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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
IDF aims to recruit 500 soldiers with autism by end of 2022
2021-11-09
[JPost] The IDF Manpower Directorate’s "Titkadmu" program is opening the military's doors to teens on the autistic spectrum with a unique approach pioneered by Cpt. Udi Heller.

After years of exempting them from serving in the Israeli military, the IDF is aiming to recruit some 500 soldiers on the autism spectrum by the end of next year.

The future soldiers will join the army as part of the IDF’s Manpower Directorate’s TITKADMU program which recruits autistics into the military.

“Today there are 52 soldiers with autism in the program, and by the end of December, we will have 70. By the end of 2022 there will be over 500,” said Capt. Udi Heller.

Heller, the highest-ranking soldier with autism in the IDF, initiated the program which he says gives hope to the thousands of autistics in Israel.

According to Heller, there’s been an 18% increase year-by-year of those diagnosed with autism in Israel’s education system; 19,500 diagnosed in 2019, 27,300 in 2020, and some 32,000 this year.
That sounds more like evaluators getting better at recognizing the symptoms than an actual increase of sufferers year over year.
And with all those young people diagnosed with autism in the education system, “there’s no reason why there can’t be 10,000-15,000 with autism in the army. We want thousands of recruits with autism to serve in the IDF, it’s not a military of only geniuses,” Heller said.

Israel didn’t recognize autism as a medical disorder for years and the first diagnosed soldier with autism volunteered in 2006. Other than TITKADMU, there are currently some 200 other people with autism volunteering through other organizations and programs like Ro’im Rachok (Hebrew for “seeing into the future”) that helps students on the spectrum prepare for military service.

TIKTAKDMU builds a special track for volunteers with autism who spend six weeks along with specialized mentors who help them integrate into military life and who accompany them throughout their service. During the six weeks, the mentors also meet with the families of the cadets in order to learn more about them.
Related:
Autism spectrum: 2020-06-27 Teenager, 18, who threw boy, 6, from 100ft Tate Modern balcony is jailed for life as judge brands him 'a danger to the public' who 'intended to kill' victim
Autism spectrum: 2019-12-20 Boy, 6, thrown from gallery balcony, starts to speak again
Autism spectrum: 2019-10-05 Wimauma Woman Found With 24 Pipe Bombs, Instructions, Manifestos
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