At the beginning of last week, IDF Technology and Logistics Directorate head Brigadier General Kobi Barak summoned the commanders of the IDF training complex in the Negev, which is considered the crowning feat of the transfer of military activity to southern Israel. During the discussion, in which representatives of the Mabat Lanegev company responsible for construction of the training complex took part, doubts were raised about the suitability of the base so far and the initial goals set for its construction. Among other things, Barak criticized the way the soldiers' sleeping quarters and classrooms were being managed, and asked that disruption of the training processes in IDF courses be avoided.
According to Barak, feedback from the commanders serving on the base revealed a severe problem in managing the classrooms that was reducing the number of study hours. The training taking place on the base was consequently affected, in complete opposition to the purpose for which the training complex was built - shortening and taking maximum advantage of the training time for in order to lengthen service in IDF units. Effective, focused, and brief training allows soldiers to spend more of their army service in their units. Barak therefore stressed that most of his criticism was directed at how malfunctions in the classrooms were handled and the length of time required by the appropriate parties to deal with them, which he said had become "unreasonable."
Another matter raised by Barak in the discussion concerned the soldiers' living conditions. It appears that eight soldiers sleep in a room in congested conditions. For this reason, Barak ordered that in the first stage, soldiers be moved to rooms for only six people, out of concern for their welfare.
A source informed about the discussion said, "The idea around which the "training city" was built included efficiency and cost-cutting. For this reason, it was decided that all the training bases in the "city" would be centrally managed. As of now, what is happening does not meet the expectations. The Technology and Logistics Directorate head was critical, because this is not the first time that he mentioned these problems, and there has been no improvement. His criticism was professional and to the point." Technology and Logistics Directorate sources added that Barak had decided to visit the complex in the coming days, where another discussion would be held to consider whether the changes mentioned in these areas had been made.
An IDF spokesman said, "The Technology and Logistics Directorate head is conducting regular discussions as part of the preparation for moving training bases to the complex. This includes close cooperation between the IDF and the concession holder. We will not disclose the content of the discussions and the conclusions arising from them."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 13, 2016
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2016