| Chief of the General Staff | |
|---|---|
| Turkish: Genelkurmay Başkanı | |
 Shoulder insignia specifically for the chief | |
 Flag of the Chief of the General Staff | |
.jpg) IncumbentGeneral Metin Gürak since 3 August 2023 | |
| General Staff Ministry of National Defense | |
| Member of | General Staff National Security Council Supreme Military Council |
| Reports to | Minister of National Defense |
| Seat | General Staff Building, Ankara |
| Nominator | President |
| Appointer | President |
| Precursor | Chief of the Ottoman General Staff |
| Formation | 3 May 1920 |
| First holder | Mirliva İsmet İnönü |
| Deputy | Second Chief of the General Staff |
| Website | Official 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.
List of chiefs of the general staff
| No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 | İnönü, İsmetMirliva İsmet İnönü (1884–1973) | 3 May 1920 | 3 August 1921 | 1 year, 92 days |  Ground Forces |
| 2 |
 | Çakmak, FevziMareşal Fevzi Çakmak (1876–1950) | 5 August 1921 | 12 January 1944 | 22 years, 160 days | Ground Forces |
| 3 |
 | Orbay, KâzımGeneral Kâzım Orbay (1887–1964) | 12 January 1944 | 30 July 1946 | 2 years, 199 days | Ground Forces |
| 4 |
 | Omurtak, SalihGeneral Salih Omurtak (1889–1954) | 1 August 1946 | 8 June 1949 | 2 years, 311 days | Ground Forces |
| 5 |
 | Gürman, Abdurrahman NafizGeneral Abdurrahman Nafiz Gürman (1882–1966) | 10 June 1949 | 5 June 1950 | 360 days | Ground Forces |
| 6 |
 | Yamut, NuriGeneral Nuri Yamut (1890–1961) | 6 June 1950 | 10 April 1954 | 3 years, 308 days | Ground Forces |
| 7 |
 | Baransel, NurettinGeneral Nurettin Baransel (1897–1967) | 28 May 1954 | 25 August 1955 | 1 year, 89 days | Ground Forces |
| 8 |
 | Tunaboylu, İsmailGeneral Hakkı Tunaboylu (1895–1958) | 25 August 1955 | 10 October 1957 | 2 years, 46 days | Ground Forces |
| 9 |
 | Mengüç, FeyziGeneral Feyzi Mengüç (1896–1966) | 11 October 1957 | 22 August 1958 | 315 days | Ground Forces |
| 10 |
 | Erdelhun, RüştüGeneral Rüştü Erdelhun (1894–1983) | 23 August 1958 | 27 May 1960 | 1 year, 278 days | Ground Forces |
| 11 |
| Gümüşpala, RagıpGeneral Ragıp Gümüşpala (1897–1964) | 3 June 1960 | 4 August 1960 | 62 days | Ground Forces |
| 12 |
,_Bestanddeelnr_916-7535_(cropped).jpg) | Sunay, CevdetGeneral Cevdet Sunay (1899–1982) | 4 August 1960 | 16 March 1966 | 5 years, 224 days | Ground Forces |
| 13 |
| Tural, CemalGeneral Cemal Tural (1905–1981) | 16 March 1966 | 16 March 1969 | 3 years | Ground Forces |
| 14 |
| Tağmaç, MemduhGeneral Memduh Tağmaç (1904–1978) | 16 March 1969 | 29 August 1972 | 3 years, 166 days | Ground Forces |
| 15 |
| Gürler, FarukGeneral Faruk Gürler (1913–1975) | 29 August 1972 | 6 March 1973 | 250 days | Ground Forces |
| 16 |
| Sancar, SemihGeneral Semih Sancar (1911–1984) | 6 March 1973 | 7 March 1978 | 5 years, 1 day | Ground Forces |
| 17 |
.png) | Evren, KenanGeneral Kenan Evren (1917–2015) | 7 March 1978 | 1 July 1983 | 5 years, 55 days | Ground Forces |
| 18 |
| Ersin, NurettinGeneral Nurettin Ersin (1918–2005) | 1 July 1983 | 6 December 1983 | 158 days | Ground Forces |
| 19 |
| Üruğ, NecdetGeneral Necdet Üruğ (1921–2021) | 6 December 1983 | 2 July 1987 | 3 years, 208 days | Ground Forces |
| 20 |
| Torumtay, NecipGeneral Necip Torumtay (1926–2011) | 24 July 1987 | 3 December 1990 | 3 years, 132 days | Ground Forces |
| 21 |
 | Güreş, DoğanGeneral Doğan Güreş (1926–2014) | 6 December 1990 | 30 August 1994 | 3 years, 267 days | Ground Forces |
| 22 |
| Karadayı, İsmail HakkıGeneral İsmail Hakkı Karadayı (1932–2020) | 30 August 1994 | 30 August 1998 | 4 years | Ground Forces |
| 23 |
| Kıvrıkoğlu, HüseyinGeneral Hüseyin Kıvrıkoğlu (born 1934) | 30 August 1998 | 28 August 2002 | 3 years, 363 days | Ground Forces |
| 24 |
_2.jpg) | Özkök, HilmiGeneral Hilmi Özkök (born 1940) | 28 August 2002 | 30 August 2006 | 4 years, 2 days | Ground Forces |
| 25 |
 | Büyükanıt, YaşarGeneral Yaşar Büyükanıt (1940–2019) | 30 August 2006 | 30 August 2008 | 2 years | Ground Forces |
| 26 |
 | Başbuğ, İlkerGeneral İlker Başbuğ (born 1943) | 30 August 2008 | 30 August 2010 | 2 years | Ground Forces |
| 27 |
| Koşaner, IşıkGeneral Işık Koşaner (born 1945) | 30 August 2010 | 29 July 2011 | 333 days | Ground Forces |
| 28 |
 | Özel, NecdetGeneral Necdet Özel (born 1950) | 30 July 2011 | 18 August 2015 | 4 years, 19 days | Ground Forces |
| 29 |
.jpg) | Akar, HulusiGeneral Hulusi Akar (born 1952) | 18 August 2015 | 10 July 2018 | 2 years, 326 days | Ground Forces |
| – |
 | Dündar, ÜmitGeneral Ümit Dündar (born 1955) Acting | 15 July 2016 | 16 July 2016 | 1 day | Ground Forces |
| 30 |
 | Güler, YaşarGeneral Yaşar Güler (born 1954) | 10 July 2018 | 3 June 2023 | 4 years, 328 days | Ground Forces |
| – |
 | Avsever, MusaGeneral Musa Avsever (born 1957) Acting | 5 June 2023 | 3 August 2023 | 59 days* | Ground Forces |
| 31 |
| Gürak, MetinGeneral Metin Gürak (born 1960) | 3 August 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 156 days* | Ground Forces |
* Incumbent's time in office last updated: 6 January 2025.
Timeline
Notes
- Minister of General Staff.
- Minister of General Staff until 6 March 1924.
- Torumtay resigned due to strong opposition to President Turgut Özal's stance in favor of joining the Coalition in the Gulf War against Iraq.
- 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
- List of commanders of the Turkish Land Forces
- List of commanders of the Turkish Air Force
- List of commanders of the Turkish Naval Forces
- List of general commanders of the Turkish Gendarmerie
- List of commandants of the Turkish Coast Guard
- List of commanders of the First Army of Turkey
- List of commanders of the Second Army of Turkey
- List of commanders of the Third Army of Turkey
- List of commanders of the Aegean Army
References
- "Erdoğan vows stronger army as new names appointed". Daily Sabah. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
Sources
- Genelkurmay Başkanları listesi (in Turkish)
- Harp Akademileri Komutanlığı, Harp Akademilerinin 120 Yılı, İstanbul, 1968. (in Turkish)
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