Turkey has promoted Colonel Özlem Karapınar to the rank of brigadier general, making her the first woman in the country’s history to become a general in the Turkish Air Force, in a landmark decision reflecting the growing presence of women in the nation’s senior military leadership.
According to Turkish media reports published on August 5, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan approved the promotion during the annual meeting of the Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) in Ankara. The council also promoted 25 generals and admirals to higher ranks and elevated 69 senior officers to the ranks of general and admiral as part of its yearly restructuring of the armed forces.
Karapınar, 48, is a fighter pilot, married, and the mother of one child. Turkish media reported that she initially gained admission to the Faculty of Medicine at Ege University, but chose to leave medical studies after accepting an invitation to join the Turkish Air Force Academy in 1997. She later built a distinguished military career, serving as a combat pilot and holding a number of key operational and command positions within the Air Force.
Her promotion will officially take effect on August 30, 2026, becoming a milestone in the history of Turkey’s military, where women have traditionally been underrepresented in senior command roles.
The appointment follows another historic breakthrough in 2023, when Gökçen Fırat became Turkey’s first female admiral, signaling a gradual expansion of women’s representation in the upper ranks of the Turkish Armed Forces.
Turkish media described Karapınar’s promotion as a significant step toward greater gender representation in military leadership, highlighting broader institutional efforts to increase opportunities for women within the country’s defense establishment while maintaining merit-based advancement.
The annual Supreme Military Council meeting determines promotions, retirements, and key command appointments across Turkey’s armed forces and is chaired by President Erdoğan, with senior military commanders and government officials participating in the decision-making process.
