In Turkey, every male citizen who reaches a certain age is required to perform military service. This service can be postponed to a later date for valid reasons. Soldiers can also serve in the armed forces under contract. Social security procedures for contracted privates and non-commissioned officers are an important issue for these servicemen. Accordingly, when health insurance is required, the state covers the insurance contributions for contracted privates and non-commissioned officers.
Since 2006, soldiers’ social security has been brought under the scope of the Social Security Institution (SGK). As a result, contracted privates and non-commissioned officers have been included in SGK’s health coverage.
Under Law No. 5510, contracted privates and non-commissioned officers who sign a preliminary contract are considered within the coverage of the Pension Fund. Therefore, procedures applicable to members of the Pension Fund also apply to contracted privates and non-commissioned officers. In addition, according to Law No. 5510, specialist privates and non-commissioned officers may benefit from service-time accrual for retirement purposes.
Various situations can arise during the contract period. Under Law No. 6191, changes occur when a contract with a contracted private or non-commissioned officer is not renewed by the administration for reasons beyond their control, if the serviceman dies during the contract period, if the serviceman exceeds a permitted leave period within a specified time, if their post is abolished, or if they lose the required health qualifications for their position. When a contract ends for any of these reasons, the serviceman may still benefit from general health insurance for the duration of their service.
Contracted privates and non-commissioned officers also have the right not to renew their contract voluntarily when it expires. They may also terminate their contract if their branch of service changes or their occupational category is abolished. In such cases, these contracted servicemen are entitled to general health insurance coverage for half of their service time.
Outside the conditions specified above, contracted privates and non-commissioned officers continue to benefit from general health insurance. For specialist privates and non-commissioned officers considered as insured under general health insurance, their insurance shares and health insurance premiums are calculated on the basis of 30 times the minimum daily earnings subject to contribution, and these amounts are paid to the institutions determined by the Ministry of National Defense or the Ministry of Interior.
As is known, many privates and non-commissioned officers work under contract within the Turkish Armed Forces. Specialist non-commissioned officers are recruited on a contractual basis. Contracted non-commissioned officers can serve until the age of 45 at most.
Before the legal changes implemented in 2010, there was no provision to grant a pension to non-commissioned officers who left the Turkish Armed Forces after age 45. Because of this, those contractual servicemen who reached age 45 but did not qualify for retirement had to look for work again.
In 2010, a regulation was introduced addressing these contracted servicemen. As a result, specialist privates and non-commissioned officers who reached age 45 without qualifying for retirement became eligible for employment as civil servants within the Turkish Armed Forces. For contracted servicemen who wish to be employed as civil servants in the Turkish Armed Forces after age 45, the ordinary retirement bonus is paid instead of the special bonus specified in the Specialist Non-Commissioned Officers Law.
Although the retirement age limit for specialist non-commissioned officers is set at 45, it is determined as 56 for specialist gendarmes. Therefore, specialist gendarmes can retire once their service ends without being restricted by the age limit.
Disability from Combat for Contracted Privates and Non-Commissioned Officers
Another subject within social security legislation concerns disability resulting from combat. Under combat disability provisions, the following personnel are considered for promotion to the next rank or grade and are granted a pension in line with that higher rank when they are declared combat-disabled:
- Officers.
- Non-commissioned officers.
- Specialist gendarmes.
- Specialist non-commissioned officers.
- Contracted privates and non-commissioned officers.
- Personnel assigned by the Turkish Armed Forces.
As shown, contracted privates and non-commissioned officers are also granted these rights. In addition, if a serviceman who is recognized as combat-disabled dies, a pension is paid to the deceased’s spouse and children regardless of the deceased’s length of service.