Because he can: The brigade commander used his authority - and the fighters in Gaza and Lebanon are furious: "The IDF 'cheated' them"
About 20 soldiers from Battalion 601 are complaining against the commander of the 401st Brigade, Colonel Schneider, who cut their accumulated vacation days during three years of fighting in Gaza and Lebanon. The brigade commander used a clause in IDF General Staff orders allowing an officer of his rank to declare a special operational need and cancel leave. The Personnel Directorate criticizes the decision, while the IDF defends it on operational grounds.
About 20 soldiers from the Combat Engineering Corps' Battalion 601, who remained in the battalion from the March 2024 draft after approximately three years of fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, are furious at the commander of the 401st Brigade, Colonel Schneider, for cutting their accumulated vacation days. According to orders, each soldier is entitled to 17 vacation days per year, and due to the war, unused days were allowed to be carried over to 2026. The brigade commander used a clause in IDF General Staff orders allowing a colonel to declare a special operational need and cancel leave. While the Golani Brigade and the brigade's armored battalions granted soldiers most of their days, Battalion 601's commander granted only 14 days of General Staff release leave and canceled 19-25 additional days. The brigade commander approved only five extra days. The Personnel Directorate contacted the brigade commander to understand the decision and was dissatisfied with the position presented. The soldiers' parents called on senior command levels to act against the brigade commander and stop the discriminatory move. The IDF Spokesperson's response defends the decision on operational grounds.