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Ozlem Karapinar made history at Türkiye's Supreme Military Council this week, becoming the first woman to hold the rank of general in the Turkish Air Force after being promoted to brigadier general among a broad reshuffling of the country's armed forces leadership.
Karapinar's promotion came as part of decisions taken at the Yuksek Askeri Sura, known by its Turkish acronym YAS, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. Effective August 30, the council approved the promotion of 25 generals and admirals to higher ranks and elevated 69 colonels to the general and admiral corps.
The promotion marks a milestone in a military that has historically been male-dominated at its senior levels. Karapinar is not the first woman to reach flag rank in Türkiye's armed forces overall.
In 2023, Colonel Gokcen Firat became the Republic's first female admiral when she was promoted to rear admiral under that year's YAS decisions.
Also among those promoted to brigadier general in the Air Force was Alper Gezeravci, Türkiye's first astronaut, who flew to the International Space Station in early 2024.
The council also made a significant change at the top of the Air Force. General Ziya Cemal Kadioglu was retired due to a lack of available positions, and General Rafet Dalkiran, previously commander of the Combat Air Force, was appointed as the new Air Force Commander in his place.
The navy's top officer, Admiral Ercument Tatlioglu, had his term extended by one year.
With the latest round of promotions, the total number of generals and admirals in the Turkish Armed Forces rose from 328 to 334 as of August 30.
Beyond the headline appointments, the reshuffle touched all three service branches. In the Army, three major generals; Burhan Aktas, Ertan Inaltekin, Alparslan Kilinc were elevated to lieutenant general, while 13 brigadier generals advanced to major general. Forty colonels were promoted to brigadier general within the Army.
In the Navy, two rear admirals were elevated to vice admiral and four commodores advanced to rear admiral, with 11 colonels promoted to commodore.
In the Air Force, General Erdogan Gur advanced to full general, while further promotions moved officers up through the lieutenant general and major general ranks. Eighteen colonels were promoted to brigadier general in the Air Force, including Karapinar and Gezeravci.
The council also extended the service terms of 24 generals and admirals by one year and those of 530 colonels by two years. In total, 63 generals and admirals were retired, two due to age limits and 61 due to a lack of available positions, effective either August 30 or September 1.
Senior government officials offered congratulations following the announcement. President Erdogan wrote on social media that he hoped the decisions taken at the council would "be a source of good for our country, our nation and our heroic army." Erdogan also received outgoing Air Force Commander Kadioglu at the Presidential Complex for a farewell visit.
Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz extended wishes of success to newly appointed Air Force Commander Dalkiran and to Admiral Tatlioglu, whose term was extended, and wished health and peace to those retiring.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran expressed confidence that the Turkish Armed Forces would "continue its mission with the same determination and resolve for the peace of our country, the survival of our nation, and the establishment of peace and stability in our region."
The YAS, or Supreme Military Council, is Türkiye's highest military decision-making body and convenes annually to review promotions, appointments and retirements within the armed forces. Its decisions require presidential approval.
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