“What’s most important is being a combat soldier & contributing to the state,” (of Israel) says 25 yr-old Alisa Sheldon of the IDF’s Lions of the Jordan Valley Battalion.
By Danny Brenner
For 10 years, Alisa Sheldon couldn’t shake her dream of moving to Israel and serving in the IDF as a combat soldier. Two months ago she realized that dream, joining the ranks of the Lions of the Jordan Valley Battalion.
On Saturday, the 25-year-old Sheldon stood at attention with her male and female comrades, swearing their allegiance to the IDF and the State of Israel.
The Lions of the Jordan Valley Battalion, a relatively new infantry outfit, was established in 2015. Its mission is to carry out routine security operations in the Jordan Valley region and defend Israel’s eastern border.
“When I was 15, I visited Israel for the first time, studying abroad for a semester through my school in Los Angeles,” she told Israel Hayom. “The semester lasted four months and I stayed another three months; and I understood that Israel is home.
“Basic training isn’t easy for me. I’m with girls who are six or more years younger than me. But what’s most important is being a combat soldier and contributing to the state.”
View original Israel Hayom publication at:
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=33821