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Soldiers with Autism Take on Key Roles in IDF
(JTA) Ben Sales - Sitting in front of a computer at the center of Israel's largest army base, a soldier stares at the screen, moving pixel by pixel over a satellite photograph, picking out details and finding patterns. More than a year into his army service, N.S. spends eight hours a day using his exceptional attention to detail and intense focus to analyze visual data ahead of missions. Soldiers with autism can excel at this work because they are often adept at detecting patterns and maintaining focus for long periods of time. N.S. is among some 50 soldiers and trainees in the "Seeing Far" program for army-age Israelis diagnosed with autism. Others learn to be army electricians, who deal with devices like night vision goggles, or optics technicians, who work with binoculars.