A ceremony was held on the occasion of the graduation of the Special Forces Specialization Course.
Minister of National Defence Yasar Guler:
“Dear Guests, My Heroic Arms and Colleagues, I greet you with love and respect. I would like to express my great pleasure in being with you at the graduation ceremony of our Special Forces, the apple of the eye of our Heroic Turkish Armed Forces. At the beginning of my words, I would like to heartily congratulate our Maroon Berets who have successfully completed the challenging training they have received and have earned the right to graduate; I hope that their badges will bring good luck to them, their families and our Armed Forces.
We are in a period where serious and sensitive developments are taking place in many regions, especially in our nearby geography, and risks, threats and dangers are increasing accordingly.
In such a sensitive process, our Ministry of National Defense and Turkish Armed Forces, whose duties and responsibilities have increased, are carrying out their most comprehensive and effective activities since our War of Independence. Undoubtedly, our Special Forces have an exceptional place with the great responsibilities they have undertaken and the successes they have achieved in the execution of these activities.
Indeed, in this process where our Armed Forces have achieved historical successes in the fight against terrorism and entered places that were said to be inaccessible, our Special Forces have made vital contributions to these successes as one of the indispensable force multipliers of our Armed Forces and continue to do so. On this occasion, I congratulate our Maroon Berets, who have written many heroic stories, for their high determination, effort and courage; I kiss their eyes.
The existence of our Special Forces, which stand out among its peers in the world, adds strength to the power of the glorious Turkish army. In fact, war doctrines and combat concepts are changing with the effect of developing technology every passing day. Therefore, the existence of a force such as Special Forces that can perform critical and asymmetric tasks is also gaining great importance. It is a necessity for our army to have highly qualified personnel as well as to be equipped with the most modern vehicles, weapons and equipment. In the victorious past of our heroic army, which is one of the strongest armies in history; our Special Forces, which are our source of pride with their high warfare capability, discipline and success, are in a distinguished position.
It is certainly a great honor for each and every one of you to be a member of such a distinguished union.
However, your responsibilities are also great because extremely difficult tasks await you. In this context, I would like to give some advice to you, my valuable comrades in arms and colleagues: A Special Forces personnel must have both high physical capabilities and always be ready for difficult tasks with their knowledge and skills.
In the tasks you will undertake, you must demonstrate team spirit on the one hand, and on the other hand, display your individual and professional skills at the highest level. However, do not forget that no matter how talented you are, strategic thinking, rational behavior, patience and perseverance, and most importantly, high willpower, determination and excitement must be indispensable.
Because Maroon Berets; are not the ones who fill the gaps, but the ones who cannot be replaced. Therefore, you should constantly renew your knowledge level, always work for the better and always be one step ahead. You should definitely value every experience you will gain from your duties. Because learning and competence are issues that do not accept stagnation and must be constantly developed. On the other hand, consider every obstacle you encounter as an opportunity to show your talents and learn from what you have experienced. Be smart and brave in times of danger, quiet and determined in times of trouble, and cautious in times of comfort. Every moment you wear the maroon beret will be the occasion for many memories that you will be proud to remember.
Therefore, perform your duties with a high sense of belonging, desire and joy. Because if you cannot be a peaceful, healthy and happy individual, you can neither meet the expectations of your commanders nor your comrades-in-arms. The burden on your shoulders is certainly heavy, your duty is quite arduous, but it is also sacred. As the heirs of this great heritage, the glorious Turkish flag and our precious homeland are now entrusted to you. I sincerely believe that you, our heroic Maroon Berets, can overcome all kinds of difficulties; I wish you great success in your duties.
Turkiye, which is located in a very critical geography due to its location, provides significant contributions to international security, peace and stability in line with its deep-rooted state tradition and strategic approach. Our country has become an indispensable and effective actor at the negotiation tables, both in the eyes of the relevant countries and in international platforms, in preventing crises in our region.
Therefore, in order to protect the rights and interests of our country in every field and at the same time to maintain its international influence, we must first and foremost be strong militarily.
In this historical period when we begin the second century of our Republic and within the framework of our 'Turkish Century' goals, while we work with determination and resolve for a bigger and stronger Turkiye and Turkish Armed Forces, our Special Forces, one of our most important pillars, are also a distinguished part of this historical mission.
How happy we are that these heroes, for whom you have never withheld your support, are standing before you today wearing their badges with the justified pride of being Special Forces personnel. No matter how much you boast about them, it would be insufficient. The valuable contributions of you, our precious families, are indispensable to us in their success. I thank you for your support and present my respect and gratitude.
With these feelings and thoughts;
- Our Maroon Berets who successfully completed the Special Forces Specialization Course,
- In addition, on behalf of myself and the Ministry of National Defense, I once again congratulate the Guest Military Personnel who came and graduated from the friendly and brotherly countries of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Libya.
I would like to thank wholeheartedly all the distinguished trainers and personnel of our Command, especially our Special Forces Commander, who contributed to the training of our personnel. In closing my remarks, I would like to congratulate our Special Forces and Land Forces, who brought us the championship in the 8th European Best Sniper Team Competition, held in Germany and attended by 36 teams from 19 countries.
On this occasion, I respectfully commemorate all our statesmen and commanders, from Mete Khan to Sultan Alp Arslan, from Fatih Sultan Mehmet to Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and until today.
- We remember with mercy and gratitude our dear martyrs and our heroic veterans who passed away;
- I express my respect and gratitude to our veterans and the precious families of our martyrs and veterans.
I greet you once again with love and respect. Heroic Members of the Brave, Dear Maroon Berets, may your path and fortune be clear, your wrists strong, and your sword always sharp.
Special Forces at Exercise #EFES2024!
