The Israel Defense Forces on Monday announced a series of senior staff appointments, including Col. Meirav Kirshner, who will be promoted to the rank of brigadier-general and will serve as head of the Planning Brigade and Manpower Administration in the army's Manpower Directorate. Kirshner has been serving as commander of the Manpower Directorate's Data Systems, Planning and Control Department. She will be the fourth female officer in the IDF to reach the rank of brigadier-general, and will join the chief military censor Brig. Gen. Sima Vaknin-Gil; the head of the Manpower Directorate's Staff Department Brig. Gen. Michal Ben-Muvhar; and the IDF's women's issues advisor, Brig. Gen. Rachel Tevet-Wiesel. The head of the army's Manpower Directorate, Maj. Gen. Orna Barbivai, is the IDF's highest-ranking woman ever. In other appointments, Col. Yaakov Banjo will be promoted to the rank of brigadier-general and will serve as commander of the 319th Reserve Division. Col. Einav Shalev, formerly the Armored Corps 401st Brigade commander, will now be the head of the Infantry Corps at GOC Army headquarters. Col. Yehuda Fuchs will become a brigadier-general and serve as chief infantry and paratroopers officer. Brig. Gen. Tal Kelman will be appointed next chief of Air Staff Group in the Israel Air Force. Brig. Gen. Eli Sharvit will be appointed next head of Navy Staff Group.
