Colonel retired while awaiting promotion to general speaks out: We saw that merit is not effective

Senior Colonel Ergün Cebeci, Deputy Commander of the Istanbul Gendarmerie Provincial Regiment, who has taken part in many important operations at home and abroad throughout his life, was retired at the age of 54 while awaiting promotion to Brigadier General. Cebeci expressed his astonishment at the retirement decision he received.

Throughout his career, Cebeci served in many challenging operations, from the mountains of Tunceli to the evacuation of Turkish citizens during the Ukraine-Russia War. Cebeci, who is married and a father of three, was most recently serving as the Deputy Commander of the Istanbul Gendarmerie Regiment. Cebeci, who was retired while awaiting promotion, evaluated this decision to Sözcü.

HE HAD RETURNED THE SAUDI PRINCE'S TIP

One of the notable events in Ergün Cebeci's past occurred on July 27, 2007, during his tenure as the District Gendarmerie Commander in the Bodrum district of Muğla. 

Saudi Arabian Prince Mohamed Bin Saud Al-Faisal Al Saud, who was in Bodrum for a vacation, had distributed envelopes containing 5 thousand dollars each to hotel staff and security personnel.

Cebeci returned the envelope the Prince had given him, accompanied by red and white roses, demonstrating the sense of duty and honor of the Turkish soldier.

HE WAS A TARGET OF FETÖ

Senior Colonel Cebeci was an officer who had been profiled by FETÖ as an "Atatürkist foul-mouthed officer" throughout his career, had served in many difficult missions, and had achieved countless successes. Following his retirement, his son Bahadır Cebeci expressed his father's 39-year military life and the difficulties he experienced on social media.

'I WANTED TO CONTINUE SERVING MY COUNTRY'

Retired Senior Colonel Ergün Cebeci made the following statements regarding the retirement decision: 

“I served as battalion commander twice, company commander twice, Provincial Gendarmerie Commander, and in attaché roles. While serving as the Kiev Attaché, I captured Necip Hablemitoğlu's murderer with the help of Ukrainian intelligence. I captured the PKK's Baghdad-Erbil officials at the Polish border and handed them over to Turkey. We cleared Erzincan and Tunceli of terrorism. During the Ukraine-Russia War, we evacuated 17 thousand of our citizens. We saw once again that merit is not important. I completed my 39-year military life with a heavy heart.”

News Source: 12punto