IDF soldiers and ‘frequent fighter points’

It is no secret that the Gaza War is having a profound and devastating impact on families and relationships. The prolonged nature of this relentless war has created deep psychological and interpersonal challenges for a vast number of soldiers who have served for nearly two years.

In the face of this, I recently became aware of an IDF initiative that aims to ease this toll by rewarding reservists who have served extended tours of duty with what I have come to call “frequent fighter points”. These vouchers, which can be used at hotels, restaurants, concerts, spas and movie theatres, serve a dual purpose: to honour the soldiers for their immense service during this harrowing war, and to mitigate the economic damage the war has caused to the tourist sector.

There are currently around 170,000 active personnel in the IDF and 465,000 reservists. After regular service, soldiers remain in the reserves until the age of 40. In peacetime, they serve one month each year, but due to the extraordinary demands of this war – the longest and most complex Israel has faced – the army has relied heavily on its reservists.

“Regular” soldiers simply cannot meet the massive resource demands, and so reservists have been called on for hundreds of days. Even those older than 40 have volunteered to serve.

Many of these reservists are not young, single men. They are parents with young families, and many have spent little to no time at home with their children since October 7, 2023. Some have left behind newborns or toddlers they barely know. The emotional toll of this separation has deeply affected marriages, relationships and family life as a whole.