Akın Öztürk
General Akın Öztürk, TAF
30th Commander of the Turkish Air Force
Born (1952-02-21) February 21, 1952
Gümüşhane, Turkey
Allegiance Turkey
Service/branch Turkish Air Force
Years of service1973–2016
RankGeneral (Dismissed in 2016)
Commands heldCommander of Air Force
Intelligence Chief of Air Force
2nd Air Supply and Maintenance Command
Training and Projects Command
141st Squadron Command
MJB Operations Command
AwardsSee below

Akın Öztürk (born February 21, 1952) is a former four-star general in the Turkish Air Force who served as the 30th Commander of the Turkish Air Force until August 4, 2015.[1] After his expiration as commander, he continued his duty as a member of the Supreme Military Council.

Öztürk was arrested on 16 July 2016 on charges of having played a leading role in the failed 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt of 15 July. He was stripped of all his military ranks and indicted for offences against public order, terrorism, conspiracy and treason.[2][3] Öztürk has denied the charges.

On June 20, 2019, Öztürk was sentenced to life in prison.[4]

Military career

Upon graduating from the 2nd Main Jet Base (MJB) Flight Training School as a fighter pilot in 1975, he was assigned to the 7th MJB in Malatya where he served as an F-100 and F-4 pilot until 1981. In 1981, he was assigned to the 1st MJB in Eskişehir where he served as Squadron Officer and Standardization and Evaluation Branch Chief.

In 1987, he was assigned to the 3rd MJB as Standardization and Evaluation Officer. His next assignment was in 1989 in the 4th MJB where he became an F-16 pilot. There, he served as 141st Squadron Operations Officer between 1989 and 1991. Starting in May 1991, Öztürk was the commander of the 141st Squadron until 1993. Between 1993 and 1996 he served as Project Officer and Branch Chief in Training Department at Turkish Air Headquarters. He was the Turkish Military attache to Israel between 1996 and 1998. He then became the Operations Commander of the 6th MJB, Bandırma between 1998 and 2000. After his promotion to brigadier general in 2000, he served as Chief of Training Department in Air Force Headquarters for two years and as the Commander of 9th MJB until 2004.

As of 2004 he was promoted to major general and assigned as Commander of the 2nd Air Supply and Maintenance Center for two years. In 2006 he assumed the command of the 2nd MJB. In 2008, he became the Chief of Intelligence of the Turkish Air Force.

In 2009, he was promoted to lieutenant general and served as the 2nd Air Force Commander for two years. He then became the Commander of the Air Training Command in 2011. General Öztürk promoted to the rank of general on 22 August 2013, and was assigned as the 30th Commander of the Turkish Air Force on 30 August 2013.[5]

General Öztürk logged 5,800 flight hours in 30 different aircraft types during his 43-year flight career.

Education

1968 High school, Erzincan
1973 Turkish Air Force Academy, Istanbul
1975 2nd Main Jet Base (MJB) Flight Training School, Çiğli
1985 Turkish Air War College, Istanbul
1988 4th Main Jet Base (MJB) Flight Training School, Akıncı, Ankara
1990 141st Squadron Training Facility
1998 6th Main Jet Base (MJB) Flight Training School
2000 National Security Studies Program
2002 General Commander Program

2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt

Akin Öztürk was among the 2,839 military officials arrested on 16 July 2016 as part of a large Turkish government crackdown on individuals possibly responsible for the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt on 15 July 2016.[6][7] Hürriyet newspaper reports that he was accused of being the leader of the coup attempt. Although the semi-official news agency Anadolu stated, initially, that Öztürk confessed to a prosecutor that his intention was to execute a coup, this news later disappeared, and according to the private broadcaster NTV, Öztürk denied any involvement with the coup plotters. In his statement to the prosecutor, he claimed that he happened to be on the airbase visiting his grandchildren (his son-in-law is a pilot stationed there) and, having learned of the coup attempt, successfully dissuaded the plotters from continuing with their plans and personally rescued two senior, loyal officers who were being held at the base.[8]

Awards and decorations

General Öztürk was awarded with NATO Medal, Turkish Armed Forces Distinguished Service Medal, Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Honor and Pakistan Nishan-e-Imtiaz Medal.

Effective dates of promotion

Promotions
Rank Date
Dismissed with disgrace 15 July 2016
General 30 August 2013
Lieutenant General 30 August 2009
Major General 30 August 2004
Brigadier General 30 August 2000
Colonel 30 August 1994
Lieutenant Colonel 30 August 1991
Major 30 August 1986
Captain 30 August 1982
First Lieutenant 30 August 1976
Second Lieutenant 30 August 1973

References

  1. ↑ "Who is Akin Öztürk?". Milliyet. 16 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "Who is General Akin Ozturk? Former air force commander reportedly behind Turkey coup attempt". Mirror UK. 16 July 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  3. ↑ "Suspected Turkey Coup Leader Served as Military Attaché to Israel". Haaretz. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  4. ↑ Gall, Carlotta (2019-06-20). "Turkey Jails 151 for Life for Roles in Failed 2016 Coup". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  5. ↑ "Who is the coup leader Akin Öztürk?". Yeni Akıt. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "At least 1,563 pro-coup military personnel detained across Turkey". Daily Sabah. Istanbul. 16 July 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  7. ↑ "Turkey: Mass arrests after coup bid quashed, says PM". BBC News. 16 July 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  8. ↑ Eski Hava Kuvvetleri Komutanı Akın Öztürk'ün savcılık ifadesi NTV 18 July 2016
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