Q&A: Sabbath in the Army
Sabbath in the Army
Question
Dear Rabbi, hello,
I serve in the reserves and stay on base over the Sabbath.
Since, among other things, my role is to make sure the soldiers verify readiness, check that all the serialized combat gear (for those unfamiliar) is present, etc.
What am I allowed to do if some of the soldiers with the equipment are, for example, in a different location? Am I allowed to call to verify that it is there? To have them send me a WhatsApp picture?
And regarding the combat assignment roster, is it permitted for me to update it on the computer on the Sabbath? We need to keep track of the personnel and there are many tasks.
In general, if I have to write in any case, is it preferable to do it on a computer rather than with a pencil/pen?
And opening an electric gate on the Sabbath—is it permitted for me to call someone to open it for the purpose of bringing out and bringing in soldiers who are changing shifts? More generally, am I allowed to rotate soldiers on, say, an operations-room duty when the vehicle is only transporting the replacement and bringing back the one being relieved?
Answer
In principle, anything required for military functioning is permitted. Deviations or workaround tricks are desirable only where there is no concern about harming readiness and functioning. If you start dealing with Sabbath issues instead of your military role, that is not the right situation. In such a case, you should do what is necessary without taking the Sabbath into account.
I wrote this on the assumption that you are carrying out an operational role and not training. If this is routine security activity, it is more relaxed, and then it is proper to be more careful about Sabbath issues. Common sense.