Akın Öztürk

Akın Öztürk
File:KORG OZTURK.jpg
Born	(1952-02-21) February 21, 1952 Gümüşhane, Turkey
Allegiance	Turkey
Service/branch	Turkish Air Force
Years of service	1973-present 43 years
Rank	General
Commands held	Commander of Air Force Intelligence Chief of Air Force 2nd Air Supply and Maintenance Command Training and Projects Command 141st Squadron Command MJB Operations Command
Awards	NATO Medal, Turkish Armed Forces Distinguished Service Medal, Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Honor Pakistan Nishan-e Imtiaz Medal.

Akın Öztürk (born February 21, 1952) is a four-star General in the Turkish Air Force who served as the 30th Commander of the Turkish Air Force until August 4, 2015. He has been continuing his duty as a Member of the Supreme Military Council.

Biography

Early life

General Akın Öztürk, was born in 1952 in Gümüşhane. After completing his high school education in Erzincan, he graduated from Turkish Air Force Academy in 1973.

Upon graduating from 2nd Main Jet Base (MJB) Flight Training School as fighter pilot in 1975, he was assigned to 7th MJB, Malatya where he served as F-100 and then F-4 pilot until 1981. Between 1981 and 1985, he was assigned to 1st MJB, Eskişehir where he served as Squadron Officer and Standardization and Evaluation Branch Chief. He attended Air War College in 1985 and graduated in 1987.

He was assigned to 3rd MJB as Standardization and Evaluation Officer in 1987. In 1989 he was assigned to 4th MJB where he became an F-16 pilot. He served as 141st Squadron Operations Officer between 1989 and 1991.

Later career

Starting in May 1991, Öztürk was the commander of the 141st Squadron until 1993. Between 1993 and 1996 he served as Project Officer and Branch Chief in Training Department at Turkish Air Headquarters. He was the Turkish Military attache to Israel between 1996 and 1998. He then became the Operations Commander of the 6th MJB, Bandırma between 1998 and 2000.

After his promotion to Brigadier General in 2000, he served as Chief of Training Department in Air Force Headquarters for two years and as the Commander of 9th MJB until 2004.

As of 2004 he was promoted to Major General and assigned as Commander of 2nd Air Supply and Maintenance Center for two years. In 2006 he assumed the command of 2nd MJB. In 2008, he became the Chief of Intelligence of Turkish Air Force.

In 2009, he was promoted to Lieutenant General and served as the 2nd Air Force Commander for two years. He then became the Commander of the Air Training Command in 2011.

General Öztürk promoted to the rank of General on 22 August 2013, and was assigned as the 30th Commander of the Turkish Air Force on 30 August 2013.

General Öztürk has logged 5800 flight hours in 30 different aircraft types during his 43 years of flight career.

As of 4 August 2015, tenure of General Öztürk expired and he has been continuing his duty as a Member of the Supreme Military Council.

Flight information

Rating: Command pilot

Flight hours: More than 5,800

Aircraft flown: F-16, F-4, F-5, F-104, F-100, Eurofighter, JAS 39, T-38, T-37, KT-1T, T-33, T-34, T-41, SF-260, G550, GULF-IV, CIT-VII, CN-235, KC-135, A400M, E-7T, UH-1H, AS-532, T-129 ATAK and HÜRKUŞ.

Awards and decorations

General Öztürk was awarded with NATO Medal, Turkish Armed Forces Distinguished Service Medal, Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Honor and Pakistan Nishan-e Imtiaz Medal.

Effective dates of promotion

Promotions

Rank	Date
General	August 30, 2013
Lieutenant General	August 30, 2009
Major General	August 30, 2004
Brigadier General	August 30, 2000
Colonel	August 30, 1994
Lieutenant Colonel	August 30, 1991
Major	August 30, 1986
Captain	August 30, 1982
First Lieutenant	August 30, 1976
Second Lieutenant	August 30, 1973