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In addition to implementing mental health technology, the IDF Medical Corps has cut the rate of battlefield fatalities by more than half compared to the Second Lebanon War.
By Shula Rosen
With skyrocketing numbers of military personnel and civilians alike experiencing trauma since Oct. 7, the Israel Defense Forces is developing interventions using artificial intelligence to help soldiers detect signs of distress among their peers.
IDF Surgeon General and Chief Medical Officer Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Zivan Aviad-Beer, speaking at the Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth Health Conference, described an AI solution that “trains soldiers to identify warning signs of distress” and was designed “to speak their language.”
The system was developed by Prof. Yossi Blez and is intended to be coordinated with existing interventions.
“In the past, we mostly spoke about mental health and tried to raise awareness,” Aviad-Beer said. “Now we’re implementing a tool that actively teaches soldiers how to recognize distress in their friends. It’s about using technology to connect and prevent crises before they happen.”
In addition to innovation, Aviad-Beer said the army is increasing its awareness of mental health difficulties and is finding positive results in allowing soldiers to continue serving rather than dismissing them at the first sign of a problem.
“More than 1,200 soldiers with PTSD now serve in regular and career positions,” Aviad-Beer told Ynet. “In the past, they would have been released.”
Before returning to their units, soldiers receive daily therapy and clinical treatment, along with “rehabilitation programs involving the sea, nature and agriculture. We do this professionally and responsibly.”
“Saving someone’s mental health,” Aviad-Beer concluded, “is just as important — and often more complex — than treating a physical wound. With the right mix of compassion, professionalism and technology, we can make a real difference.”
Aviad-Beer also revealed that the IDF Medical Corps has cut the rate of battlefield fatalities by more than half compared to the Second Lebanon War. “There’s an international measure called CFR — case fatality rate,” he explained. “In 2006, it was 14.8%. In the current war, it dropped to 6.9%. We’re saving twice as many wounded soldiers as in previous conflicts — even those severely injured.”
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