Military ranks of Turkey

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

Special insignia

The Chief of the Turkish General Staff is allowed to wear special insignia.

Branch	Army [1]	Air force	Navy [2]
Insignia
Name	Genelkurmay başkanı

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
Turkish Land Forces [1] v t e
	Mareşal		Orgeneral		Korgeneral		Tümgeneral		Tuğgeneral		Albay		Yarbay		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Üsteğmen		Teğmen		Asteğmen
Literal translation	Marshal		Army general		Corps general		Divisional general		Brigade general		Chief of a regiment		Helper leader		Leader of a thousand		Leader of a hundred		Senior lieutenant		Lieutenant		Junior lieutenant
U.S. equivalent [3]	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] v t e																																			No insignia
	Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş						Astsubay başçavuş		Astsubay kıdemli üstçavuş		Astsubay üstçavuş						Astsubay kıdemli çavuş		Astsubay çavuş		Astsubay astçavuş		Uzman çavuş		Çavuş		Uzman onbaşı	Onbaşı							Er
Literal translation	Noncommissioned senior sergeant major						Noncommissioned sergeant major		Noncommissioned senior superior sergeant				Noncommissioned superior sergeant		Noncommissioned senior sergeant				Noncommissioned sergeant		Junior noncommissioned sergeant		Specialist sergeant		Sergeant		Specialist head of ten	Head of ten	Private
U.S. equivalent [4]	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
Turkish Air Force [5] v t e
	Mareşal		Orgeneral		Korgeneral		Tümgeneral		Tuğgeneral		Albay		Yarbay		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Üsteğmen		Teğmen		Asteğmen
U.S. equivalent [3]	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 [5] v t e																																			No insignia
	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 [4]	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
Turkish Naval Forces [2] v t e
	Büyük amiral		Oramiral		Koramiral		Tümamiral		Tuğamiral		Albay		Yarbay		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Üsteğmen		Teğmen		Asteğmen
U.S. equivalent [3]	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-2						OR-1
Turkish Naval Forces [2] v t e																																			No insignia
	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 [4]	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
Turkish Gendarmerie v t e
			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] v t e																							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

Officers

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1920–1924) [9]
	Müşir		Ferîk-i evvel				Ferik		Mirliva		Miralay		Kaymakam		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Mülâzım-ı evvel		Mülâzım-ı sani		Zabit vekili [a]	Zabit namzedi [b]
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1924–1933) [10]
	Müşir [c]		Ferîk-i evvel				Ferik		Mirliva		Miralay		Kaymakam		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Mülâzım-ı evvel		Mülâzım-ı sani		Zabit vekili
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]
	Mareşal		Orgeneral		Korgeneral		Tümgeneral		Tuğgeneral		Albay		Yarbay		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Teğmen		Asteğmen		Yarsubay
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]
	Mareşal		Orgeneral		Korgeneral		Tümgeneral		Tuğgeneral		Albay		Yarbay		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Üsteğmen		Teğmen		Asteğmen
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1956–1964) [15]
	Mareşal		Orgeneral		Korgeneral		Tümgeneral		Tuğgeneral		Albay		Yarbay		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Üsteğmen		Teğmen		Asteğmen

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group	Non-commissioned officer					Enlisted
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1920–1924) [16] [d]							No insignia
	ㅤ	ㅤ	Başçavuş	Başçavuş muavini	Çavuş	Onbaşı	Nefer
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1924-1933) [17] [d]							No insignia
	ㅤ	Başgedikli	Gedikli başçavuş	Gedikli başçavuş muavini	Gedikli çavuş	Onbaşı	Er
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1933-1947) [11] [18] [d]								No insignia
	ㅤ	Başgedikli	Gedikli başçavuş	Gedikli üstçavuş [e]	Gedikli çavuş	Çavuş	Onbaşı	Er
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1947-1953) [19] [d]								No insignia
	ㅤ	Başgedikli	Gedikli başçavuş	Gedikli üstçavuş	Gedikli çavuş	Çavuş	Onbaşı	Er
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1953-1956) [20] [d]								No insignia
	ㅤ	Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş	Astsubay başçavuş	Astsubay üstçavuş	Astsubay çavuş	Çavuş	Onbaşı	Er
Turkish Land & Air Forces (1956-1963) [21]								No insignia
	ㅤ	Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş	Astsubay başçavuş	Astsubay üstçavuş	Astsubay çavuş	Çavuş	Onbaşı	Er

Officers

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Turkish Naval Forces (1920–1926) [22]
	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 [f]
Turkish Naval Forces (1926–1933) [22]
	Müşir		Ferîk-i evvel				Ferik		Mirliva		Miralay		Kaymakam		Binbaşı		Kidemli yüzbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Mülâzım				Mühendis
Turkish Naval Forces (1933–1935) [11]
	Müşir		Birinci ferik				Ferik		Mirliva		Miralay		Kaymakam		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Birinci mülazım		Mülazım		Zabit vekili
Turkish Naval Forces (1935–1938) [23]
	Büyük amiral		Oramiral		Koramiral		Tümamiral		Tuğamiral		Albay		Yarbay		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Teğmen		Asteğmen		Yarsubay
Turkish Naval Forces (1938–1960) [13]
	Büyük amiral		Oramiral		Koramiral		Tümamiral		Tuğamiral		Albay		Yarbay		Binbaşı		Yüzbaşı		Üsteğmen		Teğmen		Asteğmen

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group	Non-commissioned officer					Enlisted
Turkish Naval Forces (1920–1926) [22] [d]								No insignia
	Birinci sınıf gedikli	İkinci sınıf gedikli	Üçüncü sınıf gedikli	Gedikli namzedi	Başçavuş	Çavuş	Onbaşı	Nefer
Turkish Naval Forces (1926–1933) [22] [d]								No insignia
	Birinci sınıf gedikli	İkinci sınıf gedikli	Üçüncü sınıf gedikli	Gedikli namzedi	Başçavuş	Çavuş	Onbaşı	Er
Turkish Naval Forces (1933-1956) [11] [18] [d]								No insignia
	ㅤ	Başgedikli	Gedikli başçavuş	Gedikli üstçavuş [g]	Gedikli çavuş	Çavuş	Onbaşı	Er
Turkish Naval Forces (1956-1970) [22]								No insignia
	ㅤ	Astsubay kıdemli başçavuş	Astsubay başçavuş	Astsubay üstçavuş	Astsubay çavuş	Çavuş	Onbaşı	Er

Notes

1. "Given to students of the temporary military academy established in Ankara who have been sent to the frontline as platoon commanders."
2. "Given to the students of the Kuleli Military High School who have made their way to the temporary military academy in Ankara and was deemed competent enough to be sent to the frontline as platoon commanders."
3. Insignia kept as the collar tab of the Müşir and Mareşal ranks until 1947.
4. Only worn on the left sleeve.
5. Gedikli başçavuş muavini until 1935.
6. Worn on the collar.
7. Gedikli başçavuş muavini was also used.

References

1. "Kara Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı Rütbe ve İşaretleri". Official army (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
2. "RÜTBE VE SINIF İŞARETLERİ". Official navy (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
3. Tartter 1996, p. 346.
4. Tartter 1996, p. 347.
5. "Rütbeleri". Official air force (in Turkish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
6. "Deniz Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı • Anasayfa".
7. "Uzman Jandarma Kanunu" (PDF) (in Turkish). mevzuat.gov.tr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 January 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
8. "Uzman Erbaş Kanunu" (PDF) (in Turkish). mevzuat.gov.tr. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
9. Geçer 2012, p. 77.
10. Geçer 2012, p. 79.
11. "Ordu Kıyafet Kararnamesi" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.
12. "8/10/1934 Tarih ve 2/1372 Sayılı Kararname ile Bazı Hükümleri Değiştirilmiş Olan 23/5/1933 Tarih ve 14455 Sayılı Ordu Kıyafet Kararnamesinde Yapılan Değişiklik Hakkında Kararname" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 17 Nov 2024.
13. "Ordu Dahilî, Hizmet Kanununun 2'nci maddesini değiştiren kanun" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.
14. Geçer 2012, p. 82.
15. Geçer 2012, p. 83.
16. Geçer 2022, p. 302.
17. Dikduran 2019, p. 204.
18. "Ordu Dahili Hizmet Kanunu" (PDF) (in Turkish). tbmm.gov.tr. Retrieved 20 Dec 2023.
19. Dikduran 2019, p. 206.
20. Dikduran 2019, p. 207.
21. Dikduran 2019, p. 208.
22. "GEÇMİŞTEN GÜNÜMÜZE, BAHRİYE ÜNİFORMA VE RÜTBELERİ - TÜRKER GEÇER". YouTube (in Turkish). Retrieved 22 Dec 2023.
23. "Ordu Kıyafet Kararnamesinin Onaylanması Hakkında Kararname" (PDF) (in Turkish). resmigazete.gov.tr. Retrieved 17 Nov 2024.

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). 411. Turkish Military Academy: 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.
• Dikduran, Salim (2019). Türk Hava Kuvvetleri Tarihinde Astsubaylar[Non-Commissioned Officers in the History of the Turkish Air Force] (in Turkish). Türkiye İş Bankası Cultural Publications. ISBN   9786052958971.