Can anyone hear our voice? Happy 17 October ‘World Petty Officers’ Day'. May the biggest non-commissioned officer workshop in the history of the Republic be auspicious

In my previous articles, I gave you information about the historical process of the ‘non-commissioned officer’ class from the past to the present. After the proclamation of the Republic, non-commissioned officer in today's sense became a class serving in our army in 1951 with the law numbered 5802. While the ‘non-commissioned officer’ class was created in order to meet the mid-level executive needs of the army with the law, the aim was not to create a bitter class, but with the changes made in the ‘non-commissioned officer’ law over the years, it caused the creation of a bitter class. When we examine this law, it is known that no quota limit was set in the transition of status and that our country, which was in economic difficulties, enacted a law to retire with full salary even in those years.

To summarise; in modern armies, which are equipped with new weapons and vehicles and are closely involved in various industrial branches, an auxiliary class equipped with technical knowledge has been formed between the corporals and sergeants trained from the continent and the officer class since the 19th century in order to use these weapons and teach their methods to the privates, and a serious importance and value has been attributed to this class in our century.

The phrase"Can anyone hear my voice? ’ is a call, a shout, a shout that is often reflected on the screens during rescue operations after earthquakes, and therefore engraved in all our memories, causing different emotions to flare up in us every time we hear it.

Non-commissioned officers, who are the backbone of the army, the main and most important element in the chain of command of the Turkish Armed Forces, want to make their voices heard and draw attention to them and their problems by saying "Can anyone hear our voice? ’.

Indeed, non-commissioned officers, who serve in the remotest corners of the country at the cost of their lives, share the same fate with their family members as the other military members of the Turkish Armed Forces, and almost give their lives for the sake of their honourable profession for Turkey. On the other hand, while serving in the Turkish Armed Forces, I believe that the selfless and sacrificing members of this honourable community have serious problems that have accumulated from the past to the present and are waiting for a solution.

We know that non-commissioned officers, who constitute an important part of the professional manpower of the Turkish Armed Forces, are the lifeblood of the military profession. This is the case not only in our country, but in almost all armies. There is a perception in the non-commissioned officer community, which is at the heart of the Turkish Armed Forces system, that they are not fully compensated for their work in terms of their personal rights. As a member of the same community, I would like to express that I believe this perception is correct in many respects.

In the meantime, of course, there are those who hear the voice of the non-commissioned officer community. Is it possible that it is not heard? For example, the then Minister of National Defence (E) Org. Hulusi AKAR came together with TEMAD representatives and active non-commissioned officers for lunch at Etiler Orduevi on 22 January 2019. In his speech here, he said, ‘We are in a study that targets only our retired non-commissioned officers and aims to improve their personal rights. Hopefully, we will resolve this issue in a short time’, causing an expectation for a solution. The non-commissioned officers were hopeful that a solution was on the way, and began to wait in anticipation. On the other hand, at the National Defence Workshop, which he chaired, AKAR rejected the MP Murat BAKAN's proposal for improvements in the personal rights of non-commissioned officers and specialised sergeants.

Meanwhile, (E) Org. Yaşar GÜLER, when he served as the 2nd Minister of General Staff, said in an interview : ‘The only area where I see the non-commissioned officers as right is their compensation demands. The picture they face when they retire. That is the only area where they seem to be right. Both the government and us are aware of this...’ Yaşar Güler, who was appointed as the Minister of National Defence after Hulusi Akar, has now become our ‘interlocutor’ and an important member of the government and the solution authority.

In short, there are those who hear our voices, those who give us hope, but there are ex-soldiers who, for some reason, do not, or perhaps cannot, do what is necessary when they reach the competent authorities and positions. Both of them are former Chiefs of General Staff. Both of them were personalities who knew these issues very well, listened to the troubles and problems of the personnel a lot, and made it felt that they were in search of solutions when they were soldiers. However, when they took political positions, we could not and cannot see the solutions we expected from them. There has not been any development that would make the non-commissioned officer community happy, and we have little hope that there will be.

TEMAD is an important platform for non-commissioned officers to make their voices heard

In the past, on 29 December 1962, they founded the Turkish Retired, Disabled and Retired Non-Commissioned Officers Assistance Association (TEMAY) and have been trying to make their voices heard in search of their rights through an organised structure. In the meantime, in reaction to the amendments made to the Military Personnel Law of 1970, families marched for justice, rights and law in Malatya, Siirt, Erciş, Konya, Ankara, İskenderun, Kayseri, Hadımköy, Diyarbakır, Eskişehir, Gölcük and finally İzmir on 26-30 May 1970. In response to the excessive reaction of the police against the members of the non-commissioned officers' families who participated in the march, some of the non-commissioned officers in civilian clothes, who could not participate in the march themselves because they were members of the Turkish Armed Forces, naturally found themselves in the march in order to support their own families, which led to some tensions and undesirable incidents.

Another development in the past related to this issue occurred during the protests held in the units of the TurAF between 08-15 January 1975. TEMAY and EMAS (Association of Retired Non-Commissioned Officers) led the protests of the aviation non-commissioned officers, and were supported by some non-governmental organisations, MPs, and even generals, admirals and officers. However, it was not possible to sign any improvements in favour of non-commissioned officers.

In the meantime, as an extension of the decision taken by the 12 September 1980 coup d'état administration, the activities of TEMAY (together with other associations) were terminated. After an interval of approximately 4 years, the Turkish Retired Non-Commissioned Officers Association (TEMAD) was founded on 17 October 1984 to replace TEMAY.

As an important development within the scope of improving the personal rights of non-commissioned officers, on 14 January 1992, reports containing the demands of non-commissioned officers and their retirees were submitted to the Presidency of the Parliament, the Prime Ministry, the Ministry of National Defence, other relevant ministries and the Chief of General Staff by the President of TEMAD in order to solve the problems of non-commissioned officers. As a matter of fact, as a result of the works carried out by TEMAD, some improvements and positive developments have occurred for some of the problems of non-commissioned officers waiting for a solution.

The law enabling them to be promoted to Grade 1 (1992) and to advance to the fourth level of Grade 1 (2012) entered into force. A legislative proposal was prepared for the compensation demands of non-commissioned officers, but it was cancelled within the scope of ‘Saving Measures’.

17 October 2024 World Petty Officers' Day Events

On 29 September 2024, the rights and honour march of retired non-commissioned officers started in front of the grave of our heroic martyr Ömer HALİSDEMİR in Niğde and will end with a press statement at Ulus Atatürk Monument following the visit to Anıtkabir in Ankara on 17 October 2024 (World Non-Commissioned Officers Day).

On Thursday, 17 October 2024, the ‘1st National Workshop on Discussions from Past to Present’ on non-commissioned officers will be held as a result of an extraordinary 2-year effort and effort of the Common Mind group, which consists of a group of retired non-commissioned officers and includes academicians. The workshop will be held in Ankara Çankaya Municipality Zübeyde Hanım Social Facility. I invite all our active / retired non-commissioned officer friends to participate in this meaningful symposium. Let's stand with those who are our voice.

Conclusion

I attach importance to organised activities and organisations in order to ensure that the feelings, thoughts and expectations regarding certain personal and social rights expressed within the Turkish Armed Forces or among military retirees are conveyed to the relevant organs of the state in an appropriate format and in a timely manner. In this context, I attach importance to military retirees becoming members of associations such as the Turkish Retired Non-Commissioned Officers Association (TEMAD), which strives to serve in line with its founding objectives.

It is only through associations and foundations that we can legally convey all kinds of problems experienced by retired non-commissioned officers to the relevant authorities of the state and especially to the political authorities. The power of associations and foundations similar to TEMAD can increase with the number of members and the participation of their members. Unfortunately, solutions to the problems that non-commissioned officer retirees talk about among themselves when they come together cannot come only by talking. I believe that it is necessary to take a more proactive role, to follow a road map that will convince the organs of the state over time with courage and patience.

First of all, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that we can start somewhere by shouldering the Workshop organised within the scope of 17 October 2024 World Non-Commissioned Officers' Day.