The IDF Comptroller report of Brig. Gen. (res.) Racheli Tevet Wiesel was released on Monday morning with an unexpected spin, saying that many categories of complaints went down as the current war progressed.
According to the report, the complaints reported in the media about reservists lacking sufficient protective vests, ammunition, food, water, bomb shelters, and other items were all received by the IDF comptroller.
Likewise, there was a high number of complaints about insufficient mental health assistance for soldiers.
However, the comptroller said that overall complaints for mental health went down over the course of the war as the IDF massively increased the number of professionals involved.
Many supply shortage issues were solved
Further, the comptroller said she helped intervene and solve many of the reservists’ supply shortages issues.
Generally, the report said that the 5,749 complaints filed in 2023 represented a 5% decrease compared to 2022, with 54% of them being found to be valid.
However, if the number of mandatory service soldier complaints dropped by 22% since 2022, the number of reservist complaints at 712, was a jump of 30% compared to last year.
Specifically, reservist complaints went up by 265% from October 7 to December 21 of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
Individual stories in the report relate to soldiers not having bomb shelters when attacked by rockets or being told by commanders that they had to remain at their posts rather than go to bomb shelters.
Ultimately, the comptroller and the relevant commanders clarified to mid-level commanders that this violated IDF regulations and that soldiers were directed to evacuate to bomb shelters when under rocket attack.
It is still unclear how quickly and efficiently the missing equipment needs of reservists were filled, though top IDF sources previously told The Jerusalem Post that shortages were solved speedily for frontline combat fighters, and more slowly for soldiers in rear defense guard positions.