IDF unit — Unit 669 (יחידה 669, Air Force airborne combat search and rescue): role, gibush, profile, paramedic training, extra service, women, olim

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_669; https://garinmahal.com/gibushim-tryouts; https://draftidf.co.il/units/ · 2026-09

What it is

Unit 669 is the Israeli Air Force’s heliborne combat search-and-rescue (CSAR) and medical-evacuation unit, founded in 1974 (7th Wing). Its operators fly on helicopters into hostile territory to extract wounded soldiers and civilians, rescue downed aircrew, and provide advanced medical care in the field; they also rescue civilians at sea and in disasters. Every operator is a trained paramedic. Since October 2023 it has carried out thousands of evacuations.

Requirements

• Medical profile: 97 in practice (published 82–97).
• Kaba / DAPAR: high; the unit also screens for composure and medical aptitude.
• Hebrew: near-native — medical work under fire is done in Hebrew.
• Gibush: Yom Sayerot, then the shared Gibush Matkal (4–5 days, April and November) with Sayeret Matkal and Shaldag.
• Gender: historically men only; the first two women passed selection in December 2023, and the unit is now open to female candidates who meet the same standards.

Training

About 18 months: infantry basic and advanced training, parachuting, a full military paramedic course, combat and CT training, scuba and high-angle (rope/cliff) rescue, helicopter insertion and extraction, and advanced solo navigation. Training is estimated to cost about one million shekels per operator.

Service length

Conscription plus a mandatory ~18 months of keva — about 4.5 years in total, in exchange for the paramedic certification. Confirm current terms at the gibush.

For olim

• Requirements mirror Matkal/Shaldag (97, high Hebrew, extra years). Olim who need Michve Alon are not invited to Yom Sayerot.
• 669 is attractive to olim planning a medical career: the paramedic certification is recognised in Israel and useful abroad.
• NBN’s Lone Soldiers Program can submit a screening request (army@nbn.org.il).
• If 669 is out of reach and you want medicine in the army: every combat brigade trains combat medics (chovesh kravi) from its own soldiers after basic training — no gibush, profile 82 — and the Medical Corps runs a separate paramedic course for selected soldiers. Ask about these at the placement interview.

669 vs Matkal vs Shaldag

Same gibush. 669 = rescue and medevac (paramedic operators). Matkal = General Staff reconnaissance and direct action. Shaldag = Air Force ground commandos (targeting, airfields).

Contacts

• Meitav: 1111 · Mitgaisim: mitgaisim.idf.il
• NBN Lone Soldiers Program: army@nbn.org.il, 02-659-5800