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The Unique Burden of the Israeli Soldier
(JNS) Ran Bar-Yoshafat - Since Oct. 7, 2023, some Israel Defense Forces soldiers have served hundreds of days in actual combat. In terms of cumulative combat mileage, the Israeli fighter sits at the apex of the global hierarchy, mainly due to the continuation of fighting as part of the army reserves. Very few combatants in the Western world possess operational experience that spans 20 years at such consistent intensity. The Israeli is a "professor of combat," accumulating battle days throughout his entire adult life. In the IDF, while the conscripted, regular units act as the tip of the spear during immediate escalations, it is the reservists who constitute the primary maneuver force. These civilian veterans bring a more calculated, cautious approach to the battlefield, utilizing decades of cumulative tactical wisdom to navigate the complexities of modern urban and open field warfare. Despite the immense pressures, motivation remarkably remains at an all-time high.