The Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday its intention to significantly raise the pay grade of soldiers currently completing their compulsory service. The Israel Defense Forces has three general types of service: desk jobs, filled by soldiers known as "jobniks"; combat support roles; and combat roles. According to the new plan, combat troops will receive a monthly salary of 1,035 shekels ($267) during their first year, 1,500 shekels ($387) their second year, and 2,200 shekels ($568) during their third year of service. Combat troops currently receive around 700 shekels ($180). During their three years of service, combat support personnel will receive a monthly salary of 753 shekels ($195), 1,100 shekels ($284) and 1,600 shekels ($413), respectively. Those working desk jobs in the IDF will be paid 520 shekels ($134) monthly during their first year, 700 shekels ($181) during the second year, and 1,000 shekels ($258) during their third and final year of compulsory service. While the "jobniks'" pay raise is less dramatic than the combat-orientated positions, it is still a significant improvement over their current salary which totals around 350 shekels ($90) and stays the same for the entire duration of their compulsory service. The new proposal, spearheaded by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, is meant to be integrated in the future into another bill proposed by Barak regarding the military enlistment of the general population. The enlistment bill is meant to replace the soon-to-expire Tal Law which grants a wholesale exemption from military service for the ultra-Orthodox population. Barak's plan makes a distinction between combat and non-combat personnel, giving the former more benefits yet still providing a significant improvement in conditions for those serving in non-combat roles. The majority of the funding for the plan, which is approximated at 1.6 billion shekels ($413.2 million), will come from within the Defense Ministry. Half of the required funds will be provided by the current military salary budget, while the rest will be paid for by making a minor reduction in the stipends given to soldiers after they are released and to benefits that are currently not being fully utilized. "The raise will be a fitting reward for those taking greater risks and responsibilities in their military service," Barak said. The Finance Ministry however, had a less enthusiastic message. "It is absurd, where will this money come from? The defense establishment says it has no money for training its reserves but then suddenly they want to spend half a billion shekels to raise IDF soldiers' salaries. They have no clue where the money will come from, it's absurd," a source from the Finance Ministry said.
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שיתוף כתבה
Combat soldiers to get higher raise than other troops
Soldiers would receive an annual raise to their monthly salaries, and by the third year would receive sums that are nearly triple their current pay grade • Finance Ministry: The Defense Ministry has no idea where the money to pay for it will come from.