Nahal Brigade

Nahal Brigade

The Nahal Infantry brigade was formed in 1982 due to the growing need for infantry manpower in the wake of the 1982 Lebanon War. Nahal brigade soldiers are distinguished by their light green berets, which earned them the nickname "sticklights" (Hebrew for glowsticks). The brigade is composed of 4 active-duty brigades: 931, 932, 50, and a special forces battalion.

The 50th Battalion has a unique makeup. Two thirds of its companies are made up of groups that spend a year running programs in lower socio-economic communities before being drafted to the army, followed by a year and a half of training, serving in the same manner as other infantry units, another year of community service and a final ten months of infantry service. In 2010 Nahal soldiers from the 50th Battalion produced IDF Tick Tock, a viral video of themselves dancing as a flash mob in the streets of Hebron.

The other third of the 50th battalion, including the battalion's veteran combat companies, are made of Bnei Meshakim LePikud, nicknamed Mishkonim. The Mishkonim are youths from kibbutzim and moshavim, who, pass a two-day gibush (selection phase) prior to being drafted. After their initial training, they are sent, most often within the first year, to Command Sergeants' School. As a continuation of 50th Battalion tradition, they also complete a paratrooper course after their advanced infantry training.

A fourth Nahal battalion, the Gadsar (Reconnaissance battalion), was created in the early 1990s to serve as a special forces detachment for the brigade. Soldiers wishing to serve in this elite battalion must pass a three-day gibush, or tryout, after which they are dispersed into specialized training programs for each of the three companies that make up the battalion: the Palsar (Reconnaissance Company), the Palnat (Anti-Tank Company, commonly known as the Orev company), and the Palhan (Engineering and Explosives Company). Soldiers in this battalion undergo an additional 8 months of training in krav maga, urban combat, navigation, camouflage, parachuting and other specialized courses. During periods of low intensity conflict, the companies are tasked with capturing enemies of the state and serve as counter-terrorism forces, raiding terrorist homes and hideouts. Gadsar Nahal won the IDF Chief of Staff prize in 2010 for best land combat unit.