Citation

Varoglu AK, Bicaksiz A. Armed Forces Soc. 2005; 31(4): 583-598.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0095327X0503100407

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article discusses the impact of casualty risks on recruitment for the Turkish Armed Forces. The issue is treated in the context of Turkey as a martial society, for which the embeddedness of military service is a prime example. There is ample experience with military casualties in recent history: in Korea, in Cyprus, during a number of peacekeeping missions, and especially during operations in southeast Turkey over the last two decades. For this latter case, statistical data are analyzed not only vis-a-vis the recruitment of professionals and the behavior of those already serving, but also in relation to the attitudes of conscripts. All in all, the culture of the Turkish Armed Forces is characterized by a low degree of risk aversion rooted in strong civil-military relations. While conscription remains as a symbol of the latter, this sets limits for the trend toward professionalization.