Physical Address
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Türkiye is taking historic steps to protect its future, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday ahead of an annual meeting of the Supreme Military Council in Ankara.
“Our struggle to make Türkiye the leading nation in its region within the reshaped global order continues, despite the traps set against us and the attacks from both within and beyond our borders,” said Erdoğan, reading aloud a message he wrote at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Türkiye, in a ceremonial visit before the meeting.
“We are taking historic steps to safeguard our nation’s future, from security to democracy, from the economy to technology, from the defense industry to foreign policy,” he added.
“We believe that the 2025 meeting of our council will be a new milestone on the path toward the vision of the Century of Türkiye,” added the president, who paid the visit along with members of the council.
Erdoğan also paid tribute to Atatürk and all the lives sacrificed “for our future.”
Promotions
The annual gathering of senior political and military leaders decided key promotions, retirements and extensions of service that shaped the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) command structure.
Chief of General Staff Gen. Metin Gürak, appointed in 2023, was retired and was replaced by Commander of the Land Forces Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu to serve a four-year term, the Presidential Directorate of Communications said following the meeting, which lasted two and a half hours.
Gen. Metin Tokel, commander of the 1st Army, was appointed commander of the Land Forces, while the terms Naval Forces Cmdr. Adm. Ercüment Tatlioğlu and Air Forces Cmdr. Gen. Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu were extended by one year.
The number of generals and admirals, currently 316, will increase to 332 as of Aug. 30, 2025, according to the directorate.
The council promoted 32 generals and admirals to the next rank and promoted 61 colonels to the rank of general or admiral. The terms of 29 generals were extended by a year, and the terms of 478 colonels were extended by two years.
The council retired two generals effective Sept. 1, 2025, due to age restrictions, and 43 generals and admirals were retired effective Aug. 30 due to a lack of permanent positions.
Other notable changes in the military ranks include the promotion of Lt. Gen. Bahtiyar Ersay and Rafet Dalkıran to full general in the Land Forces Command, as well as the elevation of seven major generals from the Land Forces to lieutenant general.
Rear Adm. Rafet Oktar was promoted to vice admiral and Air Force Maj. Gen. Ergin Dinç advanced to the rank of lieutenant general. Fifteen Air Force brigadier generals were promoted to major general, along with three from the Air Force and three rear admirals in the Naval Forces receiving higher ranks.
At last year’s assembly, 31 generals and admirals retired, while 23 were promoted to the next rank. Some 77 colonels were promoted to general and admiral ranks.
The terms of 34 generals and admirals were extended by one year, and the terms of 455 colonels were extended by two years, raising the number of active generals and admirals from 281 to 327.
Council tradition
The tradition of high-level military councils in Türkiye dates back to the Ottoman era, with the establishment of the first Supreme Military Council in 1837 under Sultan Mahmud II. Initially tasked with drafting military regulations, resolving service-related issues and adapting Western military practices, the council underwent several reorganizations and periods of abolition in the late Ottoman period.
Following the founding of the Republic of Türkiye in 1923, the modern Supreme Military Council was formally established in 1925. Its early role was to operate in peacetime, advising on military affairs and promotions, with the president serving as its ex officio chair.
Over the decades, its structure and leadership evolved, reflecting shifts in Türkiye’s political system and civil-military relations.
During the multiparty era that followed 1946, the prime minister assumed the chairmanship, and membership was adjusted to include senior commanders and select ministers. The council’s mandate became more formalized in 1972 with the enactment of Law No. 1612, which focused on promotions, retirements, and strategic planning.
The council’s authority and composition shifted significantly after major political events, including the 1980 military coup and, most recently, the Gülenist Terrorist Group’s (FETÖ) failed coup attempt of July 15, 2016.
Post-2016 reforms expanded civilian oversight and aligned the council’s procedures with Türkiye’s transition to a presidential system in 2018, making the president its chair and broadening ministerial participation.
Today, the Supreme Military Council meets annually to decide on promotions, retirements and extensions of service for senior officers. While its core mission remains military personnel management, the council also serves as a symbolic and strategic forum reflecting the balance between civilian authority and the army leadership in modern Türkiye.
