Türkiye’s Veterans: Life After Service
Veteran status occupies a distinguished place in Türkiye’s collective social memory. Yet this privileged view often does not translate into reality.
Author: Yusuf Tuna Alemdar
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Veteran status occupies a distinguished place in Türkiye’s collective social memory. Yet this privileged view often does not translate into reality. Those who have borne the physical burdens of war and conflict and return to civilian life grappling with psychological trauma find themselves facing only limited and superficial support mechanisms after retirement. While the Ministry of Family and Social Services provides benefits such as travel discounts, interest-free housing loans, or public-sector employment opportunities, these measures establish only a basic welfare floor—the psychosocial dimension of support is largely overlooked.
Veterans whose service has ended struggle to reintegrate into social life and frequently must confront their past alone. The state’s approach to veterans is largely built on a “financial compensation” model: a certain sum is paid, some rights are granted, and the individual is expected to live quietly thereafter. However, the modern welfare-state paradigm encompasses not only economic aid but also psychological, social, and cultural rehabilitation—especially for those who risked their lives in the service of the nation.
The veteran identity can, over time, become not merely a title but a way of life. This, in turn, makes reintegration into civilian society even more difficult. Castro and Truusa (2019) describe veterans culturally as “migrants”: in moving from military culture to civilian life, the individual undergoes an identity change and an adaptation process. The absence of adequate psychological and social support mechanisms during this process can lead the individual to feel isolated and cut off from society. Brewster (2020), meanwhile, highlights that although veterans can lean on one another through strong identity bonds, the civilian community’s failure to fully understand this identity often reinforces their sense of exclusion. While the shared nature of military experiences creates a sense of “fictive kinship”—a symbolic brotherhood forged by common experiences and traumas—there is progressively less ground for empathy with the rest of society. The concept of “fictive kinship,” akin to Benedict Anderson’s notion of the “imagined community,” refers to symbolic bonds of brotherhood established through shared trauma and solidarity (Burke, 1997).
The psychosocial impact of veteran identity is also supported by empirical research conducted in countries such as the United States. Studies have found that individuals who strongly identify with their veteran status are less susceptible to tendencies toward suicide and depression (Tsai, 2016; Dillahunt-Aspillaga, 2022). In this context, both legal and cultural recognition of veteran identity in Türkiye are vital for ensuring psychological well-being.
In Türkiye, one circumstance makes this situation even more serious: the issue of unrecognized, or “non-disabled,” veterans. These individuals, who have not been granted official status, are deprived both of legal protection and of social legitimacy, effectively rendering them invisible. Under Turkish law, veteran status is defined by statutes such as Law No. 2330 on Cash Compensation and Monthly Pensions, Law No. 3713 on the Fight Against Terrorism, and Law No. 5510 on Social Insurances and General Health Insurance. However, the single most decisive instrument is the Turkish Armed Forces’ Regulation on Health Capability. That regulation sets out the criteria and medical classifications determining whether an individual is considered “disabled.” If someone fails to meet those criteria—even if they have taken part in combat, been wounded, or received treatment—they are not officially recognized as a “veteran.” It is here that a gray zone emerges, occupied by the so-called “non-disabled veterans.”
Field research by Özsoy (2023) shows that the refusal to grant these non-disabled veterans formal recognition damages their veteran identity and inflicts deep psychological strain. This is not merely an individual grievance but also a societal shame.
In Türkiye, being recognized as a veteran is often defined solely by symbolic honors. The supports the state offers—such as travel discounts, housing loans, or priority in public-sector employment—are woefully inadequate in light of the psychological burdens these individuals bear. There are not even systematic governmental studies on serious issues like depression, anxiety disorders, or suicidal tendencies. The dominant perspective confines veterans to being “physically wounded” individuals, yet the deepest wounds of war are inflicted on the mind—and those wounds do not easily close, even many years later.
However, the United States follows a different trajectory in this regard. In the U.S., veterans are perceived not merely as individuals but as a collective asset. The phrase “Thank you for your service”[1] is not just a courtesy but the product of a deep societal culture of gratitude (Adler, 2011). This attitude is underpinned by a robust institutional framework. The Department of Veterans Affairs[2] is a massive federal agency, established in 1930, whose mission is to address the medical, psychological, social, and economic needs of veterans (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2023). Through over 1,500 health care facilities, 170 medical centers, and hundreds of regional offices, the VA provides services that include hospital care, therapy, career counseling, addiction treatment, and housing assistance. Its next-generation programs—such as “Whole Health”—are based not merely on symptom management but on a holistic model that centers on the individual’s entire life context (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2023). Policies like the GI Bill furnish veterans with educational scholarships, and veteran-owned businesses receive preferential treatment in public contracting (Brewster, 2020; Truusa & Castro, 2019). Furthermore, numerous non-governmental organizations create social networks for veterans, facilitating their reintegration into civilian life (Tsai, 2016).
In Türkiye, the absence of a holistic and sustainable institutional framework is striking. Services for veterans are mostly fragmented, ad hoc, and symbolic. The patchwork of support—spread across the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Social Security Institution, and various local authorities—fails to form a coherent equivalent to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In this context, establishing a centralized, specialized agency for veterans in Türkiye would not only streamline service delivery but also bolster the social standing of these individuals. Veteran status should represent more than compensation for physical loss; it ought to create a durable bond of loyalty between the state and those who have risked everything in its defense. Taking steps in this direction would strengthen both personal rehabilitation and the national conscience.
This silence around veterans has become even more pronounced during Türkiye’s recent “peace process.” While politicians, opinion leaders, local stakeholders, and media voices were all heard in that period, veterans remained systematically muted. Those who served on the front lines against terrorism—who lost comrades and bore physical wounds—were treated as a “source of discomfort,” never consulted, and their suffering went unacknowledged. It is clear they were not opposed to peace, yet no one asked them, “How do you feel?” This omission is not merely an ethical failing but a rupture in the nation’s collective memory.
“Peace is achievable not merely by silencing weapons but by ensuring justice and amplifying every voice.
What Should Be Done?
Transforming Türkiye’s veteran‐related policies is essential. First, a comprehensive Veteran Support Agency—modeled on the U.S. VA—must be established. This agency should offer a multidimensional framework that goes beyond medical care to include psychological counseling, employment guidance, family assistance, and social reintegration. Data on veterans should be published regularly to the public, academic research in this field must be funded, and public awareness campaigns should be intensified.
Civil society organizations ought to be incentivized, and local governments supported in setting up dedicated counseling and support centers for veterans. In any future peace or reconciliation processes, veterans should participate not only in ceremonial roles but also in decision‐making bodies, negotiation tables, and strategic planning. Finally, a societal reflex of “thanking our veterans” should be cultivated—using public service announcements, television series, and films to foster a culture of genuine gratitude.
The definition of veteran status must be made more inclusive, the moral trauma experienced by “non-disabled veterans” must be alleviated, and legal reforms should be enacted to ensure these individuals have equal access (Özsoy, 2023). Psychosocial support systems should be established, veterans’ own accounts should be shared with society, and they must be granted active—not merely symbolic—roles in public life.
Veteran status should be respected as a rank, but that respect must be felt not only at commemorative ceremonies but in everyday life: in services, in policy, and in social interactions.
References
Brewster, L., Ratliff, S., Sowden, A., & Brown, J. (2020). What makes a veteran? Journal of Veterans Studies, 6(1), 68–81. https://doi.org/10.21061/jvs.v6i1.152
Burke, P. (1997). Varieties of cultural history. Cornell University Press.
Castro, C. A., & Truusa, T. T. (2019). Social and psychological risk and protective factors for veteran well-being: The role of veteran identity and its implications for intervention. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2673. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02673
Dillahunt-Aspillaga, C., Haskins, E. C., Rozzell, M., & Lind, J. D. (2022). Veteran identity and well-being: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Veterans Studies, 8(1), 45–61. https://doi.org/10.21061/jvs.v8i1.303
Truusa, T. T., & Castro, C. A. (2019). Point of connection: Veteran identity and reintegration. Journal of Veterans Studies, 5(1), 65–77. https://doi.org/10.21061/jvs.v5i1.85
Tsai, J., Sippel, L. M., Mota, N., Southwick, S. M., & Pietrzak, R. H. (2016). Longitudinal course of posttraumatic growth among US military veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Depression and Anxiety, 33(1), 9–18. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.22371
Özsoy, M., Aktaş, B., & Kaya, F. (2023). Malûl sayılmayan gazilerin sosyal güvenlik sorunları ve psikososyal etkileri. Sosyal Politikalar Dergisi, 11 (2), 45–63.
Footnotes
[1] The phrase “Thank you for your service” became increasingly common in American society—especially after the 9/11 attacks—as a way to express gratitude to veterans transitioning back into civilian life.
[2] Veterans Affairs is a cabinet-level federal agency of the U.S. government. For ease of reference, it will hereafter be abbreviated as “VA.”
Tags: Veteran Status; Psychological Trauma; Rehabilitation; War; Social Life; Turkish Collective Memory; Turkiye