Conscription in Turkey

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Conscription
Military service
National service
Conscription crisis
Conscientious objection
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Germany
Conscription in Greece
Conscription in Turkey
Conscription in New Zealand
Conscription in the United States

Contents

1 Overview
2 Role of Turkish Armed Forces in Turkish Society
3 Attitude towards conscription, the army and conscripts (draftees)
4 Draft evaders
5 Conscientious objection
6 Further reading

Overview

In Turkey, compulsory military service applies to all male citizens from twenty to forty one years of age (with some exceptions). Those who are engaged in higher education or vocational training programs prior to their military drafting are allowed to delay service until they have completed the programs or reach a certain age (29 for university degree, 33 for Masters' Degree, 37 for Doctorate). The duration of the basic military service varies. As of July 2003, the reduced durations are as follows: fifteen months for privates (previously eighteen months), twelve months for reserve officers (previously sixteen months) and six months for short-term privates, which denotes those who have earned a university degree and not have been enlisted as reserve officers (previously eight months).

For Turkish citizens who have lived or worked abroad of Turkey for at least three years, on condition that they pay a certain fee in foreign currencies, a basic military training option of one month is offered instead of the full-term military service instead of 15 months. Also, by law if and when the General Staff assesses that the military reserve exceeds the required amount, paid military service of one-month's basic training is established. This option has never been practised, and this option is deemed to exist as a way to avoid legal issues, as there is no way to learn what the required manpower amount is.

Although women have are not required to serve, they are allowed to become officers.

Turkish Armed Forces constitute of around 690,000 conscripts and 220,000 career officials. There is frequent public debate on the necessity of maintaining such a large and expensive force in this day and age, but the General Staff is very powerful and active politically and quick to quash such discussions.

Role of Turkish Armed Forces in Turkish Society

It is a punishable offence to speak publicly against the army or conscription, as it's a crime to "undermine Turkish people's zeal towards military" and a separate crime to "insult the spirit of the Armed Forces".

Attitude towards conscription, the army and conscripts (draftees)

Due to upbringing, the laws mentioned above and state education, it is considered very unpatriotic and a little bit dangerous to voice opinions against conscription in Turkey (it is widely taken for granted that serving in the military is a "rite of passage" of becoming a "real man"). However, most men of conscription age regard military duty as a thing to be avoided or if that is not possible, gotten over with for practical reasons. Most companies require male candidates to have completed their military service due to legal reasons, and traditionally families do not consent their daughters to marry men who have not served their terms.

Draft evaders

It is estimated there are around 400,000 draft evaders currently present. The exact number is known to Turkish National Conscription Board (Asker Alma Dairesi Başkanlığı, a branch of Ministry of National Defense), but has never been disclosed publicly. The main reason for such a large number of draft evaders is mainly economical in nature.

Conscientious objection