New IDF guidelines: HIV carriers, cancer survivors can enlist

The IDF has changed its medical recruitment guidelines to be more inclusive.  

By Jack Gold, World Israel News

The IDF will allow inductees who have recovered from cancer five years prior to their recruitment to enlist in combat units, and will begin to enlist HIV carries as well, Israel Hayom reported Sunday.

The number of potential of recruits for combat units following this change is about 100 per year.

Cancer survivors would receive a combat profile of 72 (the top profile is 97). The Army stressed that the 72 combat profile will not be automatic, but contingent on recruits’ recovery and medical examinations.

This change to the IDF’s profile book is the most significant since 2005 and will take effect next month. The revision comes after two years of intensive work in the IDF Medical Corps.

The IDF explained to Israel Hayom that the objective of the change is “to place the right person in the right place in the IDF, in a way that the person himself will not be harmed, and the job will be done in an optimal way.”

Another significant change concerns HIV carriers who have until now been exempted from military service. Upon their release, the IDF would offer them the option of volunteering. After the change, they will be recruited by law and will be assigned a low non-combat profile of 45. In total, 10-15 are expected to join the IDF under this provision.

The IDF explained that HIV carriers will receive a non-combat profile, since they must take medication regularly, and at this stage, the army cannot guarantee their steady supply in combat situations, for example, if they cross enemy lines in a war.

Another change to the profile book is the army’s reference to the inductees’ weight, and the accepted definitions of BMI will be incorporated by the army.

According to the new definitions, some who are overweight who have previously joined combat units with a top profile of 97 will receive from now on the profile of 72, which enables them to join some, but not all, combat units, with the intention of preventing them from dropping out of service.

The Israel Aids Task Force welcomed the change in policy “that will help eradicate the existing stigma towards HIV carriers in society in general, and in the army in particular.”

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