Brig. Gen. Herzl Boidinger, a former combat pilot with an outstanding record and wide air force experience, will be the Israeli air force’s new commander, effective Jan. 1, 1992.
But the Defense Ministry’s announcement, like many other recent changes in the Israel Defense Force, was greeted with rumblings of discontent among senior officers, aimed mainly at the IDF chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Ehud Barak.
In appointing Boidinger, who will be raised in rank to major general when he takes over his new command, Defense Minister Moshe Arens acted on Barak’s recommendation.
After the announcement, at least five letters of resignation were received from other air force brigadier generals who apparently believed they were better qualified than the appointee.
Boidinger will replace Maj. Gen. Avihu Bin-Nun, air force commander for the last four years, who had planned to retire earlier but was asked by Barak to stay on until the end of the year.
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