Israel army recruits soldiers with Autism under specialised scheme

Tel Aviv: Israel military has reportedly recruited some 200 people with high-functioning autism as part of a special recruitment scheme called Titkadmu (Move Forwards).

The scheme was launched in July, 2021 under which people with Autism are recruited and offered admin and coordination positions.

The forces have also created a specific software created for military members with autism.

Soldier Nathan Saada, one such soldier posted at an army post in Tel Aviv told media: “Because military duty is valued in Israel, I decided to enlist. Every teenager needs to do it, and I too wanted to have this experience.”

Saada spoke while proudly displaying a Titkadmu emblem on his khaki outfit.

Saada, a resident of the northern city of Haifa, stated, “I have obligations; people depend on me.”

Most Israelis over the age of 18 are required to serve in the military, with men serving for 32 months and women serving for two years.

The ultra-Orthodox Jews, who make up approximately 13% of the population, and Arab-Israelis, who make up around 20% of the population, are automatically exempted from the scheme.

Service in the military is a requirement for individuals who enlist. Israel, which has fought wars with all of its neighbours since becoming a state in 1948, places a strong emphasis on its military.

Even though they have been accepted for short courses since 2008, people with autism are not required to serve in the military.

According to Brigadier-General Amir Vadmani of the military’s human resources division, not many people joined for years.

With the founding of Titkadmu, the idea of an officer with autism, that situation changed.

Aside from combat units, said Vadmani, “you’ll find them in all the departments. In the air force, the navy, the
ground forces, in the intelligence unit, everywhere”.

According to him, autistic soldiers are a tremendous asset to the military and have a lot of potential. “These young people want to demonstrate that they are just like everyone else and that they can succeed.”

Because there are more people being diagnosed with autism, according to Vadmani, it is crucial to integrate them into the military.

The Israeli Society for Children and Adults with Autism (ALUT) reports that diagnoses are rising on average by 13% a year.

According to ALUT spokesman Lital Porat, this is partially because the requirements have been expanded.

According to the organisation, autism will be identified in one out of every 78 kids in Israel. In comparison, the World Health Organization estimates that one in 100 children worldwide suffer from this condition.

According to Porat, those who have autism can gain from serving in the military since it offers “a framework which
prepares them to lead a life as autonomous as feasible.”

In accordance with the Titkadmu initiative, the military modified its training procedures and established a support system.

Every week, Liri Shahar, a fellow soldier assigned to follow up with the army’s “special” organisations, pays Saada a visit at his post.

Shahar, 19, who acts as a middleman between Saada and his commander, stated, “We tell one other how the week went, if anything noteworthy happened. “We discuss everything,”

Saada claimed he was diagnosed at the age of four and has occasionally trouble communicating and interacting with others.

“Having someone I can turn to, who can counsel me and help me, helps me a lot,” he stated.

Vadmani claimed that even though the Titkadmu programme is still young, it has long-term objectives for the recruits.

By utilising the talents they have gained during their service, he explained, “the aim is to help them integrate into the labour market.”

When Saada is released the following year, he already has specific goals for his life outside of the base.

He smiled and replied, “I’d love to be a filmmaker. I’ve already produced a number of screenplays.

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