IDF Elite Units Compete in Revamped 'Rosh Hetz' Combat Fitness Test at Wingate Base
Dozens of fighters from Israel Defense Forces elite reconnaissance units, including Paratroopers, Givati, Golani, Nahal, Kfir, LOTAR, and the Multidimensional Unit (Ravmad), gathered at Wingate Base for the challenging "Rosh Hetz" test. This exam, marking the final stage before deployment, returned after a three-year hiatus with a new combat-oriented format.
The traditional 3-kilometer flat run was replaced by a 2-kilometer team run through difficult terrain of forest and sand dunes, with each soldier carrying an additional 20 kilograms plus a shared stretcher. Physical fitness stations were substituted with a shooting range under extreme physical exertion. The second half of the day focused on hand-to-hand combat, divided into two phases: operational scenarios involving weapon snatching and aggressive attackers, followed by direct hand and foot fighting lasting up to two minutes.
Major M., head of doctrine and research at the Combat Fitness Division, explained that these changes stem from lessons learned in prolonged combat, aiming to better simulate battlefield conditions. Colonel (res.) Avi Dahan, commander of the Combat Fitness Division, emphasized the test's ability to assess physical and mental resilience, leadership, and team cohesion under pressure.
Final scores combined run times, shooting accuracy, and hand-to-hand combat points. The overall winners were the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit, followed by Givati and the School for Combat and LOTAR units. The team run was led by Paratroopers, Givati, and the School for Combat and LOTAR, while the shooting test was topped by Kfir's Haruv Unit, Paratroopers, and Givati. The hand-to-hand combat category was won by the School for Combat and LOTAR, with Nahal and Kfir's Haruv Unit placing second and third.
This competition is the first of several tests planned over the coming month to further evaluate the spearhead soldiers' capabilities, focusing on urban warfare, breaching skills, varied shooting ranges, and operational navigation.
