Today (Wednesday), the 189th Israeli Air Force (IAF) Pilots Course Graduation Ceremony took place at the Air Force Museum on the “Hatzerim” Air Force base, during which graduates of the course received their flight wing insignias and were awarded officer ranks. 36 combat aircrew will join the ranks of the IAF starting today, will constitute the operational and strategic spearhead of the IDF and will lead the IAF’s missions in the upcoming years.
The ceremony was held in the presence of the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi, the Commanding Officer of the Israeli Air Force, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, other commanders, and the families of the graduates. Families of three soldiers who began their service in Course 189 and fell during the war – Second Lieutenant Shachar Ben Nun, Staff Sergeant Ilay David Garfinkel, and Staff Sergeant Alon Kodriashov, may their memories be a blessing – were also invited to the ceremony.
The graduation ceremony was held following the conclusion of the three-year long IAF Pilots Course, during which the cadets were trained as combat officers and graduated with a degree from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
The ceremony took place during the war, in which the aerial dimension plays a significant and central role in maintaining the security of Israel’s citizens, both in defense and offense.
Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi, said at the ceremony, “Let Iran, its proxies and the entire Middle East know, that anyone who attempts to undermine the stability and security of the State of Israel, the IDF will stand firm against them, ready to strike at any time and in any place.”
“The essence of command is learning, carried out through honest inquiries and examinations. The IDF is maintaining a complex and extensive system of inquiries across all branches and departments. We did not wait and began conducting inquiries and examinations from the third month of the war, something that had not occurred in any previous war. The inquiries and examinations must be thorough and truthful. This is our duty to the fallen soldiers and their families, to the families of the hostages, to the political echelon, to the public as a whole, and it is our duty to ourselves— it is our only way to improve and learn.
“I know that in the order of priorities, achieving victory in the war stands first. The IDF has been examining itself since its establishment, but operational inquiries and examinations do not replace or contradict external examination bodies. The IDF will cooperate with any external examination mechanism decided upon.
“Dear graduates of the course, the officer ranks you received today are placed on your shoulders, where the seatbelt of the pilot’s chair is fastened, and where you will feel the weight of your responsibility. A few moments ago, you were awarded your flight wing insignias and officer ranks. Use them wisely – lead with courage and determination, lead with humility and values,” Halevi said.
The Commanding Officer of the Israeli Air Force, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, said, “We took off from the inferno and pain of October 7th, lifted our heads, and soared with all the security branches to uproot Hamas in Gaza, strike Hezbollah in the north, to defend from and attack Iran, and its proxies—foremost among the Axis of Evil. Thanks to the performance of the Air Force personnel, today we fly in the skies of the Middle East with full superiority. We have struck the Houthis in Yemen three times and will continue to escalate the pace and intensity of our strikes as needed.”
“Dear graduates, your patience has paid off. Starting tomorrow, it will be you who will bear the burden and you will be granted the great privilege to strike, gather intelligence, assist, and defend,” Bar said.
