Editing Israel Defense Forces (section)

==Ranks, uniforms and insignia==

=== Ranks ===
{{Main|Israel Defense Forces ranks}}
[[File:Dayan w Kuntila Raid comm.jpg|thumb|Israeli officers of the Paratrooper Battalion 890 in 1955 with [[Moshe Dayan]] (standing, third from the left). [[Ariel Sharon]] is standing, second from the left and commando [[Meir Har Zion]] is standing furthest left. Note the wearing of four pocket tunics by paratroopers and khaki uniforms being worn as a sort of dress uniform.]] Unlike most militaries, the IDF uses the same rank names in all corps, including the air force and navy.

[[File:Milhama1.jpg|thumb|Israeli soldiers coming back from the Second Lebanon war, armed with the [[M4 Carbine]] and the [[IMI Negev]] light [[machinegun]]]]

From the formation of the IDF until the late 1980s, [[sergeant major]] was a particularly important [[warrant officer]] rank, in line with usage in other armies. In the 1980s and 1990s the proliferating ranks of sergeant major became devalued, and now all professional [[non-commissioned officer]] ranks are a variation on sergeant major (''rav samal'') except for ''rav nagad''.

All translations here are the official translations of the IDF's website.<ref name="IDF">{{cite web|url=http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/about/insignia/ranks.htm |title=IDF Ranks |publisher=IDF |access-date=10 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830070254/http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/about/insignia/ranks.htm |archive-date=30 August 2009}}</ref>

'''[[Conscript]]s''' (''Hogrim'') (Conscript ranks may be gained purely on time served)
* [[Private (rank)|Private]] (''Turai'')
* [[Corporal]] (''Rav Turai'') (also called ''rabat''<ref>Pgs 10 & 59, Israeli Defense Forces since 1973, Osprey Elite 8, Samuel Katz, 1986, Osprey Publishing, {{ISBN|978-0-85045-687-5}}</ref>)
* [[Sergeant]] (''Samal'')
* [[First Sergeant]] (''Samal Rishon'')

'''[[Warrant Officer]]s''' (''Nagadim'')
* [[Sergeant First Class]] (''Rav Samal'')
* [[Master Sergeant]] (''Rav Samal Rishon'')
* [[Sergeant Major]] (''Rav Samal Mitkadem'')
* [[Warrant Officer]] (''Rav Samal Bakhir'')
* [[Master Warrant Officer]] (''Rav Nagad Mishneh'')
* [[Chief Warrant Officer]] (''Rav Nagad'')

'''Academic officers''' (''Ktzinim Akadema'im'')
* Professional Academic Officer (''Katzin Miktzo'i Akadema'i'')
* Senior Academic Officer (''Katzin Akadema'i Bakhir'')

'''[[Officer (armed forces)|Officers]]''' (''Ktzinim'')
* [[Second Lieutenant]] (''Segen Mishneh'') [1951–Present]
* [[Lieutenant]] (''Segen'')
* [[Captain (OF-2)|Captain]] (''Seren'')
* [[Major (rank)|Major]] (''Rav Seren'')
* [[Lieutenant Colonel]] (''Sgan Aluf'')
* [[Colonel]] (''Aluf Mishneh'') [1950–Present]
* [[Brigadier General]] (''Tat Aluf'') [1968–Present]
* [[Major General]] (''[[Aluf]]'') [1948–Present]
* [[Lieutenant General]] (''Rav Aluf'')

=== Uniforms ===
[[File:Idf-uniform-en.png|thumb|IDF uniform colors]]
[[File:Israeli Honor Guards stand at attention 01.jpg|thumb|IDF female Military Police wearing skirts with their white caps and belts]]
[[File:Spike_LR_3.jpg|thumb|Female IDF corporal with the [[Spike (missile)|Spike missile]] launcher, wearing the golden-olive Madei Alef uniform]]
The Israel Defense Forces has several types of uniforms:
* [[Service dress]] (מדי אלף ''Madei Alef'' – Uniform "A")&nbsp;– the everyday uniform, worn by everybody.
* [[battledress|Field dress]] (מדי ב ''Madei Bet'' – Uniform "B")&nbsp;– worn into combat, training, work on base.
The first two resemble each other but the Madei Alef is made of higher quality materials in a golden olive while the madei bet is in [[olive drab]].<ref>Israeli Defence Forces since 1973, Osprey – Elite Series #8, Sam Katz 1986, ISNC 0-85045-887-8</ref><ref name="historama.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.historama.com/online-resources/history-collecting-resources/militaria/idf_israel_defense_forces_militaria_guide.html#Uniforms |title=Guide to Israeli Militaria, Insignia, Badges, Uniforms & Unit Formations at Historama.com &#124; The Online History Shop |publisher=Historama.com |date=2 August 1945 |access-date=3 August 2014 |archive-date=4 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804024615/http://www.historama.com/online-resources/history-collecting-resources/militaria/idf_israel_defense_forces_militaria_guide.html#Uniforms |url-status=live }}</ref> The dress uniforms may also exhibit a surface shine<ref name="historama.com"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://garinmahal.com/your-first-day-in-the-idf|title=GarinMahal – Your first day in the IDF|access-date=8 March 2016|archive-date=16 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151116033711/http://garinmahal.com/your-first-day-in-the-idf|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Officers / Ceremonial dress (מדי שרד ''madei srad'')&nbsp;– worn by officers, or during special events/ceremonies.
* [[Dress uniform]] and [[mess dress]]&nbsp;– worn only abroad. Several dress uniforms are depending on the season and the branch.

The service uniform for all ground forces personnel is [[olive green]]; navy and air force uniforms are [[beige]]/[[Tan (color)|tan]] (also once worn by the ground forces). The uniforms consist of a two-pocket shirt, [[combat trousers]], [[sweater]], jacket or blouse, and shoes or boots. The navy also has an all-white dress uniform. The green fatigues are the same for winter and summer and heavy winter gear is issued as needed. Women's dress parallels the men's but may substitute a skirt for trousers and a blouse for a shirt.

Headgear included a service cap for dress and semi-dress and a [[field cap]] or [[Boonie hat|"Kova raful" bush hat]] worn with fatigues. Many IDF personnel once wore the [[Tembel hat|tembel]] as a field hat. IDF personnel generally wear [[beret]]s instead of the service cap and there are many beret colours issued to IDF personnel. [[Paratroopers Brigade|Paratroopers]] are issued a maroon beret, [[Golani Brigade|Golani]] brown, [[Givati Brigade|Givati]] purple, [[Nahal Brigade|Nahal]] lime green, [[Kfir Brigade|Kfir]] camouflage, Combat Engineers grey, navy blue for IDF Naval and dark grey for IDF Air Force personnel.

In combat uniforms, the [[Orlite helmet]] has replaced the British [[Brodie helmet|Brodie helmet Mark II/Mark III]], [[RAC helmet|RAC Mk II modified helmet with chin web jump harness]] (used by [[Paratroopers Brigade|paratroopers]] and similar to the [[Helmet Steel Airborne Troop|HSAT Mk II/Mk III paratrooper helmet]]s),<ref>Katz & Volstad, ''Israeli Elite Units since 1948'' (1988), pp. 53–54; 56.</ref> US [[M1 helmet]],<ref>Katz & Volstad, ''Israeli Elite Units since 1948'' (1988), pp. 54–55; 57–59.</ref> and French [[Modèle 1951 helmet]] – previously worn by Israeli infantry and airborne troops from the late 1940s to the mid-1970s and early 1980s.<ref>Katz & Volstad, ''Israeli Elite Units since 1948'' (1988), p. 60.</ref>

Some corps or units have small variations in their uniforms&nbsp;– for instance, [[Military Police Corps (Israel)|military police]] wear a white belt and [[Peaked cap|police hat]], Naval personnel have dress whites for parades, paratroopers are issued a four pocket tunic (yarkit/yerkit) worn untucked with a pistol belt cinched tight around the waist over the shirt.<ref name="auto2">{{cite web |url=https://www.idf.il/en/minisites/paratroopers-brigade/ |title=Paratroopers Brigade |publisher=Israeli Defense Forces |access-date=16 May 2022 |archive-date=6 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706185711/https://www.idf.il/en/minisites/paratroopers-brigade/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The IDF Air Corps has a dress uniform consisting of a pale blue shirt with dark blue trousers.

Most IDF soldiers are issued black leather [[combat boots]], certain units issue [[Russet (color)|reddish-brown]] leather boots for historical reasons&nbsp;— the paratroopers,<ref name="auto2"/> combat medics, Nahal and Kfir Brigades, as well as some [[Israeli special forces units|Special Forces units]] ([[Sayeret Matkal]], [[Unit Oketz|Oketz]], [[Duvdevan Unit|Duvdevan]], [[Maglan]], and the Counter-Terror School). Women were also formerly issued [[Sandal (footwear)|sandal]]s, but this practice has ceased.

=== Insignia ===
{{Main|Israel Defense Forces insignia}}
IDF soldiers have three types of insignia (other than rank insignia) which identify their corps, specific unit, and position. A [[Israel Defense Forces insignia#Beret pins|pin attached to the beret]] identifies a soldier's corps. Individual units are identified by a shoulder tag attached to the left [[shoulder strap]]. The position/job of a soldier can then be identified by an [[aiguillette]] attached to the left shoulder strap and shirt pocket, and a pin indicating the soldier's work type.