The system is built around a 3 year period of service. The officer selection is based on something called Kaba (quality) scores, that is based on your life before the army from school work, family history and psychological examinations on joining. It is notable that almost all successful IDF officers have very high Kaba scores. This is the bit everyone misses.
You are selected as a potential officer before you get into uniform. If you want to be an officer, you have to serve longer, be more committed and smarter than everyone else - and prove it constantly. Only the highest scoring candidates from the NCO school, make it to Officer School. The IDF system is essentially based on selecting officers, not just training them.
By all accounts things are less brutal than they used to be, but it's still very tough.
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