Turkey looking to go professional with Army.

[Jigs]

Wednesday, June 30, 2010
ISTANBUL - Daily News with wires



The Turkish government is ready to structure a military force of 500,000 career soldiers, daily Akşam reported Wednesday, quoting Egemen Bağış, a state minister and Turkey's chief EU negotiator.

“The government is prepared to hire 500,000 people. This structural change will also contribute to our struggle with unemployment,” the minister said during a talk with journalists at the Turkish ambassador’s office in Brussels.

But Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül announced Wednesday that the study on hiring a vast number of career military soldiers was ongoing and that an absolute number had not been determined, Anatolia news agency reported.

The Turkish General Staff said last week after a spate of deadly attacks by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, that career military forces would take charge of guarding the country’s borders, particularly near northern Iraq.

“Preparatory work has begun to change the border units,” General Staff Secretary-General Ferit Güler said Friday. On June 19, the PKK attacked a mobile military unit in Hakkari province, killing 12 soldiers.

The decision to send career soldiers to the border came one day after the National Security Council, or MGK, reiterated in a meeting its determination to fight terrorism and its message "no concessions to terrorism.”

The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, has dramatically stepped up its attacks since the end of May, particularly in southeastern Turkey, which has been its main area of operation.

 

[blain2]

This is an interesting development and a good one at that for the Turkish Army. If I may say so, it would be beneficial for Turkey to consider how Pakistan has maintained a professional Army over the past 60+ years. Would be fairly instructive for the Turks to interact with the Pakistani GHQ on such discussions to get the various advantages/disadvantages. The single biggest one in my opinion is the continuity of experience and longevity of service for the professionally trained cadres.

 

[Jigs]

This is an interesting development and a good one at that for the Turkish Army. If I may say so, it would be beneficial for Turkey to consider how Pakistan has maintained a professional Army over the past 60+ years. Would be fairly instructive for the Turks to interact with the Pakistani GHQ on such discussions to get the various advantages/disadvantages. The single biggest one in my opinion is the continuity of experience and longevity of service for the professionally trained cadres.

Well turkey has always operated a professional core. Just not in these numbers. I doubt we could pay 500,000 career soldiers though so the figure will most likely be far less then that. I am not sure how much we pay our enlisted but starting officer pay was around 1,500 lira (1,000 dollars) per month if i remember correct.