Military ranks of Turkey

The Military ranks of Turkey are the military insignia used by the Turkish Armed Forces.

Turkish Land Forces

Officer ranks

NATO code	OF-10	OF-9		OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1			Student officer
Turkish Land Forces^[1]														Various ^{[lower-alpha 1]}
Turkish Land Forces^[1]	Mareşal	Genelkurmay başkanı	Orgeneral	Korgeneral	Tümgeneral	Tuğgeneral	Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Üsteğmen	Teğmen	Asteğmen	Harbiyeli
Literal translation	Marshal	Chief of the General Staff	Army general	Corps general	Divisional general	Brigade general	Chief of a regiment		Leader of a thousand	Leader of a hundred

U.S. equivalent^[2]	General of the Army	General		Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier general	Colonel	Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant		Cadet / Officer candidate

Other ranks

NATO code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5			OR-4		OR-3		OR-2	OR-1
Turkish Land Forces^[1]													No insignia
Turkish Land Forces^[1]	Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş	Astsubay başçavuş	Astsubay kıdemli üstçavuş	Astsubay üstçavuş	Astsubay kıdemli çavuş	Astsubay çavuş	Astsubay astçavuş	Uzman çavuş	Çavuş	Uzman onbaşı	Onbaşı		Er
U.S. equivalent^[3]	Command sergeant major	Master sergeant	Sergeant first class		Staff sergeant			Sergeant		Corporal		Private	Private

Turkish Air Forces

Officer ranks

NATO code	OF-10	OF-9		OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1			Student officer
Turkish Air Force^[4]														Various ^{[lower-alpha 1]}
Turkish Air Force^[4]	Mareşal	Genelkurmay başkanlığı	Orgeneral	Korgeneral	Tümgeneral	Tuğgeneral	Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Üsteğmen	Teğmen	Asteğmen	Harbiyeli
U.S. equivalent^[2]	General of the Air Force	General		Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier general	Colonel	Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	First lieutenant	Second lieutenant		Cadet / Officer trainee

Other ranks

NATO code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5			OR-4		OR-3		OR-2	OR-1
Turkish Air Force^[4]													No insignia
Turkish Air Force^[4]	Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş	Astsubay başçavuş	Astsubay kıdemli üstçavuş	Astsubay üstçavuş	Astsubay kıdemli çavuş	Astsubay çavuş	Astsubay astçavuş	Uzman çavuş	Çavuş	Uzman onbaşı	Onbaşı		Er
U.S. equivalent^[3]	Chief master sergeant	Senior master sergeant	Master sergeant		Technical sergeant			Staff sergeant		Senior airman/ Sergeant		Airman first class	Airman basic

Turkish Naval Forces

Officer ranks

NATO code	OF-10	OF-9		OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1			Student officer
Turkish Naval Forces^[5]														Various ^{[lower-alpha 1]}
Turkish Naval Forces^[5]	Büyük amiral	Genelkurmay başkanlığı	Oramiral	Koramiral	Tümamiral	Tuğamiral	Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Üsteğmen	Teğmen	Asteğmen	Bahriyeli
U.S. equivalent^[2]	Fleet admiral	Admiral		Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Rear admiral (lower half)	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade)	Ensign		Midshipman / officer candidate

Note : Commodores in the Turkish navy are not given special ranks or insignia. In the Turkish navy a commodore is not a rank but a position (usually group commander). Commodores almost always have the rank of Captain (Albay), but can fly their special pennants and wear special ribbons.^[6]

Tuğamiral (Rear Admiral/Lower Half) is the lowest admiral's rank. Their shoulderboards are covered in gold lace, and have a silver garland with swords crossed in the middle (General's mark) and a silver five pointed star above that. All admirals also wear two rows of leaves on their caps.
Tümamiral (Rear Admiral/Upper Half) wears the same shoulderboards as Tuğamiral s, but with two silver stars.
Koramiral (Vice Admiral): There are usually six Koramiral s in the whole navy. Koramiral s wear three silver stars on the usual shoulder boards.
Oramiral (Admiral): There are two oramirals, one of them is the Commander of the Naval Forces (Deniz Kuvvetleri Komutanı ), while the other is Commander of the Turkish Fleet (Donanma Komutanı). Oramiral s wear shoulder boards with four silver stars, and three normal stripes (the top one with the curl) above the broad stripe.
Genelkurmay Başkanı (Chief of the Turkish General Staff) assumes command of the Turkish Armed Forces, and although he is commonly appointed from the Turkish Army, he is entitled to wear all uniforms in the Turkish Armed Forces, including the Navy's. When he wears the Navy's uniform, he wears the oramiral's shoulder boards with specially embroidered lace as the base, and he wears the oramiral's sleeve stripes with the broad stripe also embroidered and decorated with leaves.
Büyük Amiral (Admiral of the Fleet): This is a wartime-only rank and has never been awarded to any member of the Turkish Navy. Its army equivalent, Mareşal (Field Marshal), has had only two bearers in the republic's history: Marshal Fevzi Çakmak and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk himself. A Büyük Amiral would wear shoulder boards with special gold handwork on red velvet, decorated with golden leaves, and with a general's garland on top of that.

Rank pennants and flags (ensigns)

Pennants are only flown for officers who assume command of an independent unit. Staff officers who work in headquarters do not fly pennants.

Flandra (Masthead Pennant) : The Flandra is flown when the ship's commanding officer boards the ship. It is quite like a very long red stripe with a crescent moon and star close to the mast.
Group Commander : For group commanders, a red triangular pennant with one bomb (twenty pointed white star) is flown.
Regiment Commanders : For regiment commanders, a square red flag with an anchor in the middle is flown.
Commodores : A swallow-tailed red pennant with two bombs (one on the upper left corner, the other one below that) is flown.

Rear Admiral (Lower half)
Rear Admiral (Upper half)
Vice Admiral
Admiral
Commander of the Naval Forces
Admiral of the Fleet

Other ranks

NATO code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5			OR-4		OR-3		OR-1
Turkish Naval Forces^[5]												No insignia
Turkish Naval Forces^[5]	Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş	Astsubay başçavuş	Astsubay kıdemli üstçavuş	Astsubay üstçavuş	Astsubay kıdemli çavuş	Astsubay çavuş	Astsubay astçavuş	Uzman çavuş	Çavuş	Uzman onbaşı	Onbaşı	Er
U.S. equivalent^[3]	Master chief petty officer	Senior chief petty officer	Chief petty officer		Petty officer first class			Petty officer second class		Petty officer third class		Seaman recruit

Rates (insignia of category)

There are several major categories in the Navy for different professions. Insignia of category are worn right above the circle in the topmost stripe, both on the sleeve and the shoulder board. It is a small round patch with gold-coloured needlework. Line officers and admirals do not wear these patches. (Admirals with special circumstances (doctors and engineers) may wear them on their sleeves, but not shoulders)

Naval Infantry (Marines) : In the Turkish armed forces, marines are subordinates to the navy and wear the Navy's uniforms. Their patch consists of an anchor and two rifles crossing it.
Combat Engineer (Civil Engineer) : A combat engineer wears a patch with the portrayal of what seems to be a fortress, beyond the sea.
Supply : Supply officers wear a branch with three gold-coloured leaves.
Hydrography/Oceanography : These officers wear a patch which portrays a lighthouse, with two beams of light heading away from each other.
Medical Corps (Medical Doctors) : Doctors bear the Staff of Asclepius, a staff with a single snake entangled around it.
Pharmacists : Pharmacists wear the image of a cup, with a snake around it and a branch surrounding both.
Dentists : Dentists wear a staff with a branch around it.
Engineers : An engineer wears the image of a protractor and a pair of compasses beneath that.
Prosecutors/Judges : Officers of this category wear a patch that includes a book laying open and a pair of scales behind that.
Legal : Officers Officers of this category wear a patch that includes a book laying open and a pair of ''H'' above it.
Instructors : Instructors wear a patch with a book laying open with a torch behind.
Band Musician : A band musician wears a patch with a musical harp.
Nurse : Officers from the Nurses’ Corps wear a single golden crescent with the corners pointed upwards.
Intelligence : The Intelligence patch consists of a golden circle with a cross in between; embroidered with arrows at each point the cross cuts the circle. Portrayed as if this Wheel was turning around its own axis.
Staff Officers : Staff officers, are the officers who assume command or important positions in other headquarters, with a specialty in military personnel and supplies management. They wear a single golden five-point star as their patch of category.

Gendarmerie General Command

Officer ranks

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Turkish Gendarmerie																															Various ^{[lower-alpha 1]}
Turkish Gendarmerie			Orgeneral		Korgeneral		Tümgeneral		Tuğgeneral		Albay		Yarbay		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Üsteğmen		Teğmen		Asteğmen

Other ranks

NATO code

OR-9

OR-8

OR-7

OR-6

OR-5

OR-4

OR-3

OR-2

OR-1

Turkish Gendarmerie^[7]^[8]


Uzman Jandarma VIII Kademeli Çavuş	Uzman Jandarma VII Kademeli Çavuş	Uzman Jandarma VI Kademeli Çavuş	Uzman Jandarma V Kademeli Çavuş	Uzman Jandarma IV Kademeli Çavuş	Uzman Jandarma III Kademeli Çavuş	Uzman Jandarma II Kademeli Çavuş	Uzman Jandarma I Kademeli Çavuş


Uzman Çavuş IV	Uzman Çavuş III	Uzman Çavuş II	Uzman Çavuş I

Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş

Astsubay başçavuş

Astsubay kıdemli üstçavuş

Astsubay üstçavuş

Astsubay kıdemli çavuş

Astsubay çavuş

Uzman onbaşı

Historic ranks

Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers			Junior officers					Officer cadet
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1920–1924)^[9]
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1920–1924)^[9]	Müşir	Ferîk-i evvel		Ferik	Mirliva	Miralay	Kaymakam	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Mülâzım-ı evvel	Mülâzım	Zabit vekili	Zabit namzedi^{[lower-alpha 2]}
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1924–1933)^[10]
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1924–1933)^[10]	Müşir^{[lower-alpha 3]}	Ferîk-i evvel		Ferik	Mirliva	Miralay	Kaymakam	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Mülâzım-ı evvel	Mülâzım	Zabit vekili
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1933–1935)^[11]
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1933–1935)^[11]	Müşir	Birinci ferik		Ferik	Mirliva	Miralay	Kaymakam	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Birinci mülazım	Mülazım	Zabit vekili
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1935–1938)^[12]
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1935–1938)^[12]	Mareşal	Orgeneral	Korgeneral	Tümgeneral	Tuğgeneral	Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Teğmen	Asteğmen	Yarsubay
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1938–1947)^[13]
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1938–1947)^[13]	Mareşal	Orgeneral	Korgeneral	Tümgeneral	Tuğgeneral	Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Üsteğmen	Teğmen	Asteğmen
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1947–1956)^[14]
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1947–1956)^[14]	Mareşal	Orgeneral	Korgeneral	Tümgeneral	Tuğgeneral	Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Üsteğmen	Teğmen	Asteğmen
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1956–1964)^[15]
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1956–1964)^[15]	Mareşal	Orgeneral	Korgeneral	Tümgeneral	Tuğgeneral	Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Üsteğmen	Teğmen	Asteğmen
NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1				OF(D)	Student officer

Rank group	General / flag officers						Senior officers			Junior officers						Officer cadet
Turkish Naval Forces (1920–1924)^[16]
Turkish Naval Forces (1920–1924)^[16]	Müşir amiral	Amiral		Vice amiral		Liva amiral Komodor	Kalyon kaptanı	Fırkateyn kaptanı	Korvet kaptanı	Birinci sınıf yüzbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Mülâzım-ı evvel	Mülâzım-ı sânî	Mühendis^{[lower-alpha 4]}
Turkish Naval Forces (1924–1933)^[17]
Turkish Naval Forces (1924–1933)^[17]	Müşir	Ferîk-i evvel		Ferik	Mirliva		Miralay	Kaymakam	Binbaşı	Kidemli yüzbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Mülâzım			Mühendis
Turkish Naval Forces (1933–1935)^[18]
Turkish Naval Forces (1933–1935)^[18]	Müşir	Birinci ferik		Ferik	Mirliva		Miralay	Kaymakam	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı		Birinci mülazım	Mülazım		Zabit vekili
Turkish Naval Forces (1935–1938)^[19]
Turkish Naval Forces (1935–1938)^[19]	Büyük amiral	Oramiral	Koramiral	Tümamiral	Tuğamiral		Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı		Teğmen	Asteğmen		Yarsubay
Turkish Naval Forces (1938–1964)^[20]
Turkish Naval Forces (1938–1964)^[20]	Büyük amiral	Oramiral	Koramiral	Tümamiral	Tuğamiral		Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı		Üsteğmen	Teğmen		Asteğmen
NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6		OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2		OF-1				OF(D)	Student officer

Notes

1 2 3 4 Student officer insignia designates school grade rather than military seniority.
↑ "Given to students of the military academy who have been deployed to the frontline before graduation."
↑ Insignia kept as the collar tab of the Müşir and Mareşal ranks until 1947.
↑ Worn on the collar.

References

1 2 "Kara Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı Rütbe ve İşaretleri". Official army (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
1 2 3 Tartter 1996, p. 346.
1 2 3 Tartter 1996, p. 347.
1 2 "Rütbeleri". Official air force (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
1 2 "RÜTBE VE SINIF İŞARETLERİ". Official navy (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
↑ "Deniz Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı • Anasayfa".
↑ "Uzman Jandarma Kanunu" (PDF) (in Turkish). mevzuat.gov.tr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
↑ "Uzman Erbaş Kanunu" (PDF) (in Turkish). mevzuat.gov.tr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
↑ Geçer 2012, p. 77.
↑ Geçer 2012, p. 79.
↑ "Ordu Kıyafet Kararnamesi" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.
↑ "Ordu Dahili Hizmet Kanunu" (PDF) (in Turkish). tbmm.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.
↑ "Ordu Dahilî, Hizmet Kanununun 2'nci maddesini değiştiren kanun" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.
↑ Geçer 2012, p. 82.
↑ Geçer 2012, p. 83.
↑ Geçer 2022.
↑ "GEÇMİŞTEN GÜNÜMÜZE, BAHRİYE ÜNİFORMA VE RÜTBELERİ - TÜRKER GEÇER" (in Turkish). Retrieved 22 Dec 2023.
↑ "Ordu Kıyafet Kararnamesi" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.
↑ "Ordu Dahili Hizmet Kanunu" (PDF) (in Turkish). tbmm.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.
↑ "Ordu Dahilî, Hizmet Kanununun 2'nci maddesini değiştiren kanun" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.

Bibliography

Geçer, Kadir (January 2012). "Tarihten Günümüze Türk Ordusunda Kullanılan Rütbe Sembolleri" [Rank Symbols Used in the Turkish Army from History to Today] (PDF). Silahlý Kuvvetler Dergisi (in Turkish). Turkish Military Academy. 411: 69–85. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
Tartter, Jean R. (1996). "National Security". In Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Turkey: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. LCCN 95049612. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
Geçer, Kadir (2022). Osmanlı İmparatorluğu Askerî Kıyafetleri 1826-1922 [Ottoman Empire Military Clothing 1826-1922] (in Turkish). Hisart Culture Publications. ISBN 9786050699814.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[Turkey_Student-2] 1 2 3 4 Student officer insignia designates school grade rather than military seniority.

[11] "Given to students of the military academy who have been deployed to the frontline before graduation."

[13] Insignia kept as the collar tab of the Müşir and Mareşal ranks until 1947.

[20] Worn on the collar.

[Turkey_Army-1] 1 2 "Kara Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı Rütbe ve İşaretleri". Official army (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.

[FOOTNOTETartter1996346-3] 1 2 3 Tartter 1996, p. 346.

[FOOTNOTETartter1996347-4] 1 2 3 Tartter 1996, p. 347.

[Turkey_AirForce-5] 1 2 "Rütbeleri". Official air force (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.

[Turkey_Navy-6] 1 2 "RÜTBE VE SINIF İŞARETLERİ". Official navy (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.

[7] "Deniz Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı • Anasayfa".

[8] "Uzman Jandarma Kanunu" (PDF) (in Turkish). mevzuat.gov.tr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2021.

[9] "Uzman Erbaş Kanunu" (PDF) (in Turkish). mevzuat.gov.tr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2021.

[FOOTNOTEGeçer201277-10] Geçer 2012, p. 77.

[FOOTNOTEGeçer201279-12] Geçer 2012, p. 79.

[14] "Ordu Kıyafet Kararnamesi" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.

[15] "Ordu Dahili Hizmet Kanunu" (PDF) (in Turkish). tbmm.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.

[16] "Ordu Dahilî, Hizmet Kanununun 2'nci maddesini değiştiren kanun" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.

[FOOTNOTEGeçer201282-17] Geçer 2012, p. 82.

[FOOTNOTEGeçer201283-18] Geçer 2012, p. 83.

[FOOTNOTEGeçer2022-19] Geçer 2022.

[21] "GEÇMİŞTEN GÜNÜMÜZE, BAHRİYE ÜNİFORMA VE RÜTBELERİ - TÜRKER GEÇER" (in Turkish). Retrieved 22 Dec 2023.

[22] "Ordu Kıyafet Kararnamesi" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.

[23] "Ordu Dahili Hizmet Kanunu" (PDF) (in Turkish). tbmm.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.

[24] "Ordu Dahilî, Hizmet Kanununun 2'nci maddesini değiştiren kanun" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.

[1]

[lower-alpha 1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[lower-alpha 2]

[10]

[lower-alpha 3]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[lower-alpha 4]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]