Ebru Eroğlu and İzzet Talip Akarsu, two of the five lieutenants dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces following the sword oath at their graduation ceremony, have spoken about the process for the first time.
Responding to questions from journalist Barış Terkoğlu on the ONLAR TV YouTube broadcast, Eroğlu and Akarsu stated that the period they went through was difficult for them. Both individuals emphasized that they have felt no regret throughout this entire process.
İzzet Talip Akarsu, while describing what happened after the ceremony, said he was summoned by the school commander. Akarsu stated that after putting on his civilian clothes and going to the courtyard, he saw Ebru Eroğlu sitting with her sword.
Akarsu recounted that his commander asked, "Why did you do this?" and that he replied: "What did we do, Commander? Various labels were being attached to us; we showed whose soldiers we are, we showed that we are not soldiers of sects or cults."
Speaking about the "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" slogan chanted at the ceremony, Ebru Eroğlu expressed that this phrase was not just a slogan for them.
"The phrase 'We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal' is not a slogan for us; it is an expression we cry out from within. While studying at this school, for 5 years you are a schoolmate of Mustafa Kemal, and after graduation, you become a comrade-in-arms, our commander-in-chief. Who else are we expected to say we are soldiers of?"
RETIRED MAJOR REFUSED TO RENT THE HOUSE
Akarsu also recounted an incident they experienced while looking for a house in Ankara. Akarsu said that the landlord they met with was a retired major who had taught their classes at the Military Academy, and that this person refused to rent the house to them.
"IT CREATED AN EFFECT AS IF WE HAD BEEN STABBED IN THE BACK"
Expressing that this incident caused them deep disappointment, Akarsu said, "Seeing that the people who should have defended us did not defend us actually created an effect as if we had been stabbed in the back. When we went through these things, the oldest among us was 23 years old."
"THERE IS ONLY ONE EMOTION WE DID NOT EXPERIENCE, AND THAT IS REGRET"
In response to the question, "Would you do it again?" the lieutenants said that they experienced many emotions throughout the process, including disappointment, pain, and happiness. The lieutenants stated, "We experienced all emotions; there is only one emotion we did not experience, and that is regret."
News Source: 12punto
