Forged by Adversity

Nadav S.

Forged by Adversity

"If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward"- Martin Luther King Jr.

It was a tense wait in the office of the Commander of the Reconnaissance School. Sitting in the lobby, a week post surgery with a cast around my arm, I did my best to remain calm. Despite this I was still feeling anxious about this meeting, whether I would be allowed to complete Maslul (14 month grueling training track) with my team. Finally I was called in, along with my Mafkatz (Team Commander) and the Company Commander. Sitting at the end of the table, was the Commander of the Reconnaissance School. I introduced myself, making the case on why I should be allowed to finish training with my team. Completing a year of training, nine of those intense weeks of training with a broken hand, training on my time off and volunteering. Explaining to him that as a lone soldier it was my dream to be in a Sayeret (Special Unit). After finishing his notes, the Commander looked up to me and said "Listen we really commend your motivation, I only saw 3 to 4 soldiers that came into the unit with the same amount of motivation as you. However before Maslul, before the Sayeret, comes your health. So unfortunately we can't allow you to finish training with your team, any questions?". After hearing those words, I choked up. I pleaded with him to let me finish, to stay with my team, and recognize all the hard training I've done up until this point. I was so close to finishing. Just two weeks until climbing Har HaQanna’im and earning the Reconnaissance Pin. After the meeting, the Mafkatz, Company Commander and Recon School Commander told me that I would be finishing the training in the Sayeret. I would finish, however, four months from now, with a "younger" team. I tried to remain in high spirits, all my friends and family told me that it was going to be alright in the end. But on the way home I felt defeated, and when I got back, I just broke down and cried. Being told that I was going to be held back, that I was not going to finish with my team, was one of the most painful things I had ever been told.

Whether you are a lone soldier or simply a soldier, adversity won't only be found in physical hardship or social cultural barriers. It is found in setbacks that will surprise you at any point of your training and service. Annoying bureaucracy, injuries, family issues - these setbacks are the type of obstacles that could challenge any soldier. In any unit or position in the military, you will see your friends face these setbacks in training, daily life or in the field. In many cases, people break down from the pressure as a result. How can we contend with this pressure, and is it possible to overcome the mental obstacles emplaced by these setbacks? The answer is yes, and by following these points (which I learned through the army and my time in Tsevet Lohamim), you will be forged by adversity rather than be broken by it. Becoming a stronger "warrior" because of the struggles you faced. (but more on that later)

1) Stay in your 3-Foot World. In his book No Hero, former Navy SEAL Mark Owen talks about the concept of the "3-Foot World". The idea that no matter how hard it gets mentally, you need to stay focused on the here and now. There are a lot of things that will go wrong in your army service. Don't be afraid of what other people think, or events that are happening around you. Control how you react and contend with the immediate situation that's in front of you right now. If you get shabbat for doing something wrong, think about it and come back next week a better soldier and teammate. If you are injured, find a way to get better or to train around your injury. What forges people into stronger warriors is instead of crying and feeling sorry for themselves, they pick themselves up and control what they are able to do in the moment in order to improve on the situation.

2) Be HUMBLE. Instead of being angry at the world, be grateful for what you have. Tomorrow is a new day and instead of sulking about the setbacks,see this as an opportunity to harden and better yourself. Understand that in the bigger scheme of things, these setbacks could forge you into a true warrior. If you did not pass a gibbush (selection) for an elite unit, learn from your mistakes so you are able to do the next gibbush even better and pass. By being humble, you are grateful for what you have; which in itself builds mental resilience that could help you to overcome any setbacks that lie ahead of you.

3) Give 100%,Never Give Up. Just because you have been setback, that is no excuse to slack off. Remember why you came to serve in the first place, and give it your all and follow through your goals until the end. This shows true character when facing difficult circumstances, showing you're not afraid to struggle through difficult situations is what separates the warriors from the wannabes. Which leads to the crux of the matter, NEVER GIVE UP!!! Show heart, if you have a goal that you will do anything for, fight for it. Don't pull away from your setback, instead use it as a fuel to drive yourself forward and accomplish your mission.

While these points won't guarantee anything, they will help you to cope with difficult circumstances. Furthermore, this advice isn't only for those serving in combat roles, but to all soldiers who face their own challenges and setbacks. To recall what is said in the beginning of this piece, understand that being a warrior is not just a warfighter operating in the most dangerous theaters of war. Rather, a warrior is one with a disciplined mindset. One who embraces adversity rather than faltering from it, and uses that adversity to forge themselves into a better person. Anyone can utilize this warrior-mindset to better themselves. No matter the position, profession or place in life that person is in at the moment. It is up to you to contend with your setbacks, no matter how good or bad the result, it will transform you into a true warrior, in other words, a better human being. Now, after a year and six months of waiting. I finally stand on Har HaQanna’im and received my hard earned Reconnaissance Pin, I feel that I have earned it in the truest sense possible.

Nadav S.

Amat Victoria Curam: Victory Loves Preparation

Physical and mental preparation for the special forces and in general*

My objective here is to give you something to read (whether you'll read it once or once everyday) that will touch on the preparation, discipline and motivation that I believe helped me and could help you to succeed.

(I'll start by saying, if you're seriously injured or mentally ill, you should not draft to combat - no matter how much you want to give of yourself. The army is an intense and demanding experience both physically and psychologically and we can give much more to the world over a lifetime than by jumping into waters too deep and stormy for us to sail and there are many jobs available).

The more prepared we are for challenges the higher our chances of success because you can't prepare for every individual challenge, you can only build foundations and support systems to hold up against even the unexpected. This is true both for physical obstacles as well as mental. When the going gets tough, whether physically or emotionally, if your reaction is to shut down/give up you won't succeed - but if you train yourself to grit your teeth and dig deep, you can build habits that will help you on your path to growth and success.

I learned this lesson about the importance of foundations and the right reactions long before I passed any selection; in the pre-army programs I did, they threw the most creative and toughest challenges our way in order to prepare us and teach us the mindset that would help us overcome any obstacle. When your muscles burn or your skin tears, the pain needs to drive you forward, the mountain should make you want to sprint uphill with a smile and the heaviest sandbag needs to have your name written on it in your mind.

Planning and direction.

If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.

If there's somewhere you want to be; a unit you want to get to or really any goal you have, you can't just drive on any road, you need to plan a specific route. The problem is that sometimes there's no road, so you've got to build one. Have a specific direction and go straight at it. Make a plan that will get you to where you want to be.

Pretty much nothing is impossible - they said it was impossible to put a man on the moon and eventually someone asked why. Whoever answered him probably said something about the atmosphere and he then asked what he'd need to get past it, they then told him rockets and he asked what he'd need for those, and they said scientists and he asked about them and they said he'd have to hire them and he went and did the fundraising and put someone on the moon. The point of that (non-literal) story is that you can break down your goal into bite-sized pieces and get through it. That journey of a thousand miles actually does begin with a single cliche step.

I chose where I wanted to serve, did the research and at every turn Israelis told me why I wouldn't make it. I have every reason they told me written down and I turned those stumbling blocks into my stepping stones. My plan was built according to everything they thought would stop me. I used all my resources to gather information about how to gain the skills I lacked, make up for my weaknesses and breakthrough everything meant to stop me.

Discipline and consistency.

Excellence is not an act, it's a habit.

You have a plan and you know where you're going, now you need to put in the effort to get there. This is the everyday grind, where you put in the real work. Write the words discipline and consistency on your calendar and remind yourself every day of those two principles, they are the foundation for building the right habits. Discipline and consistency mean working every day and pushing your boundaries so that you can go from where you are now to where you want to be. Write down a to-do list and keep a journal so that you can actually see your consistency and work on your discipline. Wake up early to work out every day, train with every training group that offers you assistance prepping and make sure you're eating and resting enough to build your body (at the same time you must stay clear of injury and not push your body too far too fast). I trained three times a week with TSEVET LOHAMIM, even if it meant missing shifts at my job that my boss wanted me to work or travelling an hour or two each way. I also had training partners who could push me to be better at every work out session. I stayed goal-orientated every day.

(To clarify about some main points :

-build relationships with strong-minded friends and mentors

-work out almost every day,

-work on your Hebrew every day

-take care of your body - stretching, sleep and eating and take care of your mind - prayer/meditation, journaling and a support system - all the time)

Failure and success.

If you try you may lose but if you don't try then you've already lost.

You have to shoot your shot or you'll never know how good a marksman you can be. So go to that selection (gibbush), go to every gibbush including the preparation ones, and give your absolute 100% (The only gibbush I didnt come out bleeding from was gibbush matkal). If you don't succeed in reaching your goal, if you faint or fall or don't get picked, then pick yourself back up and give to the country in the best way you can. It’s not over ... ever, even when you want it to be, you need to get up and keep up the fighting spirit. Think about it like this, in all your prepping, you turned your heart into the heart of a warrior and that heart isn't ever going to be okay with failure. So whenever you fall, find a way to get back up.

If you get injured, find a way to heal.

If you get dropped from combat become some kind of instructor.

If you didn't get the unit you wanted, become an officer and better the unit you’re in for everyone else.

If you failed to smile in the last hakpatza remind everyone to smile in the next.

The top of the mountain is the bottom of the next.

The only easy day was yesterday

Real talk, it never gets easier if you keep up that work ethic of discipline and commitment but you get stronger. When you finish yom sayarot you've got gibbush and after gibbush you've got tironut and after that advanced training and when you make it to the end of maslul so you need to train yourself to be stronger and faster and better than you've ever been. None of that disheartens you though, because when you see a steep uphill - you've already trained yourself to smile and lock your eyes onto the peak as you start your sprint. At the top of this mountain is the beginning of the next mountain but don't worry because you are that much more ready for it.

Overcoming challenges

Challenges are what make life interesting.

Overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

Life is full of challenges. The army is one type and studying in university is another.

Choose your battles and challenge yourself every step of the way because that's how you grow.

If you're running up that sanddune and there's someone in front of you, overtake him.

If you're learning Hebrew then learn 3 more words a day than you would have.

If you're coming to a training session have your equipment that much more prepared.

The challenges never stop coming, with the right mentality you can overcome them all because you've built a habit of discipline and consistency and a drive to better yourself and the things around you and you can improve at every occasion.

Personal experiences?

Thank God I've had my own wild ride with the army but I can't really talk about much of it (or I'd have to kill you). Your instructors and fellow lone soldiers though, all have stories and friends with stories and stories of stories and will for sure be able to help.

Don't wait to hear my boring story, go make your own.

Written by Gabriel B.

Smell the roses: Be in the moment

 When I reflect on my days as a combat soldier in the IDF, the culmination of these three years are condensed into a bundle of specific milestones that pop in and out of my head. Now, after almost one year since my release date, I feel as if my career as a soldier was a life time ago. I am now a normal citizen worried about trying to make it in the “real world”. My girlfriend, university marks, work and friends are my main priorities. All things that are centered around me. I am no longer part of a system where everyone is working towards, and fighting to achieve a common goal. Not for financial gain, but for the belief in the importance of the protection of our homeland, and that if we don’t bear arms and protect her, no one else will. The days that I was a combat soldier were undoubtedly the most meaningful of my life and I am sure they will be the same for you.

It’s funny, during those rainy, cold and heavy nights under the stretcher during my maslul (unit training), I would often gaze down at my G-Shock, trying to work out how much time was left until the sun would rise and the suffering would inevitably finish. I think that was a pretty natural feeling and I’m sure 99% of the guys next to me felt the same way. However, what I wish I could have reminded my younger self was that these moments are what life is all about. The moments where you are tested time and again and you have no choice but to meet these challenges head on is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of living. 

From my pre army career, training with Tsevet Lohamim I was always fixated on achieving the next goal. So, at that stage, all I was thinking about was making it into the best unit I could. Training, speaking to mentors and reading about famous IDF battles were the only things I would allow myself to focus on. 

This mindset followed me into the army and continued as I advanced through each phase. First in maslul I was always driven to finish this period to the best of my ability. Once that was accomplished, I was focused on joining the sniper team of my unit. Of course, once this was completed, and similarly to most soldiers nearing the end of their army stints, I was concentrated on my next steps in civilian life post release. 

In saying all of this I believe that determination and goal setting is pivotal in order to succeed in all facets of life. You will certainly need these qualities in order to succeed in the IDF. However, what I am trying to convey by writing this piece is to be mindful and present throughout each of your upcoming endeavours. Keep in mind that the memories and hard times that you will endure will strengthen your character, and stay with you for the rest of your life. And maybe one day, looking back, you’ll be wishing to advise your younger self to stop, be in each moment and enjoy it!

Written by: Josh F.

Hebrew: Your most valuable asset

An important disclaimer
Draftees, if you have an advanced level of spoken Hebrew fluency and a reasonable level of writing/reading fluency, then this blog post is not intended for you.

It's crazy. It’s crazy to think someone could have successful IDF combat service without decent Hebrew. It’s crazy that a guy who wants units like “Seyeret Maktal” or “Duvdevan” can’t order a pita in Hebrew without repeating himself five times or call the internet company to pay a bill and having to press ‘4’ for english. Pure, craziness. 

I can tell you this because I was there. Back in 2015, I was, unbeknownst to me, this crazy guy. I came to this country with absolutely no connections or family here, not much inkling of Israeli culture and most importantly - no Hebrew. I was in a relative minority group of lone soldiers; those who came here with no Israeli DNA, as most lone soldiers are ‘Katinim Hozrim’ or native Israelis. At that even, it still wasn’t as drastic as coming to a foreign country with big dreams yet with none of its national language. You see it so much in Israel you have the illusion of its normalisation but I’m telling you it’s BANANAS! And If I had not put my personal Hebrew development as my #1 daily priority, that would been the most bananas of all. Luckily for me, I sought everything within my power and reach to improve my Hebrew. I took the advice people gave me and ran with it (The advice was “dude, your Hebrew sucks”) and quickly understood how important Hebrew would be for my success rate in the Israel Defense Forces.

As my draft approached, I was committing myself more and more to Hebrew study. Even at that, I could have given more. We always can. Originally, I thought of story-telling about my journey in this post – because it was unique, and people could certainly learn from it. I, like you, was taking huge risks, far more than the average Israeli soldier.  But, I cannot recommend anyone to follow my exact path. Excluding the aforementioned, I will leave my story to your imagination. For this post, my focus is on you. I want to make sure you understand the problem. I already got it. With that, let’s abstract… I present you a story of your hypothetical (and imaginary?) friend ‘Mark…’

Say you had this friend who just graduated college. Mark had freshly been made real estate broker and your dude already killing it flipping multi-family units in California. Big bucks.  So, one day, he gets a call from his boss. His boss offered him a life-changing position pushing more of these multi-family properties. The job would be a lot more intense and would require a lot more work. If he could succeed in this position, he would gain tons of experience, self-respect and establish himself amongst his people. The job would be in Tokyo, Japan. His favourite place in the world. Mark loves and appreciates the Japanese culture more than anyone else. It has always been a dream of his to visit Japan. Now he had the opportunity to live there! Pure adrenaline pumped through his veins and he listened as his boss let him in on one, big ‘catch’. “In order to accept this position, it is mandatory that you learn Japanese within six months.” “What do you mean – learn Japanese? Like I need to study it?” Mark said.  “Mark, I don’t care how. I’ll need you to be able to take and receive orders from me and translate them into Japanese. On your own. The deadline is six months.” the boss made clear. “This is nonnegotiable.” Mark’s great mood took a 180 real quick. His heart sank. Six months wasn’t just a lofty challenge, it was damn near impossible. He reluctantly declined the position, then called you immediately thereafter to explain why. “Bro, how the hell could I move to work with a bunch of Japanese people and not speak Japanese? How would I interact with them even? Hell, I wouldn’t even know how to order my favourite sushi without getting laughed at! And this guy wants, in less than a year, for me to master a professional level of Japanese?! Get a grip Mr. Boss…I’m staying here!”

Anyone would understand why mark had to decline that position. He played the odds and was a realist. Anyone familiar with linguistics wouldn’t bet on him to speak “like a Japanese” within six months. Mark was smart. You are not like Mark. Are you dumb? No, of course not (lol).  What you are is a risk-taker. You are not playing the odds. You certainly don’t have better odds than mark. You are moving to a country in order to sacrifice your freedom and your life to a military system without the ability to speak. If the accomplished and successful Mark wouldn’t go to Japan for something as reasonable as a new white-collar job, what makes you believe you can move to Israel for an intense combat service? Many lone soldiers don’t understand how drastic this measure is. It’s not just one or two - I encounter 100s of lone soldiers that play these same odds a year. 100s of lone soldiers that can’t speak a lick of Hebrew. Too many, frankly. 

You will need to convince a war-fighting machine to trust you enough to be in their ranks, day in and day out for at least three years (or two if you are a woman.) Of course, entirely in Hebrew. You’ll want to understand the jokes and conversations of your teammates while sitting around on base.  You’ll need to understand commands on the battlefield and your level of understanding could seriously influence the success of the mission. Moreover, misunderstanding a radio message could be a matter of life or death. I’m not trying to inject anxiety into your veins. I’m trying to align your (perhaps) subjective view of what could happen to the reality of what could happen. But I wouldn’t write this post if there wasn’t hope for you risk-takers. You can accomplish your dreams. You can do it. But if you’re going to make mark regret playing it safe and beat the odds., you are going to have to work. Study. And do in a fashion you probably never had done before. You’re going to have to prioritise Hebrew more than anything else in your daily regimen. 

If you don’t respect that you are in a precarious position, slack off and go out to the “Shalvata” club when you are supposed to be studying you vocabulary, you will lose in the IDF and you will lose BIG. See, no matter your impressive warrior spirit, no matter how fast, strong or smart you are - in the army, communication is of the upmost importance. It’s so important that you can’t even participate in “Yom Sayarot” (the SF initial selection) without a certain level of Hebrew. It’s so important that the army built a 3 month course for people like you at the “Michve Alon” base. The army ties. But hey, it may not get there all the time. In my opinion, these army courses do not provide a proper education environment for learning fluent Hebrew. So if you are relying on this course and relying on it alone, you are totally doing it wrong. I repeat: Do not rely on Michve Alon.

Now is the time for you to change your habit pattern. Not tomorrow, not later. (If you need to know how to build habits. Start with a podcast or something. A book. Hell, start anywhere – its could be better than what you are doing now.) It’s time to get more organised and more serious.  Day by day. Hour by hour. It’s time to work a little less ‘hard’ at Tsevet Lohamim and a lot more ‘smart.’ 

Start reading the Israeli news (Enough with the Jpost and Ynetnews). Sub to a Israeli podcast. On that note, immerse yourself with Israeli entertainment as a whole – music, TV and movies. Make as many Israeli friends as possible. Stop swiping right on American girls/boys and start going on dates with Israelis!!! I’m serious. The level of obsession for Hebrew improvement must be bone deep. And go through every struggle with pride. Failure, embarrassment and uncomfortable pain for watching deadpan Israeli comedy shows is apart of the process. Just go with it and understand the big picture. Inundate your life with the language now, because Hebrew will give you no choice upon your draft date and beyond. Make stupid, laughable mistakes now, so you won’t in the army.

Yes, it’s as simple as that: Reorder your priority set and live by them - the results you deserve will come.  And of course, make every Tsevet Lohamim session you can. Why is it important for trainers speak to/with you in Hebrew? I wish you the best of luck in your endeavours. If you haven’t thought of Hebrew seriously, then start thinking now… Nothing is more important! If you won’t study now, when will you?

Written by R. Allen