The Turkish Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of Turkey. The Turkish Armed Forces consist of the General Staff, the Land Forces, the Naval Forces and the Air Forces. The Chief of the General Staff is the Commander of the Armed Forces. In wartime, the Chief of the General Staff acts as the Commander-in-Chief on behalf of the President, who represents the Supreme Military Command of the TAF on behalf of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Coordinating the military relations of the TAF with other NATO member states and friendly states is the responsibility of the General Staff.
This is a list of non-U.S. recipients of U.S. gallantry awards.
The Turkish Land Forces, or Turkish Army, is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The army was formed on November 8, 1920, after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Significant campaigns since the foundation of the army include suppression of rebellions in Turkish Kurdistan from the 1920s to the present day, combat in the Korean War, the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the current Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War, as well as its NATO alliance against the USSR during the Cold War. The army holds the preeminent place within the armed forces. It is customary for the Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces to have been the Commander of the Turkish Land Forces prior to his appointment as Turkey's senior ranking officer.
The National Guard of Cyprus, also known as the Greek Cypriot National Guard or simply National Guard, is the military force of the Republic of Cyprus. This force consists of air, land, sea and special forces elements, and is highly integrated with its first and second line reserves, as well as supporting civilian agencies and paramilitary forces.
General Mehmet Yaşar Büyükanıt was the 25th Chief of the Turkish General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces, from 28 August 2006 to 28 August 2008.
The Special Forces Command is a division of the Turkish Armed Forces, initially established as a brigade in 14 April 1992, operating directly under the Turkish General Staff. According to the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) dress code, the ÖKK, also known as the Bordo Bereliler, are noteworthy for their distinctive maroon berets. Their task is to carry out special operations that exceed the capabilities of other military units.
Medal of Independence was a special military decoration issued in limited number by Grand National Assembly of Turkey in accordance with the Act 66 of November 29, 1920. It was awarded to military personnel and civilians, who had made important contributions to the country during the Turkish War of Independence. Also upon the flags of all the regiments of the Turkish National Forces, which took part in the campaigns during the occupation of Izmir between May 15, 1919 and September 9, 1922, were bestowed a medal.
The Cyprus Turkish Peace Force Command is the Turkish garrison in Cyprus. In 1974 Turkish troops invaded Cyprus following a Greek Cypriot coup d'état which wanted to force union with Greece, occupying the northern third of the island. The invasion force consisted of about 40,000 soldiers and 200 tanks. It outnumbers the Greek military contingent on the island, which is supplemented by the Greek Cypriot National Guard consisting of 12,000 active and 75,000 reserves. Air reinforcement of the Turkish troops can be effected, if necessary, within hours.
The Gendarmerie Special Operations or JÖH, is the special operations unit of the Turkish Gendarmerie General Command. Its tasks include search and destroy, infiltration, and reconnaissance. Members of the unit receive extensive training at the Jandarma School at Foça and also from selected Turkish Armed Forces instructors. All three of its companies work under the direction of the army regions to which they are assigned, but can also receive tasking from their headquarters in Ankara. It was established in 1991, at the height of the Turkish-Kurdish conflict. It has recently been involved in the Turkish occupation of northern Syria. Unit members are in the 16-week training rooms at the Gendarmerie Commando Terrorist Operations School Command in Foça. All kinds of light weapons, mortar use, rocket launcher training, maneuvering training under fire, destroying target, target mountaineering, using GPS, finding directions over long distances, camouflage, being able to withstand fatigue and insomnia, making the right decision under stress, adapts to different climate and land needs, fight against terrorism in a residential area, explosive recognition, destruction, helicopter evacuation, contact helicopter and helicopter steering, transition through the water, basic diving, melee combat. The gendarmerie commando basic course lasts 10 weeks. Information on survival, boat operation, commando training, combat maps, weapons and shootings, explosives and traps are given combat training.The person who completes the course becomes a commando. Commando candidates run a total of 300 kilometers in running conditions.Trainees are expected to complete a 10-kilometer rifle run, a 15-kilometer country run, and a 30-kilometer strength run with full equipment.After the commando training, a sniper course is also given. Gendarmerie Special Operations course lasts 6 months. İt is organized in Ankara, İzmir and Kayseri with land, air and sea phases. Gendarmerie officers, non-commissioned officers and experts who have received basic gendarmerie commando training can attend the course. Combat training in severe cold in Kayseri or Bolu Basic diving in Ankara In İzmir Foça, the helicopter jump boat operator receives training such as close combat, forestry, airplane-bus-train operations, residential operation, frogman, special operations and Paratrooper.Special operations candidates ran a total of 675+ kilometers under running conditions. At the end of the training, the student will have the ability to plan and conduct special operations in buildings, land, air and railway vehicles in all kinds of terrain and climatic conditions at home and abroad.
The 1st Commando Brigade is a airborne commando brigade of the Turkish Army, based in Kayseri.
The Amphibious Marine Brigade, also known as Amphibious Commando, is the marine corps special operations capable unit of the Turkish Naval Forces based in Foça near İzmir, three amphibious battalions, an MBT battalion, an artillery battalion, a support battalion and other company-sized units.
Hulusi Akar is a former four-star Turkish Armed Forces general who served as the Minister of National Defense from 2018 to 2023. He previously served as the 29th chief of the Turkish General Staff. Akar also served as a brigade commander in various NATO engagements including the International Security Assistance Force against the Taliban insurgency, Operation Deliberate Force during the Bosnian War, the Kosovo Force during the Kosovo War, as well as overseeing much of the Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War.
The Ops-Core Future Assault Shell Technology (FAST) Helmet, also known as the FAST helmet, is an American combat helmet used by special operations forces and law enforcement organizations in various countries, as well as the current standard protective headgear of the Norwegian Armed Forces.
The 9th Corps, Turkish Land Forces, is a field corps. The corps headquarters is located in Erzurum, and the corps is part of the Third Army (Turkey). It is deployed along Turkey's eastern boundary.
The 4th Commando Brigade is one of the 12 infantry brigades in Turkish Land Forces. It's under the 8th Corps and is headquartered at Tunceli. It was involved in Operation Olive Branch (2018) in Syria and fought in Operation Claw (2019) with the Gendarmerie Special Operations in Iraq.
The 15th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Alexandria (Peacekeeping) Brigade (миротворческая), romanized: 15-ya otdel'naya gvardeyskaya motostrelkovaya Aleksandriyskaya brigada (mirotvorcheskaya), Military Unit Number 90600, is a unit in the Russian Ground Forces. It is the only peacekeeping brigade in the Russian Armed Forces. The formation is part of the 2nd Guards Combined Arms Army of the Central Military District. It is based in Roshchinsky in Volzhsky District of Samara Oblast.
The 9th Commando Brigade is one of the 12 infantry brigades designated as commando in Turkish Land Forces. It is under the 9th Corps and is headquartered at Sarıkamış, Kars Province. Search and rescue training is given to soldiers in the brigade. The brigade was involved in Operation Olive Branch.
The 3rd Commando Brigade is one of the 12 infantry brigades designated as commando in Turkish Land Forces. It's under the 7th Corps and is headquartered at Siirt. The unit was involved in the Operation Olive Branch (2018) in Syria and is actively involved in the Kurdish–-Turkish conflict. It was professionalized in 2010.
Azerbaijani Commando Brigades are special units within the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, formed in 2021 from the military personnel of the Land Forces who returned to Azerbaijan after training in the Turkish Armed Forces.
Turkey 