“S” has just received his bars after completing officer’s training in IDF Base 1, Officers Training School. He becomes the first officer to complete the new Cyber Shield training and he will serve the nation in that capacity.

“S” appears to be a cyber genius, having built his first website at the age of 10. Today he is 21, and a resident of Ramat Gan. Google found him by tracing successful program he designed and “S” already was earning $2,000 monthly from Google while his friends were hanging around. Among his projects, he built the first Israeli site that converts YouTubes to MP3 format.

“S” explains he had a 97 profile, the highest one can receive, but he decided he can better serve his country in the cyber battlefield than as a combat soldier. He joined the first program in the cyber shield program in 2011, a fourth month program which he successfully completed.

For now, he decided to head to officers school to continue serving his country in the cyber battlefield. He explains that he is not hurrying and for now he feels his place in the IDF to push efforts forward, aware he could be earning much more in the civilian marketplace.

“Money is what interests private companies, but that is not so in the army. For now I feel comfortable here and this is my place. It is most interesting work, the kind of work one does not find in the civilian world” he concludes.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)