Chief of the Turkish General Staff

Chief of the General Staff
Turkish: Genelkurmay Başkanı
Shoulder insignia specifically for the chief
Flag of the Chief of the General Staff
Incumbent
General Metin Gürak
since 3 August 2023
General Staff
Ministry of National Defense
Member ofGeneral Staff
National Security Council
Supreme Military Council
Reports toMinister of National Defense
SeatGeneral Staff Building, Ankara
NominatorPresident
AppointerPresident
PrecursorChief of the Ottoman General Staff
Formation3 May 1920
First holderMirliva İsmet İnönü
DeputySecond Chief of the General Staff
WebsiteOfficial website

The Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces (Turkish: Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri Genelkurmay Başkanı) is the chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces (Turkish: 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 post has its own rank insignia, which is the OF-9 (full General or Admiral of the Turkish Armed Forces) rank of the Chief of Staff's personal service branch surrounded by laurel wreaths. In practice, the position has always been held by a Turkish Land Forces officer.

The current Chief of the General Staff is General Metin Gürak, since 3 August 2023.[1]

List of chiefs of the general staff

No. Portrait Chief of the General Staff Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1
İsmet İnönü
İnönü, İsmetMirliva
İsmet İnönü
(1884–1973)
[a]		3 May 19203 August 19211 year, 92 days Ground Forces
2
Fevzi Çakmak
Çakmak, FevziMareşal
Fevzi Çakmak
(1876–1950)
[b]		5 August 192112 January 194422 years, 160 days Ground Forces
3
Kâzım Orbay
Orbay, KâzımGeneral
Kâzım Orbay
(1887–1964)		12 January 194430 July 19462 years, 199 days Ground Forces
4
Salih Omurtak
Omurtak, SalihGeneral
Salih Omurtak
(1889–1954)		1 August 19468 June 19492 years, 311 days Ground Forces
5
Abdurrahman Nafiz Gürman
Gürman, Abdurrahman NafizGeneral
Abdurrahman Nafiz Gürman
(1882–1966)		10 June 19495 June 1950360 days Ground Forces
6
Nuri Yamut
Yamut, NuriGeneral
Nuri Yamut
(1890–1961)		6 June 195010 April 19543 years, 308 days Ground Forces
7
Nurettin Baransel
Baransel, NurettinGeneral
Nurettin Baransel
(1897–1967)		28 May 195425 August 19551 year, 89 days Ground Forces
8
Hakkı Tunaboylu
Tunaboylu, İsmailGeneral
Hakkı Tunaboylu
(1895–1958)		25 August 195510 October 19572 years, 46 days Ground Forces
9
Feyzi Mengüç
Mengüç, FeyziGeneral
Feyzi Mengüç
(1896–1966)		11 October 195722 August 1958315 days Ground Forces
10
Rüştü Erdelhun
Erdelhun, RüştüGeneral
Rüştü Erdelhun
(1894–1983)		23 August 195827 May 19601 year, 278 days Ground Forces
11
Ragıp Gümüşpala
Gümüşpala, RagıpGeneral
Ragıp Gümüşpala
(1897–1964)		3 June 19604 August 196062 days Ground Forces
12
Cevdet Sunay
Sunay, CevdetGeneral
Cevdet Sunay
(1899–1982)		4 August 196016 March 19665 years, 224 days Ground Forces
13
Cemal Tural
Tural, CemalGeneral
Cemal Tural
(1905–1981)		16 March 196616 March 19693 years Ground Forces
14
Memduh Tağmaç
Tağmaç, MemduhGeneral
Memduh Tağmaç
(1904–1978)		16 March 196929 August 19723 years, 166 days Ground Forces
15
Faruk Gürler
Gürler, FarukGeneral
Faruk Gürler
(1913–1975)		29 August 19726 March 1973250 days Ground Forces
16
Semih Sancar
Sancar, SemihGeneral
Semih Sancar
(1911–1984)		6 March 19737 March 19785 years, 1 day Ground Forces
17
Kenan Evren
Evren, KenanGeneral
Kenan Evren
(1917–2015)		7 March 19781 July 19835 years, 55 days Ground Forces
18
Nurettin Ersin
Ersin, NurettinGeneral
Nurettin Ersin
(1918–2005)		1 July 19836 December 1983158 days Ground Forces
19
Necdet Üruğ
Üruğ, NecdetGeneral
Necdet Üruğ
(1921–2021)		6 December 19832 July 19873 years, 208 days Ground Forces
20
Necip Torumtay
Torumtay, NecipGeneral
Necip Torumtay
(1926–2011)
[c]		24 July 19873 December 19903 years, 132 days Ground Forces
21
Doğan Güreş
Güreş, DoğanGeneral
Doğan Güreş
(1926–2014)		6 December 199030 August 19943 years, 267 days Ground Forces
22
İsmail Hakkı Karadayı
Karadayı, İsmail HakkıGeneral
İsmail Hakkı Karadayı
(1932–2020)		30 August 199430 August 19984 years Ground Forces
23
Hüseyin Kıvrıkoğlu
Kıvrıkoğlu, HüseyinGeneral
Hüseyin Kıvrıkoğlu
(born 1934)		30 August 199828 August 20023 years, 363 days Ground Forces
24
Hilmi Özkök
Özkök, HilmiGeneral
Hilmi Özkök
(born 1940)		28 August 200230 August 20064 years, 2 days Ground Forces
25
Yaşar Büyükanıt
Büyükanıt, YaşarGeneral
Yaşar Büyükanıt
(1940–2019)		30 August 200630 August 20082 years Ground Forces
26
İlker Başbuğ
Başbuğ, İlkerGeneral
İlker Başbuğ
(born 1943)		30 August 200830 August 20102 years Ground Forces
27
Işık Koşaner
Koşaner, IşıkGeneral
Işık Koşaner
(born 1945)		30 August 201029 July 2011333 days Ground Forces
28
Necdet Özel
Özel, NecdetGeneral
Necdet Özel
(born 1950)		30 July 201118 August 20154 years, 19 days Ground Forces
29
Hulusi Akar
Akar, HulusiGeneral
Hulusi Akar
(born 1952)		18 August 201510 July 20182 years, 326 days Ground Forces
–
Ümit Dündar
Dündar, ÜmitGeneral
Ümit Dündar
(born 1955)
Acting
[d]		15 July 201616 July 20161 day Ground Forces
30
Yaşar Güler
Güler, YaşarGeneral
Yaşar Güler
(born 1954)		10 July 20183 June 20234 years, 328 days Ground Forces
–
Musa Avsever
Avsever, MusaGeneral
Musa Avsever
(born 1957)
Acting		5 June 20233 August 202359 days* Ground Forces
31
Metin Gürak
Gürak, MetinGeneral
Metin Gürak
(born 1960)		3 August 2023Incumbent2 years, 19 days* Ground Forces

* Incumbent's time in office last updated: 22 August 2025.

Timeline

Metin GürakMusa AvseverYaşar GülerÜmit DündarHulusi AkarNecdet ÖzelIşık Koşanerİlker BaşbuğYaşar BüyükanıtHilmi ÖzkökHüseyin Kıvrıkoğluİsmail Hakkı KaradayıDoğan GüreşNecip TorumtayNecdet ÜruğNurettin ErsinKenan EvrenSemih SancarFaruk GürlerMemduh TağmaçCemal TuralCevdet SunayRagıp GümüşpalaRüştü ErdelhunFeyzi MengüçHakkı TunaboyluNurettin BaranselNuri YamutAbdurrahman Nafiz GürmanSalih OmurtakKâzım OrbayFevzi Çakmakİsmet İnönü

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.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Erdoğan vows stronger army as new names appointed". Daily Sabah. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.

Sources

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