Stumbled upon this video while net surfing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL4cs9IVzkg&list=PLObnKQho8o8PfNx_NXfNlzRGUGhjDGOmF

Interesting to compare their methods to the US way. In the vid, the instructor mentions that this is a 4 month course. Seems significantly longer than the US equivalent.

Depends what she means by 4 months?
Might be a generalization.

Does that include basic recruit training, crew commander duties, etc...etc.?
The CAnadian course is about 11 weeks, but to become a Recce trooper you have to do an additional few weeks..

This might be a huge generalization on my part, but I find that the US courses are of shorter duration that some countries. Not saying that US soldiers are not trained properly or of lower quality. Just the training is different.
My equivalent job in the USCG has a crewman flying about 50hrs to get qualified. Our training is about 200hrs.

Went back to the blog that posted this and found additional info, below. Essentially from start of basic to being a qualified armor crew-member is 8 months. Impressive. Outstanding graduates are selected for a commanders course which runs another 4 months. That's some serious training!

A tank simulation instructor trains combat soldiers and commanders to effectively use the machinery in the field. During training, the instructor gives one-on-one lessons to soldiers and then guides them in practice simulations.
All recruits first undergo eight weeks of basic training, which is classed as Rifleman 04 level in the Tironut system. They train in light weapons, field training, first aid, and physical fitness. Following the end of basic training, the cadets train for six weeks in one of three specialties: gunner, loader, and driver. They engage in theoretical and practical exercises during this period. At the end of their eight-month training, recruits receive the Armored Corps pin. Outstanding Armored Corps soldiers go to the tank commanders course in Shizafon for four months of additional training.

With her instructing, the course could last forever...

This is pretty correct. The standard IDF armor training is as follows (at least that's what I did almost 25 years ago; some parts might have changed since then, but you get the idea):

- 2 months of basic training at IDF's main armor training facility in the Negev Desert. At some point they get the beret badge, later the red background, their brigade insignia on their left shoulder and finally the black beret (I think this is how it goes, I don't remember exactly).

- 2 months of specializing (driver, loader, gunner) at the same location

- 4 months of shakedown as a crew, as a platoon and finally as a company at the home base of your battalion (the 7th and the 188th brigades in the Golan Heights, the 401st in the Jordan valley)

- At the end of the 8 months training period, cadets get the Armored Corps pin and they're considered qualified tankers.



Now this is where the company that its soldiers joined the army together splits up: about half of the cadets get the opportunity to continue to the commander's course back at the training facility in the Negev for another 4 months busy qualifying for all positions in the tank. At the the end they get their well deserved sergeant's stripes as qualified TCs.



Some with the right set of skills get the opportunity to remain in the training facility as instructors for the remainder of their service; some will continue to the officer's course for another 4 months receiving the rank of Second Lieutenant.



Some of the commanders return to their original units as TCs, some will never command a tank again.

I would argue that only outstanding soldiers get the opportunity to become commanders. Since TCs are qualified for all 4 positions, in case of a war it makes the army's job easier to man tanks, hence the army has an interest to qualify a lot more TCs than needed. Besides, the operational companies of the regular (non-reserve) army are not interested to get leftovers neither; after all, they're supposed to be the most professional armor units in the army. From my experience, some of the best cadets are actually being sent to the platoons of the battalions to maintain high levels of professionalism; they might get a chance to complete the commander's course later.

After their qualification as tankers, these guys are dispatched more or less equally among the battalion's two operational companies (these days there's only one tank in every battalion). The number of TCs trained might seem excessive at first glance, but this system allows the Armored Corps to use these guys to man any of the 4 positions in case of a war, both in regular and reserve service.

In the IDF those guys receive special infantry training that has nothing to do with tanks. Their set of skills is different from that of the tankers and their training is significantly longer and physically a lot more demanding.

US Army Armor training is about the same. Initial 8 wk Basic Training then 16 weeks AIT (Advanced Individual Training) for Armored Crewmen. After 6 mos, they are trained to be a driver or loader. Gunners and TCs (Tank Commander) are slected from soldiers who have much more training at the unit level, usually a couple years before they move up to Gunner and 3-5 years for TC.

Gino,
US Army Armor crew personnel go through One Station Unit Training (OSUT) a 15 week which combines Basic Combat and Advanced Individual training into a single training regimen and location. Cavalry Scouts go through an identical OSUT for 16 weeks of training. After graduation, new armor crew members usually start out in the loader's position, although it is not unheard of the new tanker to go straight into the driver's hatch.

FWIW