Reporter’s Notebook: “The Man in the Tank will Succeed”.

Reporter’s Notebook: “Ha'adam she'Ba Tank Ye'na'tzeah” - “The Man in the Tank will Succeed”.

At first glance, I didn’t fully understand the meaning behind the Armored Corps’ slogan “the man in the tank will succeed.” That all changed when I traveled down “Shizafon” IDF Base in southern Israel where the Armored Corps are stationed. I witnessed firsthand the immense firepower of a tank and its maneuverability in the desert.

The 460th Brigade is a vital part of the IDF Armored Corps, and has been on the frontline of many Israel’s major wars. I joined a drill of the Armored Corps’ Shelach Battalion, in which the soldiers in training were learning how to operate the Merkava Mark IV tank.

I was introduced to a combat soldier Cpl. Ohad from Givat Shmuel who enlisted in March into the army and is now in the middle of his advanced training. Ohad explained that the tank crew is made up of four positions: the commander, loader, shooter and driver. Each job is different and plays a crucial role in operating the tank. 

Pictured is Cpl. Ohad

After a thorough safety briefing with the platoon commander, CPT Itai, we entered the tank. “As a driver, I am in charge of every movement the tank makes. Every slight touch on the gas or brake is going to affect my fellow soldier in some way. I always have my friends in mind when I make any sort of movement while doing everything I can to stay away from enemy fire when needed.”

Despite the compact space, these soldiers were still seen together in their free time, laughing and bonding. I was intrigued by this and asked CPT Itai about how being in such a small space plays a role with his soldiers. 

“The friendship we share is truly different from anything I have experienced before. We spend every waking moment together, side to side, inside and outside the tank. Because of these unique circumstances that we find ourselves in, we are not only friends, we are brothers who take responsibility for one another.”

After this experience at the Shizafon base, I understand that it is not just the soldier in the tank that will win, but the responsibility and teamwork of the soldiers together.