A navy sailor stands guard outside a briefing room during a Supreme Military Council meeting.
Türkiye’s top military committee is set to meet on Aug. 4 to decide on promotions, appointments, retirements and term extensions for senior officers in the Turkish Armed Forces.
The annual meeting is expected to begin after council members visit Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, before convening under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Supreme Military Council will include Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi, Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, Chief of General Staff Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Navy Commander Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Air Force Commander Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu and Land Forces Commander Metin Tokel. Gürlek, Çiftçi and Tokel will attend the council as members for the first time.
The gathering is expected to review promotions and retirements of generals, admirals and colonels, as well as extensions of service for senior commanders. The council’s decisions will take effect after Erdoğan’s approval.
Bayraktaroğlu and Tokel are expected to remain in their current posts as their terms continue. The terms of Tatlıoğlu and Kadıoğlu are due to expire, and both are widely expected to receive extensions.
If either commander retires, Adm. Kadir Yıldız, the current fleet commander, is considered a leading candidate to head the navy, while Gen. Rafet Dalkıran, commander of the Combat Air Force, is seen as the frontrunner to lead the air force.
The council is also expected to consider promotions to full general for Lt. Gen. Zorlu Topaloğlu of the Land Forces and Lt. Gen. İsmail Günaydın, Erdoğan Gür and İsmail Üner of the Air Force.
