Why were the 5 commanders who were the superiors of the lieutenants dismissed from the TSK? Details revealed in a 126-page report

Five lieutenants who chanted the slogan "We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal" after reciting the Officer's Oath at the official Military Academy graduation ceremony on August 30 were dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces by a decision of the High Disciplinary Board.

In addition, the lieutenants' superiors, Colonel Mustafa Alper Topsakal, Lieutenant Colonel Halit Türkoğlu, and Major Murat Ertürk, were also unanimously dismissed from the profession by the board chaired by Deputy Minister of National Defense Musa Heybet.

The details cited as the justification for the dismissal of the three commanders were included in the "Conclusion and Opinion" section of the 126-page report prepared. Saygı Öztürk addressed these justifications in his column.

Reporting the justifications for the dismissal of the three commanders from the "Conclusion and Opinion" section of the 126-page report, Öztürk wrote the following:

Regiment Commander Deputy Colonel Topsakal

"It was stated that Infantry Commando Colonel Mustafa Alper Topsakal, while serving as the Deputy Regiment Commander of the Military Academy, was the officer responsible to the Military Academy commander for preparing for and participating in ceremonies, as well as conducting disciplinary and administrative procedures. He was accused of the following:

- While Battalion Commander Infantry Staff Lieutenant Colonel Halit Türkoğlu issued a prohibitive order to the graduating student battalion regarding the cadets' requests to recite an unauthorized oath, he received rumors that such an attempt might occur at the ceremony he was aware of or afterward, but he failed to grasp the importance of the matter and did not take precautions.

- He left the phase regarding activities to be carried out after the ceremonial march to the initiative of Battalion Commander Halit Türkoğlu and did not perform follow-up control.

- He failed to fulfill his duty to prevent or suppress indiscipline or to submit the matter to the authorized authorities as required. He caused the act of indiscipline of engaging in behavior that hinders service, according to Article 20 of the Turkish Armed Forces Disciplinary Law."

Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Türkoğlu

"The justifications for the dismissal of 2nd Battalion Commander Infantry Staff Lieutenant Colonel Halit Türkoğlu from the TSK during his tenure as the battalion commander of the graduating lieutenants at the Military Academy Regiment Command were stated in the report as follows:

- Regarding the graduating lieutenants' requests to recite an unauthorized oath, he did not take the necessary measures for the execution and success of the order, other than issuing an order that the oath would not be recited.

- He received rumors that such an act of indiscipline might occur at the ceremony or afterward, but he failed to grasp the importance of the matter and did not take precautions.

- He did not bind the assignments of the platoon commanders, who were the closest superiors and knew the cadets best, to a definitive order regarding the management and direction of the graduates, causing a weakness in the management and direction of the cadets after the ceremony."

Company Commander Major Ertürk

"The justification for the dismissal of 3rd Company Commander Major Murat Ertürk from the TSK regarding his tenure as the company commander of the graduating lieutenants at the Military Academy Regiment Command was listed as follows:

- He reported the request to recite an unauthorized oath, which was conveyed to him as company commander by the class valedictorian Lieutenant Ebru Eroğlu, to the battalion commander. However, he did not closely supervise the activities of this cadet, who was in his own company and had made persistent requests to him twice.

- He did not convey the second oath-reciting request made by class valedictorian Lieutenant Ebru Eroğlu to the Battalion Commander.

- He did not prevent the actions of Lieutenant Ebru Eroğlu and the cadets in his company after the ceremony.

- He knew of his subordinates' intention to commit an act of indiscipline but did not take the necessary and reasonable measures to prevent these acts of indiscipline."