12.07.2015 Views

By Way of Deception

By Way of Deception

By Way of Deception

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

BY WAY OF DECEPTION 37to know him better later on as Uzi Nakdimon, head <strong>of</strong> personnelrecruitment. Finally, he told me I'd passed everything except thefinal test, but before that, they wanted to meet with Bella.Her session lasted six hours. Uzi asked her everything imaginable,not only about me but about her own political background, herparents, her strengths and weaknesses, plus a lengthy scrutiny <strong>of</strong>her attitudes on the state <strong>of</strong> Israel and its place in the world. The<strong>of</strong>fice psychiatrist was also there, as a silent observer.Afterward, Uzi called me back in and told me to show up Mondayat 7 a.m. I was to bring two suitcases packed with various kinds <strong>of</strong>clothing, from jeans to a suit. This would be my final three- t<strong>of</strong>our-day test. He went on to explain that the program involved twoyears <strong>of</strong> training and that the salary would be the equivalent <strong>of</strong>one rank higher than my present military rank. Not bad, Ithought. I was then a lieutenant commander, and this wouldmake me a colonel. I was really excited. It was finally happening. Ifelt I was really something special, but I found out later thatthousands <strong>of</strong> men get interviewed. They hold a course once everythree years or so, if they can get enough people. They end up withabout 15 in the course and sometimes they all finish, sometimesnone do. There is no predetermined result. They say that for everyone <strong>of</strong> the 15 accepted into the course, they go through 5,000.They pick the right people, not necessarily the best people. There'sa big difference. Most <strong>of</strong> the selectors are field people and they'relooking for very specific talents. But they don't reveal that. Theyjust let you think you're something special, just being chosen forthe tests.Shortly before the appointed day, a messenger delivered a letter tomy home, again stating the time and location and reminding me tobring clothes for different occasions. It also told me not to use myown name. I was to write my assumed name on an attached piece<strong>of</strong> paper, along with a short back-

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!