Number of Turkish generals decreases 40 percent with post-coup attempt dismissals

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Former defense minister and current Deputy PM Fikri Işık (R) sits in front of soldiers’ pictures, from which those of the dismissed were removed.

The number of generals and admirals in the Turkish military has decreased 40 percent due to the dismissals after the coup attempt, retirements and resignations, according to the data gathered by the state-run Anadolu Agency. 

The number of generals and admirals has decreased from 326 to 196 after the military coup attempt on July 15 last year. 

In response to the lack of personnel, the Ministry of National Defense has employed 13,125 personnel, including commissioned officers, noncommissioned officers, contracted personnel and specialized sergeants.

Prior to the coup attempt, there were 198 generals, including 10 full generals, 23 lieutenant generals, 50 major generals and 115 brigadiers in the office of the Land Forces Command. These figures have decreased to 7 full generals, 14 lieutenant generals, 21 major generals and 76 brigadiers at Land Forces. 

Until the coup attempt, there were two full admirals, four vice-admirals, 12 rear admirals and 38 commodores in the Naval Forces Command.

While the number of full admirals in the command after the coup attempt did not change, the number of vice-admirals has increased to five, the number of rear admirals has decreased to six and the number of commodores has decreased to 21.

There are two full generals, six lieutenant generals, three major generals and 33 brigadier generals after the coup attempt. These figures were two full generals, 8 lieutenant generals, 17 major generals and 45 brigadier generals before July 15, 2016.

While the number of commissioned officers was 32,189 in July of 2016, the figure has decreased to 24,705 after the dismissals and retirements.

The number of reserve officers has increased 51 percent until May this year from 5,792 to 8,736. The number of contracted officers and soldiers has increased from 13,088 to 16,743.

The number of applications for the Turkish Military Academy has increased from 46,736 to 157,635 since last year.  

The Turkish General Staff announced earlier on July 27 that a total of 8,651 soldiers had taken part in the failed coup July 15, making up 1.5 percent of the military’s total personnel.

Describing the coup attempt as an “attempt by FETÖ (Fethullahist Terror Organization) terrorists in military uniforms,” the General Staff said 1,676 of the soldiers were rank and files while 1,214 were military students.