Lt. Gen. Rafael Eitan (1978-1983)

Lt. Gen. Rafael Eitan

Born in 1929 in a community in northern Israel, Eitan began his impressive military career at the age of 16 as part of the Palmach. Eitan helped to found the IDF’s Paratroopers Brigade, and in 1956 served as the Commander of the Echis Paratrooper Battalion 890 in its historic landing in the Sinai Campaign. Rising through the ranks, Eitan was promoted to Commander of the Paratroopers Brigade, Chief of the Northern Command, and eventually the IDF Chief of the General Staff.

In April 1974, shortly after being appointed Northern Command Chief, Eitan commanded a military operation that led to the capture of a highly important strategic location – the peak of Mount Hermon. Mt. Hermon stands at over 2,000 meters high, and this battle proved to be one of the most challenging and strategically important in the IDF’s history.

As Chief of the General Staff, Rafael Eitan (Raful) established the unique Talpiot program. Talpiot uses the extraordinary minds of Israel’s brightest youth for developing ground-breaking technology. These recruits, who undergo many tests to qualify for the program, complete a bachelor's degree at the Hebrew University, while studying special subjects that link the IDF with the latest scientific developments. After completing 40 months of schooling and training, the graduates receive officer ranks and are integrated into the various development and research units of the IDF.

In 1979, Lt. Gen. Eitan established the visionary IDF Center for Promoting Special Populations. The Center provides teens coming from difficult backgrounds with the opportunity to turn their lives around through a meaningful IDF service. He understood that military service was often the last chance for many teens to pursue a higher education and thus a more successful future. Approximately 1,200 new recruits enter the project each year. 90 percent of the recruits complete the program and go on to serve in different roles in the IDF. 75 percent serve the full mandatory three years, while 10 percent serve in combat units.

Lt. Gen. Rafael Eitan followed the values of human dignity, respect and discipline, and instilled these values in all his soldiers. Until today, the IDF’s Officers’ Training School honors the former Chief of the General Staff by wearing berets while on base, similar to the military dress code for career soldiers.