Necdet Özel

General Necdet Özel (born Ankara, 1950) is the Chief of the Turkish General Staff since 2011. He is only the second in the position not to have NATO experience.

He graduated from the Military Academy in 1969 and the Infantry School in 1970.

He served as a platoon leader and company commander in various units of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) until 1978. Following his graduation from Army War College in 1980 as a staff officer, he respectively served as Operations Plan Officer at Turkish Peace Forces HQ in Cyprus, Branch Chief and then as the Secretary General at the General Secretariat of Turkish Land Forces, Chief of Staff at the Turkish Military Academy, and as the Commander of the 17th Infantry Regiment.

Having promoted to Brigadier General in 1995, he served as the Commander of the 172nd Armored Brigade and as the Chief of Internal Security Operations Department, TLFC.

After his promotion to Major General in 1999, he assumed the command of 39th Mechanized Infantry Division and of the Army War College.

In 2003, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and served as the Commander of the 7th Corps and then as the Deputy Commander of Training and Doctrine Command, TLFC.

As a General, he served as the Commander of Aegean Army between 2007-2008, as the Commander of the 2nd Army between 2008-2010, and as the Commander of Gendarmerie between 2010-2011. After serving as the Commander of TLFC and as the Acting Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces between 29 July and 04 August 2011, he assumed the command of Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) in 04 August 2011.

General Necdet Özel was awarded TAF Courage and Self-Sacrifice Medal, TAF Distinguished Service Medal, TAF Medal of Honor, Romanian Military Legion of Merit, Hero of the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolian Distinguished Service Medal, Korean Republic National Security Legion of Merit, Saudi Arabia King Abdulaziz Medal of Excellent Rank and Jordan Excellent Gendarmerie Medal.

General Necdet Özel is married to Kamuran Özel, with a child.