Investigation report on lieutenants' sword-waving Atatürk oath revealed! Lieutenant Ebru identified as the 'number one responsible'...

Following the graduation ceremony at the National Defense University Military Academy on August 30, 2024, the newly graduated lieutenants crossed their swords and chanted the slogan "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" for the oath text in the school's tradition.

While pro-government media implied that the young lieutenants were 'coup plotters,' AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had said, "Whoever is involved in this, we will ensure they receive the punishment they deserve. This is not a playground for those who do not know their place. We will certainly not leave our country to a field where these people who do not know their place can run wild."

MINISTER GÜLER HAD POINTED TO NOVEMBER 25

Following Erdoğan's statement, an investigation was launched into the lieutenants, and Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler pointed to November 25, saying, "We will make the decision at the High Disciplinary Board."

Within the scope of the investigation, after Lieutenant İ., the senior of the regiment, it was notified to Lieutenant Ebru Eroğlu, who was the top of her class, that she had also been referred to the High Disciplinary Board with a request for dismissal.

LIEUTENANT EBRU IDENTIFIED AS THE 'NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBLE'

The report of the investigation launched after the lieutenants drew their swords and took the Atatürk oath has emerged.

According to the report by Sözcü columnist Saygı Öztürk, it was alleged that the lieutenants committed the disciplinary offense of 'Engaging in Behavior Hindering Service.'

Lieutenant Ebru Eroğlu, who led the oath, was identified as the 'number one responsible' in the investigation.

The 'Disciplinary Investigation Final Report' regarding the lieutenants who participated in the oath was completed on November 13. On November 15, notifications were made to some lieutenants at their respective schools to 'submit their defense within three days.'

REASON FOR ACCUSATION: PARTICIPATING IN THE OATH

Defense is requested from the lieutenants regarding the issues alleged against them in accordance with Article 40 of the TSK Disciplinary Law and Article 22 of the TSK High Disciplinary Rules Regulation, due to the action evaluated as "potentially constituting indiscipline" as specified in Article 20/1-c of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) Law and Article 9 of the TSK High Disciplinary Rules Regulation.

If they do not submit their defense within the specified period, they will be deemed to have waived their right to defense. The accusation against the lieutenants is as follows:

1) It has been determined that you requested your immediate superiors to read the oath, which was removed from the legislation, in the ceremony area; despite receiving negative answers from your immediate superiors each time, you planned for the oath to be read in the ceremony area on August 30, 2024, the night before the ceremony; you managed the group that gathered in the middle of the field on the day of the ceremony; you prepared the environment for the oath, which was removed from the legislation, to be read by the class valedictorian; and you participated in the oath that was read.

3) Regarding your actions, which are evaluated as potentially constituting the disciplinary offense of "Engaging in behavior hindering service" as stated in our laws and regulations, due to the negative impact of your action, which was carried out out-of-program and without permission in a military area (ceremony area), on military service, the place where the indiscipline was committed, the negative effects of its consequences on the TSK, and the severe damage to military discipline, "you are being referred to the Land Forces Command High Disciplinary Board for the purpose of being given a dismissal penalty from the Armed Forces, therefore submit your defense regarding the matter."

THE RECORD OF WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY

The lieutenants, who were asked to submit their defense, shared the documents regarding the reasons for their accusation with their lawyers. According to the record, the events leading up to the sword-crossing and the chanting of the "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" slogan on August 30, 2024, unfolded as follows:

“Starting from August 13, 2024, when the ceremony rehearsals began, the graduating lieutenants applied to the National Defense University Military Academy (MSÜ KHO) Student Regiment Command and the MSÜ KHO Dean's Office at various times, requesting to read the oath, which was not in the program and had been removed from the legislation, during the ceremony, and to change the ceremony speech planned by the class valedictorian to commemorate their late classmate, Cadet İsmail Karaağaç.

Lieutenant E.E. first applied to the Company Command on August 19, 2024. Subsequently, three more applications were made to different authorities at different times. Meanwhile, the personnel serving as the 'Acting Cadet Regiment Commander' also applied to immediate superiors on the same subject.

WARNING BEFORE THE CEREMONY

The lieutenants were told by the Battalion Commander that reading the oath in question was not appropriate because it had been removed from the legislation. Furthermore, on August 20, 2024, during the battalion assembly (gathering) held due to ceremony rehearsals, it was announced to the lieutenants via the public address system that all personnel must comply with the directive, that it was not possible to go beyond the text specified in the directive, and that a different oath text could not be read. On the evening of August 29, 2024, one day before graduation, during the traditional battalion entertainment, which is stated to be held every year, the cadets collectively read many marches and folk songs, and during this time, they gathered randomly in front of the Atatürk bust in the Colonel Celal Dora Square. Upon the insistence of their classmates, the class second-in-command read the oath, which had been removed from the legislation, in an unplanned manner during the celebration held on the night of August 29, 2024.

AFTER THE OFFICIAL CEREMONY

On the night of the same day, he contacted the 'Acting Cadet Regiment Commander' and stated that since he was the class valedictorian, he should be the one to read this oath. He asked for help for the oath, which was not in the program and had been removed from the legislation, to be read by him during the traditional sword-crossing activity of the lieutenants planned to be carried out on the following day, August 30, 2024. Based on his request that the oath, which was not in the program and had been removed from the legislation, should be read by the class valedictorian on August 30, 2024, it was understood that the planning for the lieutenants to read it after the ceremony was made one day before, with a message sent by the 'Acting Cadet Regiment Commander' to the battalion WhatsApp announcement group for the entire class to gather on the field for the purpose of performing the sword-crossing activity and reading the oath removed from the legislation after the official part of the ceremony.

WE WILL READ OUR OFFICER'S OATH FOR THE LAST TIME

Following the completion of the Diploma and Flag Handover ceremony held at the MSÜ Military Academy Command on August 30, 2024, at 18:30, the graduating lieutenants were taken behind the screen opposite the honorary tribune. Within the framework of security measures, the graduating lieutenants were kept behind the screen. After a while, some lieutenants who came out from behind the screen entered the field and began to gather in a crescent-shaped formation. The gathered group was managed by the 'Acting Cadet Regiment Commander' lieutenant. Meanwhile, artillery lieutenant E.E., who came to the presentation podium with running steps, made an announcement from the open sound system for all his friends to gather on the field, saying, '175th class to the field, 175th class to the field, 175th class to the field, dear parents, as the 175th term graduates, we want to read our officer's oath for the last time. Please clear the field, please clear the field. Friends to the field, Malazgirt to the field.' During this time, the gathered group crossed their officer's swords, and after collective recitations, Artillery Lieutenant E.E. ran into the middle of the group. He had the oath, which was not in the program and had been removed from the legislation, read with his sword and the sword held high.”

AKP Bursa Deputy Mustafa Varank, while accusing the lieutenants of 'indiscipline,' had compared them to soldiers who took part in the July 15 coup attempt and were dismissed on charges of being 'FETÖ members.' There was no mention of this in the record in question.

THE PROCESS AWAITING THE LIEUTENANTS FROM NOW ON

Retired Military Judge Cengiz Demirtaş, who spoke to Saygı Öztürk, explained the process awaiting the lieutenants as follows:

“The lieutenants themselves or their lawyers can submit a written defense. After the lieutenants' defenses, if they wish, they can also make an oral defense at the Land Forces Command (KKK) High Disciplinary Board. The KKK High Disciplinary Board meets under the chairmanship of the Land Forces Chief of Staff. The board includes the Operations Chief, Intelligence Chief, Personnel Chief, Logistics Chief, Project Management Chief, Appointment/Assignment Department Head, and the Branch Manager who handles disciplinary affairs. The lieutenant can also make an oral defense before the board if they wish.

The board can impose a dismissal penalty (expulsion from the profession) or a lighter penalty, or it can return the file. If the board imposes a 'dismissal' penalty, the justification for this will be written, and if any of the members dissent from the decision, they will also write their dissenting opinion. The decision process is short, but the writing of the reasoned decision can take at least 20-25 days.

The approval of the Land Forces Commander is required for the dismissal penalty to be carried out. The penalty becomes final after approval. If such a decision is made, the lieutenants have the right to file a lawsuit in the administrative court for a stay of execution and subsequently for the cancellation of the dismissal." The decision to be made by Land Forces Commander Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, who was once a lieutenant himself, will affect the future of the lieutenants."

(Land Forces Commander Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu)