Feasibility analysis of an all volunteer Armed Force in Turkey

• Main Author: Alanc, Ozgun Utku
• Other Authors: Franck, Raymond
• Published: Monterey California. Naval Postgraduate School 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/10232

MBA Professional Report === The military foundation of Turkish Republic has been forces raised by conscription based on citizens' obligation to serve. This has, for the most part, worked very well both for the Turkish Armed Forces and for the Turkish people. However, conditions for Turkey have changed with a post-cold war national security environment, continuing economic growth, and increasing need for high-tech weapon systems. Accordingly, this project report provides a Draft versus All Volunteer Forces (AVF) analysis for the Turkish Armed Forces, by evaluating the feasibility and the desirability of an AVF for the Turkish Armed Forces. Drawing upon the information about the economy and national security environment and its relation, we have compared the conscripted forces in place in Turkey with all volunteer forces (as found, for example, in the United States). This project contributes to policy discussions by specifying the 21st century manpower needs of the Turkish Armed Forces. It also assesses methods of acquiring those manpower resources - comparing the draft vs. AVF models in terms of economic and national security criteria. Hopefully, it will be useful in assisting implementation of the AVF concept in Turkish Armed Forces - if that is what national authorities decide to do.