prior to the six-day war shafir was appointed deputy commander and chief of staff to israel tal at the 84th division. after the war he served as chief of staff of central command and in 1969 he was appointed assistant head of the operations directorate. in 1972 he was given the emergency posting of commander of the 143rd division. in september of the same year he was appointed head of the manpower directorate and was promoted to major general. he served in that role during the yom kippur war. in april 1974 he was appointed head of the general staff department, and in march 1976 the commander of the southern command. in 1978, towards the end of his military service, shafir want on study leave in the united states.