Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu is a Turkish general officer who has served in various capacities within the Turkish Armed Forces and was appointed to the position of Chief of the General Staff by decision of the Supreme Military Council on 5 August 2025.

Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu (front) - (Anadolu Ajansı)

Educational Background and Military Career Start

Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu began his military career in 1977 when he entered the Kuleli Military High School. He graduated from the Army War College in 1981 with the rank of Communications Second Lieutenant. After completing his class training at the Communications School and Training Center in 1982, he served in various communications units in team and platoon command roles, holding these positions between 1982 and 1991.

Staff Officer and Command Appointments

In 1993 he graduated from the Army War Academy and in 1997 from the Armed Forces Academy, earning the rank of staff officer. Between 1993 and 2009 he held various brigade and headquarters assignments. Following these roles at tactical and strategic levels, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in 2009.

As a brigadier general, he served as Commander of the 9th Commando Brigade from 2009 to 2011 and then as Commander of Ammunition at the Land Forces Logistics Command between 2011 and 2013. Promoted to major general in 2013, Bayraktaroğlu held the position of Commander of the General Staff Communications, Electronic and Information Systems (CEIS) and Cyber Defense Command from 2013 to 2014, and then served as Chief of Staff of the Third Army from 2014 to 2016.

Promoted to lieutenant general in 2016, Bayraktaroğlu served as Chief of Personnel at the General Staff from 2016 to 2020. On 9 January 2020 he was appointed to the position of Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

Command of the Land Forces and Appointment as Chief of the General Staff

Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu was promoted to the rank of general by decision of the Supreme Military Council in 2021 and was appointed Commander of the Land Forces by Presidential Decree published on 3 August 2023. While serving as Commander of the Land Forces, he was appointed Chief of the General Staff by decision of the Supreme Military Council on 5 August 2025. This appointment followed the retirement of General Metin Gürak.

Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu - (Anadolu Ajansı)

Family Life

Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu is married to Hürriyet Bayraktaroğlu and is the father of two children.