hour after I gave up, they said the physical portion was done. I asked, "Oh, for the day?" And the testers told us the gibush was only going to be for one day because of the fast day the next day, Tisha B'av. I was a little upset because if I had known it was only one day, I would have made it through just fine, but in the end I knew it wasn't what I wanted and I was just happy for the girls that did make it all the way through. It's still a symbol on base of who did the gibush by who has sand burns on their elbows from the crawling. (Mine's almost healed.) My commander sat me down at breakfast that morning to talk about it, just to see how I was doing and also because every girl in totchanim is curious to know what goes on in the gibushim. I told her I have up because it wasn't fun anymore and that I only went to see if I could do it and what it was like. She thought that was one of the funniest things she had ever heard! And then that was it, I was back with the mechina until we all got assignments. We had a baror, a physical diagnostic aptitude test, like the 3K I had done at Michve. This was also 11 push-ups and 3 kilometers, but we had less time for the 3K. Ironically, I took longer to run it (way more hills at Bislat, another name for my base) but I still passed and was in a higher rank than before (#17 including a few boys who had a lot less time to run it).

Green uniform turned brown from crawling in the sand

On Wednesday, we were split up into our assignments. SIX girls were accepted into the totchanim sayarot (special forces), including an Olah Chadashah I am friends with from Michve!! Then, they called the girls going to MLRS, and finally my name was called. The Masol (who is from Icun) and the commander from Icun came over to our group of girls and said, "Welcome home, 611!" After that, it was a whirlwind. We were assigned new tzevets, new commanders, new rooms, new bet uniforms, even more equipment, and for the first time in my army career I was surrounded by boys. We are doing tironut with MLRS so most of the people there are with them, so there was some confusion for the boys who weren't told their specific assignments.

The next day, we went to the bochen maslul, which is basically an obstacle course. I spent almost the whole time trying to get over the wall. It was very frustrating, but I wanted to show them I wouldn't give up. I tried about 30 times, and my scabs from the gibush actually opened up on the wall, so I left my mark, as they say (it's only even because I walked away significantly bruised). That night, we had our free hour and we're standing in formation, waiting to be released for bed. Then, they told us we had to change to bet uniforms. We were sure we were being punished, but for what no one was sure. We are told to split into tzevets. My mefaked told us to grab snacks and come sit in a circle. So we thought, oh that's nice, we're just having like a nice getting to know each other initiation thing. We arrive with bamba and chocolates in hand, when the mefaked asks one girl if she's tired. She says yes, and he tells her to wake up, good morning. We thought nothing of it. When the meeting was over, we ask him when we are actually going to sleep. He says, "I said good morning, right? Welcome to your first lila lavan." We spent the whole night fixing and customizing our equipment so it fits, is identifiable as ours personally, and identifiable as belonging to our palga (like a machlaka). It really did take the whole night, but the worst was the morning. I was so tired I couldn't understand Hebrew. Thankfully, it was Friday and we were looking forward to sleeping, even if it was on base. We still had some physical stuff, classes, but mostly just wrapped up the week. We received our guns, which are slightly different from the ones at Michve so they are shorter and lighter (my tiny self appreciates that).

The pin for 611, it'll be a while before I have this

Shabbat on base is nice. We had basically a shouting contest with the other battalions outside the dining hall Friday night, and saw friends from before the assignments. Dinner itself was crowded and fun. Then Saturday we all slept in until lunch and talked to our families and friends. It's kinda funny to see everyone in civilian clothes, with a gun strapped on, carrying magazines in one hand and a Coke in the other, somehow also balancing a phone call to their ear.

Reppin UT

After Shabbat, we had a surprise practice masa. It was really difficult, with the most gear I've carried, a lot of running (my tall mefaked's walking is my steady jog), and crawling up a hill. But when we reached the end, there was a huge fire spelling out "Gideon 14," which is the name of our battery. It was very cool and we all really feel like we are finally (well, finally for me. Everyone else has only been in the army less than a month) starting proper training and in general on track to having a place here.

Post-masa roommate selfie!

We prepared to go down to the shetach, but my tzevet got orders to stay on base an extra day to help with some stuff around base, but my group finished early so we hung out and napped. The next day we went down and joined everyone in the tents and at the shooting ranges. Honestly, I am not very good at shooting. I still haven't gotten my gun to zero out, so I'll have to try again this week. Outside of that, we just learned how to protect the camp and how to use and care for other equipment.

The week was rough. Sunday was my dad's unveiling, so I got permission to FaceTime in, and wear my aleph uniform. I was so upset I wasn't there, but everyone there reminded me how proud he would have been.

My Hebrew is improving but still gives me trouble. I have to stop and ask questions, and a few times after am order I end up just standing there, trying to get a commander's attention so he or she can tell me what to do. This week I have a meeting with what is called a mashakit aliyah, who helps soldiers who made Aliyah continue Hebrew classes or in general helps us with stuff we don't pick up on, being foreigners.

My mefaked is very cool. He's honest with us, and makes us want to follow his orders. There is still distance, but it is extremely different. I know his name, where he went to school, and when he drafted. In combat, it's important to have distance but can't be held to as high of a standard as they have at michve so we can know they are trustworthy. Sometimes he even translates stuff to English for me, but I prefer what some of the commanders do, which is explain in Hebrew like they did at michve. It's still strange to hear commanders speak English.

All in all, I'm very happy with my placement, and the people I am with, even if I am about three years older than them (I'm even older than all the mefakdim). I had a good weekend, spent some time at the beach and just relaxed. I'm on the bus to the south now, and will be off base next week, but might go somewhere other than the kibbutz to visit friends.

Just another beautiful day at the beach

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Har Peepee

On our way back to base (let’s call it S) on Sunday, we visited a couple of Totchanim bases to learn about battalions in which we could be placed for our service. It was cool to meet Totchanim soldiers in their active service, especially female combat soldiers doing the same things as all the boys, which is what all of us want and why we chose this service track. Speaking of whom, the boys were drafted on Monday. There are so many of them! At the start of our tironut, us girls will make up only 8% of the draft, which is a little intimidating. They told us a bunch of people will fall from tironut, so by the end we’ll see what the stats are like by then. Anyway, we had a bunch of introductory lectures about on-base healthcare and general stuff like that this week with the boys, and it was funny to see all of them. All of us Michve girls are allowed to sit next to each other during lectures and classes so we can translate for each other, so we sit and speak English, and then boys would try to talk to us upon hearing the foreign language, and we would immediately switch to flawless Hebrew to tell them, “We’re not allowed to speak to you,” and then switch back to English. We’re with mostly Israelis, and one girl who is French-British and made aliyah several years ago, but almost everyone at least understands English. We end up having a lot of conversations where us foreigners will speak Hebrew and the Israelis will practice their English on us, which is really funny to listen to!

I finally have a picture of my new aleph uniform! Still really big on me

The next day, we went down to the shetach (the field) for a night, which ended up being really fun. We practiced some field techniques, like building the meeting tent, digging sleeping holes, and eating manak (m’nat krav—combat meals (tuna, mostly)). Last time I was in the shetach, we were on a base with bathrooms. This time, it was just desert, so we got our first taste of what we ended up calling “Har Peepee,” (har meaning mountain or hill, and peepee meaning, well, you get it). We practiced running and hitting the ground from grenades (rocks, of which we were not lacking), and picking up people with “injuries,” so we all came back with bruises on our knees. When we came back, and it was dark, we went on a practice masa around the base, which was kind of hard because there was more running than the masaot we did at Michve, but we didn’t have guns so that obviously made it easier from the start. When we got back, we did the traditional pushups with our commanders, shouting our loyalties for our tzevet (ironically this was done non-ironically because we almost never separate into our tzevets). Then, smiling despite being sweaty, disgusting (not having showered for almost 48 hours), and exhausted, our commander asks us who wants to go home on the weekend. We all raise our hands, and one girl shouts out, “KEN MEFAKEDET!” (yes, commander!), which causes all of us to laugh even harder. When we manage to suppress giggles, the commander tells us to wear our aleph uniforms in the morning, and then releases us to our free hour (there was a lot of whooping and jumping at that point).

New bet uniform, even bigger than the aleph (but super comfortable), bucket hat included
This was right after the masa, hence why I am so red and sweaty

Thursday, dressed up in aleph and ready to head out, we go to a lecture about and then sign up for the tryouts for special forces. This is the first time ever some of the special forces in Totchanim are opening to girls, so it is a huge deal. Most of the girls want to go to the tryouts, myself included. But I am going to be honest with them in my interview that I am not particularly interested in their battalions, that I am just there to see if I can pass a gibush (tryout, but translates to “challenge”), which I have heard is an experience by itself. In fact, I am trying to go to the battalion that is slightly less physical and some computer work, but in my opinion one of the most important jobs in the IDF. It is called Icun (ee-coon), and they are the ones who notify Home Front Command to do a Code Red siren and in what area. If I end up truly loving this job, I will not push to become a medic. A big part of my reason to serve was to help save lives, and I feel that this job is even more life-saving than any medic alone can be, as every Israeli knows in our current situation.

On our way home

As far as differences between Michve and S (current base) go, they just go on and on. First being that there is less distance with the commanders. We know all of the staff’s names, we have seen our commanding officer hang from a rope while giving a lesson, they care less about letting us see them laugh, and I personally have done racing sprints with the head sergeant (the only male in our group—I won, but I don’t think he was at full speed). Another huge difference is the rules. At S, they check to make sure everyone eats, showers, and sleeps. At first this was frustrating for me because I often skipped a shower here and there at Michve, but I’ve come to enjoy it. It forces me to socialize with the girls rather than talk on the phone for my whole free hour. At Michve, we weren’t allowed to touch other people, not even girls in our tzevet, unless told or in an extenuating circumstance, while at S that rule only applies to boys, obviously. It is a different way of making friends when you are allowed to hug, kiss, punch (lovingly!), or even just to swing your arm over their shoulder. Which makes for stronger friendships faster, and different relationships in general (most girls at Michve only wanted to punch each other if they were angry, we are combat soldiers so it is only to our advantage to be able to take or receive a hit in a friendly setting for when it’s not so friendly). We are the girls that compare bruises in the showers as if they are prizes! (I don’t bruise easily, so I lost, no matter how hard I hit the ground for them. I was on the same level as the girls that didn’t work as hard.) It is a lot of fun being with such a great group of girls, and I’m really sad to know we’ll be separated next week when we go to our respective battalions, even if we are in the same battalion, we could be in different tzevets. What happens next week will determine our entire training, and thusly our entire service. (No pressure, right?) It’s been an awesome experience with these girls and knowing that we’ve been through an intense couple of weeks already, and seen some incredible stuff (the night sky in the middle of the desert trumps pretty much everything I’ve witnessed so far (you can see the Milky Way!)…even the sunrise/sunset were like a real-time postcard, and probably more beautiful than even seeing Masada at sunrise). Despite all this, I think we’re ready to start our training. It’s hard knowing that everybody knows somebody in Gaza right now (some soldiers are going on seven weeks away from home), and we consider a couple days without a shower “roughing it,” and complaining that our training will be 11 days on base and 3 at home (11/3).

Yeah, it's a hard life

See y'all in two weeks!