IDF Selects First Female Commander of Navy Ship

(TheJP) The Navy has selected Captain Or Cohen to become the first woman appointed as an IDF Navy ship’s commander, according to an IBA report.

Captain Or Cohen currently serves as a navigation and communications officer.

Cohen will be first appointed as deputy commander of a navy vessel, and following that will go on to take the Navy’s advanced commander’s course.

Naval commander General Ram Rothberg said this is part of the decision by the Navy to further integrate women into key command positions.

Women began to serve on IDF naval vessels in 1999.

In Israel, the army and navy uses the same ranking system. Captain is the equivalent to a Lieutenant in the US Navy, and a General is the equivalent of a Rear Admiral (upper half).

(INN) Cohen has considerable Navy experience already; she fought in Operation Protective Edge, and was one of the Navy personnel to raid the Klos-C weapons ship earlier this year. “This is a dream come true for me,” she said. “I appreciate the opportunity that has been given to me.”