Answering a parliamentary motion from main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Deputy Chairman Umut Oran, Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz said on Thursday that a total of 110 pilots have submitted their resignations in 2013 alone.
“During the fixed retirement-resignation period of the Turkish Air Forces (THK) in February, a total of 110 pilots, 63 of whom were fighter jet pilots, submitted their resignations to leave their posts,” he said.
In February, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) called media allegations that a series of resignations in the military has weakened the chain of command completely untrue.
A statement published on the TSK website on Feb. 6 said that resignation and retirement applications of military personnel are received in the months of January and February each year, and that the TSK would make a further statement on the situation after applications were processed.
The statement said resignation and retirement are personal rights for all TSK members, adding that empty posts are filled by other, equally capable personnel. “Those who would think to harm the TSK by creating a false issue are truly deluded. One should consider that degrading statements and publications made against the TSK could dramatically harm the dignity of our country,” the statement added.
Answering questions raised by members of the press in Parliament, Yılmaz acknowledged a recent spike in resignations but said there is nothing unusual about it, adding that THK pilots are given the opportunity to fly for Turkish Airlines (THY) after completing their terms of compulsory duty. Yılmaz went on to say that the main cause of the recent increase in resignations is the government's reduction of compulsory duty for pilots from 16 to 10 years.
110 pilots resigned from air forces in 2013, defense minister says
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