Gal Hirsch was born in a remote town in the Negev Desert of Israel and has dedicated himself to a military career since childhood. After graduating from a military academy with honors, he volunteered for and was accepted into a prestigious elite commando reconnaissance unit of the Paratroopers Brigade. Rising in the ranks of the IDF, he served among other posts as Chief of Operations in Central Command and Commandant of the IDF officers training school. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 2005 and appointed Commander of the Galilee Division in Northern Command, the position he held during the 2006 Second Lebanon War. After his resignation, Hirsch established Defensive Shield Holdings, which specializes in innovative technologies in defense and security-related sectors for governments and major corporations. From 2012 to 2015 Hirsch was called back to serve in the IDF as a full active reservist, appointed as Deputy Commander of the new IDF Depth Corps. He also teaches at various IDF leadership programs and serves as Chairman of the Israel Leadership Institute.