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Chief of the General Staff
Turkish language: Genelkurmay Başkanı
Standard of President of Turkey as Supreme Chief of Armed Forces
Flag of the Chief of the General Staff
Incumbent
General Yaşar Güler
since 10 July 2018
Ministry of National Defence
Member of General Staff
National Security Council
Reports to Minister of National Defence
Seat General Staff Building, Ankara
Appointer President of Turkey
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Formation 3 May 1920
First holder Mirliva İsmet İnönü
Deputy Lieutenant General Selcuk Bayraktaroğlu [tr]
Website Official website

The Chief of the General Staff of the Republic of Turkey (Turkish language: Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Genelkurmay Başkanı) is the chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces (Turkish language: Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri). He is appointed by the President of Turkey, who is the commander-in-chief. The position dates to the period of the Government of the Grand National Assembly and the Turkish War of Independence. The current Chief of the General Staff is General Yaşar Güler.

List of chiefs of the general staff[]

Chief of the General Staff Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1
İsmet İnönü
İnönü, İsmetMirliva İsmet İnönü
(1884–1973)
[lower-alpha 1]
3 May 19203 August 19211 year, 92 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
2
Fevzi Çakmak
Çakmak, FevziMareşal Fevzi Çakmak
(1876–1950)
[lower-alpha 2]
5 August 192112 January 194422 years, 160 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
3
Kâzım Orbay
Orbay, KâzımGeneral Kâzım Orbay
(1887–1964)
12 January 194430 July 19462 years, 199 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
4
Salih Omurtak
Omurtak, SalihGeneral Salih Omurtak
(1889–1954)
1 August 19468 June 19492 years, 311 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
5
Abdurrahman Nafiz Gürman
Gürman, Abdurrahman NafizGeneral Abdurrahman Nafiz Gürman
(1882–1966)
10 June 19495 June 1950360 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
6Yamut, NuriGeneral Nuri Yamut
(1890–1961)
6 June 195010 April 19543 years, 308 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
7Baransel, NurettinGeneral Nurettin Baransel
(1897–1967)
28 May 195425 August 19551 year, 89 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
8Tunaboylu, İsmailGeneral İsmail Hakkı Tunaboylu
(1895–1958)
25 August 195510 October 19572 years, 46 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
9Mengüç, FeyziGeneral Feyzi Mengüç
(1896–1966)
11 October 195722 August 1958315 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
10Erdelhun, RüştüGeneral Rüştü Erdelhun
(1894–1983)
23 August 195827 May 19601 year, 278 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
11Gümüşpala, RagıpGeneral Ragıp Gümüşpala
(1897–1964)
3 June 19604 August 196062 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
12
Cevdet Sunay
Sunay, CevdetGeneral Cevdet Sunay
(1899–1982)
4 August 196016 March 19665 years, 224 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
13Tural, CemalGeneral Cemal Tural
(1905–1981)
16 March 196616 March 19693 years, 0 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
14Tağmaç, MemduhGeneral Memduh Tağmaç
(1904–1978)
16 March 196929 August 19723 years, 166 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
15Gürler, FarukGeneral Faruk Gürler
(1913–1975)
29 August 19726 March 1973250 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
16Sancar, SemihGeneral Semih Sancar
(1911–1984)
6 March 19737 March 19785 years, 1 dayFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
17
Kenan Evren
Evren, KenanGeneral Kenan Evren
(1917–2015)
7 March 19781 July 19835 years, 55 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
18Ersin, NurettinGeneral Nurettin Ersin
(1918–2005)
1 July 19836 December 1983158 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
19Üruğ, NecdetGeneral Necdet Üruğ
(born 1921)
6 December 19832 July 19873 years, 208 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
20Torumtay, NecipGeneral Necip Torumtay
(1926–2011)
[lower-alpha 3]
24 July 19873 December 19903 years, 132 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
21Güreş, DoğanGeneral Doğan Güreş
(1926–2014)
6 December 199030 August 19943 years, 267 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
22Karadayı, İsmail HakkıGeneral İsmail Hakkı Karadayı
(born 1932)
30 August 199430 August 19984 years, 0 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
23Kıvrıkoğlu, HüseyinGeneral Hüseyin Kıvrıkoğlu
(born 1934)
30 August 199828 August 20023 years, 363 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
24Özkök, HilmiGeneral Hilmi Özkök
(born 1940)
28 August 200230 August 20064 years, 2 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
25
Yaşar Büyükanıt
Büyükanıt, YaşarGeneral Yaşar Büyükanıt
(1940–2019)
30 August 200630 August 20082 years, 0 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
26
İlker Başbuğ
Başbuğ, İlkerGeneral İlker Başbuğ
(born 1943)
30 August 200830 August 20102 years, 0 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
27Koşaner, IşıkGeneral Işık Koşaner
(born 1945)
30 August 201029 July 2011333 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
28
Necdet Özel
Özel, NecdetGeneral Necdet Özel
(born 1950)
30 July 201118 August 20154 years, 19 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
29
Hulusi Akar
Akar, HulusiGeneral Hulusi Akar
(born 1952)
18 August 201510 July 20182 years, 326 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
Dündar, ÜmitGeneral Ümit Dündar (Acting)
(born 1955)
[lower-alpha 4]
15 July 201616 July 20161 dayFlag of Turkey Turkey Army
30Güler, YaşarGeneral Yaşar Güler
(born 1954)
10 July 2018Incumbent5 years, 253 daysFlag of Turkey Turkey Army

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. Minister of General Staff.
  2. Minister of General Staff until 6 March 1924.
  3. Torumtay resigned due to strong opposition to President Turgut Özal's stance in favor of joining the Coalition in the Gulf War against Iraq.
  4. Dündar served as Acting Chief of the General Staff during the 2016 coup d'état attempt, while Akar was being held hostage by coup forces.

Sources[]


{{Wikipedia|Chief of the Turkish General Staff

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