Unit 669יחידה 669
How to get into Unit 669, and what its training looks like
The Air Force's combat search and rescue unit. It brings out the wounded under fire and behind enemy lines, at sea, in the air and on land.
Profile 97+about 18 monthsMenDark grey
Unit 669 asks for a medical profile of 97 and up, a Dapar of 50 and up and a Hebrew score of 7.
The medical profile runs from 21 to 97.
The Dapar, the reasoning test of the first call-up, is scored from 10 to 90.
The Hebrew score runs from 1 to 9.
- Open to
- Men
- Medical profile
- 97 and up
- Dapar
- 50 and up
- Hebrew score
- 7
- Training
- about 18 months
- Where it serves
- Palmachim Air Force base.
- Commitment
- Career service after the compulsory years.
The training runs about 18 months: basic training to Rifleman 08, the reconnaissance medics' course, parachuting, diving, navigation and counter-terror warfare.
The IDF counts 669 among its four elite units. Candidates who finished the Sayeret Matkal or Shayetet 13 try-outs without being taken can be sent on to its own unit day, which tests how a candidate holds up under stress in the water.
The way into Unit 669 runs through 4 steps.
- 1Yom Sayarot.
- 2The Sayeret Matkal or the Shayetet 13 try-out.
- 3The unit day, a test of stress in the water.
- 4Medical and security checks, then the draft.
Training at Unit 669 lasts about 18 months.
- Basic training to Rifleman 08, medics' course, parachuting, diving, navigation and counter-terror
The IDF's guides say what to train for before the screening.
The IDF's guide to Yom Sayarot says to start training at least three months before it, with 3 to 5 aerobic sessions and 2 to 3 strength sessions a week, and to keep hard training out of the week before it.
- AerobicSun
- StrengthMon
- AerobicTue
- StrengthWed
- AerobicThu
- RestFri
- RestSat
An example week at the lowest the IDF's guide suggests: 3 aerobic sessions and 2 of strength, the kind changing from day to day.
The full guide to preparing: profile, Dapar, Yom Sayarot and a training routine
The role has its own page on the IDF's site for future soldiers.
- Unit 669 combat soldierAir Force
Units to read about alongside Unit 669.
ShaldagשלדגThe Air Force's commando unit, based at Palmachim. Its fighters train for a year and 7 months.Profile 82+about 19 monthsMenDark grey
Search and Rescue (Home Front Command)חילוץ והצלה (פיקוד העורף)The Home Front Command's rescue battalions, which pull people out of collapsed buildings in Israel and abroad and also carry out routine operations in Judea and Samaria.Profile 72+about 5.5 monthsMen and womenOrange
Sayeret Matkalסיירת מטכ״לThe General Staff's reconnaissance unit. Its missions are classified, it takes one draft a year and its fighters train for 16 months.Profile 97+about 16 monthsMenOlive green
Frequently asked questions
What does Unit 669 ask for?
The IDF's page asks for a profile of 97 and up, a Dapar of 50 and up and a Hebrew score of 7.
How do you get into Unit 669?
Yom Sayarot. The Sayeret Matkal or the Shayetet 13 try-out. The unit day, a test of stress in the water. Medical and security checks, then the draft.
How long is training at Unit 669?
About 18 months: Basic training to Rifleman 08, medics' course, parachuting, diving, navigation and counter-terror.
Can women serve in Unit 669?
The IDF's page names men only. Women fighters can choose other units, and the IDF commits to give a woman fighter one of her first three choices.
This page was written from the IDF's pages for future soldiers, read on 6 November 2026.
- The IDF's page for the role: Unit 669 combat soldier
- The IDF's full guide to Yom Sayarot
- Preparing the body for Yom Sayarot
- Try-outs
- The medical profile
The requirements and screenings change from time to time, and the IDF's page for each role is the one that counts.
Photo credits
- Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amit Agronov, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Israel Defense Forces, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- IDF Spokesperson's Unit photographer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons