Government Approves Reduction in Military Service Time

In a statement following the cabinet meeting, the Minister of Justice, Cemil Cicek, said the proposal to shorten military service in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) period was met positively. Cicek announced that the pending law, which anticipates the reduction of service time for soldiers and noncommissioned officers from 18 months to 15 months, for reserve officers from 16 months to 12 months, and for soldiers and non-commissioned officers from 8 months to 6 months, was accepted.

The fifth article of Code 1111 of the Military Service Law allows the required military service in the Land, Navy and Air Forces and Gendarmerie General Commandership to be reduced, first from 18 months to 15 months, and then later down to 12 months during peace times. It also allows the cabinet to decide, by taking the needs of the TSK into consideration.

The decree, prepared according to the Chief of General Staff’s proposal, will be approved by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and will be enacted after publication in the Official Gazette. It is anticipated that this will be sometime after July 15.