Minister of Defense Ehud Barak, Vice Admiral
Eliezer Marom, Vice Admiral Ram Rutberg and IDF Chief of the General
Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz Toast
Rear Admiral Ram Rutberg was appointed commander in chief of the Israel
Navy and promoted to the rank of vice admiral in a ceremony held in the
IDF chief of the general staff’s chamber in the Tel Aviv “Rabin” base.
Minister of Defense Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of the General Staff
Lieutenant General Benny Gantz, as well as the general staff and their
families were in attendance.
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Vice Adm. Rutberg replaced Vice Admiral Eliezer Marom, following his four year tenure as commander in chief of the Israel Navy and 38 years of military service.
Barak wished all the best to the incoming commander in chief of the Israel Navy, Vice Adm. Rutberg, and said, “I want to thank Eliezer from the bottom of my heart for years of service. Eliezer always knew how to operate throughout his service, in every duty and on the operational front. Under your command, the Navy has pushed the boundaries and the envelopes of operational ability in fields that a few years ago we would have never thought possible—now everything has been executed. In this sense, you have led with leadership, modesty and seriousness the Israel Navy down a long road, starting from a difficult starting point. For that, thank you, and I am confident you will find success wherever you go. Ram was part of an extraordinary operational track, from his work in the Israel Navy Commando, through ground operational forces and returning to the Navy. Ram, you bring with you different aspects to the operational experience, to a corps where operability is its core and content of its everyday being. I wish you the best of luck, and good luck to us all.”
The IDF Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Gantz thanked Vice Adm. Marom and wished Vice Adm. Rutberg all the best and stated, “The navy has many dimensions of operation in its submarines, missile boats and special units, and the navy has seen significant progress in recent years thanks to determination, ethics, modesty and devotion. In the military we see a lot of significance to moral strength as well as physical strength. In the navy’s beginning, when ships were still crafted out of wood, it was said that ‘the ships may be made of wood, but its crew was made of steel’. Today, ships are made of steel and I can honestly say to you, Eliezer that you too are made of steel.”
Vice Adm. Marom said, “In recent years, the Israel Navy has operated in all arenas, both far and near, with creativity, flexibility and determination, and returned from all its missions as a winner.”
Vice Adm. Rutberg thanked the Defense Minister and the IDF chief of the general staff for trusting him with the position and said “that the Israel Navy is well-trained and determined, and that he accepts the role with a sense of responsibility and great respect.”
