The Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces (Turkish: Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri Genelkurmay Başkanı) is the chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces (Turkish: Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri). He is appointed by the President of Turkey, who is the commander-in-chief. The position dates to the period of the Government of the Grand National Assembly and the Turkish War of Independence. The post has its own rank insignia, which is the OF-9 (full General or Admiral of the Turkish Armed Forces) rank of the Chief of Staff's personal service branch surrounded by laurel wreaths. In practice, the position has always been held by a Turkish Land Forces officer.
| Chief of the General Staff | |
|---|---|
| Turkish: Genelkurmay Başkanı | |
Shoulder insignia specifically for the chief | |
Flag of the Chief of the General Staff | |
Incumbent since 5 August 2025General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu | |
| General Staff Ministry of National Defense | |
| Member of | General Staff National Security Council Supreme Military Council |
| Reports to | Minister of National Defense |
| Seat | General Staff Building, Ankara |
| Nominator | President |
| Appointer | President |
| Precursor | Chief of the Ottoman General Staff |
| Formation | 3 May 1920 |
| First holder | Mirliva İsmet İnönü |
| Deputy | Second Chief of the General Staff |
| Website | Official website |
The current Chief of the General Staff is General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, since 5 August 2025.
List of chiefs of the general staff
| No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mirliva İsmet İnönü (1884–1973) | 3 May 1920 | 3 August 1921 | 1 year, 92 days | Ground Forces | |
| 2 | Mareşal Fevzi Çakmak (1876–1950) | 5 August 1921 | 12 January 1944 | 22 years, 160 days | Ground Forces | |
| 3 | General Kâzım Orbay (1887–1964) | 12 January 1944 | 30 July 1946 | 2 years, 199 days | Ground Forces | |
| 4 | General Salih Omurtak (1889–1954) | 1 August 1946 | 8 June 1949 | 2 years, 311 days | Ground Forces | |
| 5 | General Abdurrahman Nafiz Gürman (1882–1966) | 10 June 1949 | 5 June 1950 | 360 days | Ground Forces | |
| 6 | General Nuri Yamut (1890–1961) | 6 June 1950 | 10 April 1954 | 3 years, 308 days | Ground Forces | |
| 7 | General Nurettin Baransel (1897–1967) | 28 May 1954 | 25 August 1955 | 1 year, 89 days | Ground Forces | |
| 8 | General Hakkı Tunaboylu (1895–1958) | 25 August 1955 | 10 October 1957 | 2 years, 46 days | Ground Forces | |
| 9 | General Feyzi Mengüç (1896–1966) | 11 October 1957 | 22 August 1958 | 315 days | Ground Forces | |
| 10 | General Rüştü Erdelhun (1894–1983) | 23 August 1958 | 27 May 1960 | 1 year, 278 days | Ground Forces | |
| 11 | General Ragıp Gümüşpala (1897–1964) | 3 June 1960 | 4 August 1960 | 62 days | Ground Forces | |
| 12 | General Cevdet Sunay (1899–1982) | 4 August 1960 | 16 March 1966 | 5 years, 224 days | Ground Forces | |
| 13 | General Cemal Tural (1905–1981) | 16 March 1966 | 16 March 1969 | 3 years | Ground Forces | |
| 14 | General Memduh Tağmaç (1904–1978) | 16 March 1969 | 29 August 1972 | 3 years, 166 days | Ground Forces | |
| 15 | General Faruk Gürler (1913–1975) | 29 August 1972 | 6 March 1973 | 250 days | Ground Forces | |
| 16 | General Semih Sancar (1911–1984) | 6 March 1973 | 7 March 1978 | 5 years, 1 day | Ground Forces | |
| 17 | General Kenan Evren (1917–2015) | 7 March 1978 | 1 July 1983 | 5 years, 55 days | Ground Forces | |
| 18 | General Nurettin Ersin (1918–2005) | 1 July 1983 | 6 December 1983 | 158 days | Ground Forces | |
| 19 | General Necdet Üruğ (1921–2021) | 6 December 1983 | 2 July 1987 | 3 years, 208 days | Ground Forces | |
| 20 | General Necip Torumtay (1926–2011) | 24 July 1987 | 3 December 1990 | 3 years, 132 days | Ground Forces | |
| 21 | General Doğan Güreş (1926–2014) | 6 December 1990 | 30 August 1994 | 3 years, 267 days | Ground Forces | |
| 22 | General İsmail Hakkı Karadayı (1932–2020) | 30 August 1994 | 30 August 1998 | 4 years | Ground Forces | |
| 23 | General Hüseyin Kıvrıkoğlu (born 1934) | 30 August 1998 | 28 August 2002 | 3 years, 363 days | Ground Forces | |
| 24 | General Hilmi Özkök (born 1940) | 28 August 2002 | 30 August 2006 | 4 years, 2 days | Ground Forces | |
| 25 | General Yaşar Büyükanıt (1940–2019) | 30 August 2006 | 30 August 2008 | 2 years | Ground Forces | |
| 26 | General İlker Başbuğ (born 1943) | 30 August 2008 | 30 August 2010 | 2 years | Ground Forces | |
| 27 | General Işık Koşaner (born 1945) | 30 August 2010 | 29 July 2011 | 333 days | Ground Forces | |
| 28 | General Necdet Özel (born 1950) | 30 July 2011 | 18 August 2015 | 4 years, 19 days | Ground Forces | |
| 29 | General Hulusi Akar (born 1952) | 18 August 2015 | 10 July 2018 | 2 years, 326 days | Ground Forces | |
| – | General Ümit Dündar (born 1955) Acting | 15 July 2016 | 16 July 2016 | 1 day | Ground Forces | |
| 30 | General Yaşar Güler (born 1954) | 10 July 2018 | 3 June 2023 | 4 years, 328 days | Ground Forces | |
| – | General Musa Avsever (born 1957) Acting | 5 June 2023 | 3 August 2023 | 59 days* | Ground Forces | |
| 31 | General Metin Gürak (born 1960) | 3 August 2023 | 5 August 2025 | 2 years, 2 days | Ground Forces | |
| 32 | General Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu (born 1961) | 5 August 2025 | Incumbent | 132 days* | Ground Forces |
* Incumbent's time in office last updated: 15 December 2025.
Timeline
See also
- List of commanders of the Turkish Land Forces
- List of commanders of the Turkish Air Force
- List of commanders of the Turkish Naval Forces
- List of general commanders of the Turkish Gendarmerie
- List of commandants of the Turkish Coast Guard
- List of commanders of the First Army of Turkey
- List of commanders of the Second Army of Turkey
- List of commanders of the Third Army of Turkey
- List of commanders of the Aegean Army
Sources
- Genelkurmay Başkanları listesi (in Turkish)
- Harp Akademileri Komutanlığı, Harp Akademilerinin 120 Yılı, İstanbul, 1968. (in Turkish)
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