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BRIEF INFORMATION ABOUT TURKISH WAR VETERANS ASSOCIATION:

 

HISTORY OF ASSOCIATION:

 

After the Balkan War, World Word I and Independence War, three different military origin communities have been established by the disabled military personnel and ex-combatants namely the Disabled War Veterans Community, War Veterans Community and Owners of the Independence War Medals.  Those three communities united under the name of Turkish War Veterans Community on 6 December 1965.

 

The Korean War Veterans decided to establish an association so they established their own association under the name of the Korean War Veterans Association on 12 December 1972.  The above-mentioned associations united under the name of Turkish War Veterans Association (TWVA) in 1984 complying with the law number 2847. Consequently the Veterans of Independence War, Korean War and Cyprus Peace Operation united within the same organization, Turkish War Veterans Association.

 

A delegate from the Disabled War Veterans Community founded the International Federation of War Veteran Organization from 8 countries namely, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Turkey, USA and Yugoslavia in 1950.  Later this Organization changed its name to, “World Veterans Federation-WVF”. Turkish War Veterans Association became a member of International Federation of Korean War Veterans Associations (IFKWVA) in 1978.

 

LEGAL STATUS:

 

As our association has a similar position with the associations that work for the benefit of public so it gets financial aid and contributions from the state agencies, local administrations, state-owned economic enterprises and affiliated institutions.

 

MEMBERS:

 

In accordance with the law No: 2847 dated: 16.06.1983, the Independence War Veterans, Korean War Veterans and the veterans of the Cyprus Peace Operation were united under the name of the Turkish War Veterans Association.  Its head office is located in Ankara. Our association has 68 branch and 47 representation offices in different cities and towns in Turkey as of 1 April 2015. The total number of our members is about 26.000 registered with the branch and representation offices.

 

MISSION OF ASSOCIATION:

 

Main objectives of our association are to preserve the memories of the veterans and to meet the social, economic, cultural and spiritual needs of our veterans and the spouses of the deceased veterans. In parallel to the aims of International Federation of Korean War Veterans Associations (IFKWVA) and the World Veterans Federation (WVF), our association cooperates with other national and international Veterans organizations, works for the similar objects and establishes the further friendly relations among national and international organizations of veterans and promotes and maintains the sacred duty of remembrance.

 

To achieve its objectives, Turkish War Veterans Association accepts the following principles: 

 

*Follows the Principles and Revolution of Atatürk,

 

*Preserves the memories of the veterans who fought at home and abroad,

 

*Organizes social activities for the wives of veterans in order that they can meet with each other and

foster solidarity among the wives of veterans,

 

*Meets social, economic, cultural and spiritual needs of the member war veterans,

 

*Follows up the legal rights of veterans arising from the laws,

 

 

MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD:

 

The Executive Board is consisted of the Korean War Veterans and the Veterans of Cyprus Peace Operation and the following positions constitute it:

 

-President

-Vice President

-Chief of Foreign Relations and Protocol

-Chief of Accounting and Financial Affairs

-Chief of Promotion and Press Affairs

-Chief of Organization

-Assistant to Organization

-Secretary General

-Assistant to Secretary General

-Chief of Social Affairs

-Chief of Administration

 

ACTIVITIES OF ASSOCIATION:

 

*Celebrates the Veterans Day, 19th of September and observes the week follows this date as the

Veterans’ Week.

 

*Participates in the following ceremonies, parades and commemorations:

 

-Kumyangjan-ni Victory,  25th of January

 

-Martyrs Day, 18th of March and Navy War of Dardanelles, 18th of March

 

-Land Battles of Dardanelles, 25th of April

 

-Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sport Day, 19th of May

 

-Commemoration of the Korean War, 25th of June

 

-Commemoration of the Cyprus Peace Operation, 20th of July

 

-Commemoration of the Victory Day, 30th of August

 

-Commemoration of the Pitched Battle of Sakarya, 13th of September

 

-Commemoration of the Republic Day, 29th of October

 

*Anniversary of Atatürk’s Death and Week of Atatürk, 10th of November Independence Day of

important Cities & towns.

 

*Cooperates with the Turkish Retired Officers’ Association (TESUD), the Turkish Retired Non-

Commissioned Officers’ Association (TEMAD), Turkish Disabled War Veterans, Martyrs, their

Widows and Orphans’ Association to participate in the above-mentioned ceremonies &

commemorations.

 

*Participates in the meetings of the World Veterans Federation (WVF), located in Paris, France and

International Federation of Korean War Veterans Associations (IFKWVA), located in Seoul, Korea,

Standing Committees of European Affairs (SCEA) and Standing Committees on Women (SCOW). 

 

*Establishes fund to help the veterans in need and works to improve the living  standard of its

members.

 

*Organizes conferences, panels and visits to schools to promote the Association and social status

quo of the war veterans.

 

INCOMES OF OUR ASSOCIATION:

 

*Annual dues of our members,

 

*Donations that are made by the benefactors,

 

*Financial aid of the Defense Ministry to carry out the national & international activities,

 

*Income from the sale of our magazine,

 

BENEFITS & PRVILIGES FOR OUR MEMBER VETERAN:

 

*Receives salary (called honorary salary) from the State Employees Pension Fund and widows of

the veterans receive the 75 percent of the above-mentioned salary,

 

*War veterans and their spouses get free health service from the State-owned and private health

institutions,

 

*War veterans and their spouses travel free of charge on the state-owned intercity trains and ships

and travel free of charge on the Municipality buses in cities and at downtowns,

 

*Municipalities make 40 percent discounts for the electricity and water consumption,

 

*Attends the important ceremonies as a member of state protocol,

 

*Can use the social facilities of the State Employees’ Pension Fund,

 

*Gets discount for his/her telephones and internet lines bills from communication companies,

 

*Watches free of charge the plays at the State theaters & operas,

 

*War veterans and their spouses can stay at the state-owned facilities of civil servants by paying the

same prices paid by its own members and temporary lodging facilities of military hospitals free of

charge,

 

*The children of the War Veterans can stay free of charge at the state-owned dormitories,

 

*Land of graves is allocated by the Municipalities for the War Veterans furthermore the graves of the

deceased veterans are constructed by the association,

      

 

                                             WHO IS VETERAN?

WHAT ARE HIS RESPONSIBILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS?

 

*A veteran (It is called Ghazi in Turkish) is considered a hero by our society.

 

*Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is the most distinguished and legendary veteran of the Republic of Turkey.

 

*A veteran is an esteemed and dignified person and has a high degree of morality and virtue in

Turkish society.

 

*A veteran is always loyal to his country and is ready to sacrifice his life for his country on the

battlefield.

 

*A veteran is grateful to his state because it provides him with medical care and a free travel card to

travel by the municipality buses, state trains and ships.  His government also pays a pension to her

& him for his service during the war.

 

*A veteran is always loyal to his country; never offends his country and never cooperates with the

enemies of his country.

 

*A veteran is always friendly and sincere towards his fellow citizens.  He tolerates the wrong

behavior of his veteran friends and his citizens.

 

*A veteran is never offensive to his association and always loyal to his association.  He is always

respectful of the laws of the Republic of Turkey and regulation of the association.

 

*A veteran gets along with his friends and his principle is to be a respectful and a charming person.

 

*A veteran is always respectful towards his elder friends.

 

*A veteran knows very well that the interests of his country, state, association and his fellow

veterans are more important than his own interests.

 

*A veteran never tries to get any benefit from the respectfulness show to a veteran or exploit it for ,

his personal benefit because the title of veteran is respectful and a dignified position in our society.

*A veteran never goes about begging.

 

*A veteran knows that the Turkish War Veterans Association is not a related or affiliated association

with any other organization in his country.  Therefore he knows that he should not be a member of

similar organizations or should not involve himself in the activities of those associations in

conjunction with the war veterans.

 

*Every veteran may have a political view and inclination. But a veteran must not use the title of

veteran or the name of association for his political purposes.  A veteran must not participate in the

rallies or meetings of political parties on behalf of the Turkish War Veterans Association.

 

*The veterans do not have to talk about the politics or discuss the political subjects at the Head

Office of the Turkish War Veterans Association.

 

*The loves of Atatürk, country and flag as well as the passion of the Republic and pride of being a

Turk are the exalted feelings in the heart of veteran.

 

 

Addresses and telephone numbers

 

Mail address:

Turkish War Veterans Association

Cemal Gürsel Caddesi No: 108

06590  Cebeci/Ankara Turkey

 

Website:

www.muharipgaziler.org.tr

 

E-Mail:

mgaziler@muharipgaziler.org.tr

turkishveterans@muharipgaziler.org.tr

 

Tel:

00-90-312-320 2462        (switchboard)

00-90-312-320 2445        (President-direct line)

 

Fax:

00-90-312-320 2449