Decrease in applications to army schools

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Kuleli Military High School in Çengelköy, İstanbul is seen in this file photo.

The office of the Chief of General Staff posted a written message on its website yesterday, after reports indicating a sharp decline in the number of applications to Turkey’s military schools since 2007.
The number of applicants to military schools may vary for many reasons, and there has not been much change in the figures for the last two years, the statement said, but refrained from giving further information on the changes since 2007.

Press reports had suggested the decrease was a result of ongoing legal cases against top military personnel, which have tarnished the credibility of the Turkish Armed Forces.

The news first broke after the Defense Ministry disclosed the number of applicants to military schools in response to a parliamentary question from an opposition deputy. The figures showed a 30 percent decrease in applications between 2007 and 2011, with the number of applicants dropping from 66,000 to 45,000.

The military’s statement yesterday, however, only mentioned figures for the last two years, which did not indicate any change. In both 2011 and 2012 around 45,000 people applied to the military schools.

In line with the decrease in the number of applications, the number of graduates from military schools has also decreased, press reports suggest.