[quote=Stan187;491384]The 25% figure is way overblown. At least 10-15% of those are ultra-orthodox who legally wiggle out of serving. Of the other 10-15%, many are women who get shortened army assigments anyway.[quote]
You didn't read the article. From the first link
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Army statistics show the number of young people who do not enlist for military service has crept up in recent years to more than one in four men in 2007 and more than 43 per cent of women.
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Suprising Statistics
More people are requesting combat positions, especially in Golani, which is THE reg-force infantry brigade assigned to northern command, and which took some real hits during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon War. It seems that the population is more sold on the cause against Hizballah than you think, Sir, otherwise they would volunteer for central or southern command brigades.
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A 4% increase isn't an indication that the population is sold on the cause.
After seeing how people volunteer to go on deployments as soon as a MEU does a real world mission, I'm surprised that the number isn't much higher. Its more of the "If I'm going to be in the Army, I want to do something, See some action" response of a young male than anything else. Young male testosterone and peer pressure of not wanting to have the people think I wasn't as tough as them. Or couldn't measure up.
I think if you poll all us old military types, especially the combat arms ones, we would just about all say "Been there, Done that."
