‘Isolation Conditions Must be Ensured in Barracks, Controlled Discharge is Necessary’

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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After Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar announced that the recruitment of soldiers would be postponed over Covid-19 outbreak, we have asked this plan to former military judge Ümit Kardaş and Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Secretary General Bülent Nazım Yılmaz.

Minister Akar made the statement of "postponement" on April 14. According to the plan, 53 thousand people preparing to be inducted in April as part of their mandatory military service will have to wait while the discharge of 66 thousand conscripts will be postponed for a month.

Akar also said that they would present the plan they had prepared to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the soonest possible date.

Kardaş: A right planning

Ümit Kardaş thinks that the period of induction and discharge will ease the spread of Covid-19. Kardaş welcomes the plan:

"While induction poses a risk to the army, discharge poses a risk to families. In my opinion, in present-day conditions, such a postponement by the armed forces is appropriate. Considering the circulation, farewell ceremonies and other things, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) will prevent this.

"The ones aho are recruited will pose a risk to the army while the ones who are discharged from military service will pose a risk to the public.

"In extraordinary situations, in the time of war or when there are concerns about health like today, the Cabinet of Ministers have the authority to make this decision. They can extend the date of discharge or adjourn the recruitment. But, in doing this, they have to put forward their reasons.

"Militaries are places where people have a communal life. Barracks, places to eat and sleep, training areas... They are all done collectively. But, the Armed Forces did not act transparently in the beginning of the process and not inform the public about the precautions taken and other issues.

"Neither journalists, nor the opposition ask about it. Those doing their military service have their families, too. What kind of precautions has the TAF taken? How are soldiers protected? The TAF must make a statement about this. Only the precautions taken in the civilian sphere are talked about. It has surprised me that no one wonders about the army.

"Is the army doing tests? Are soldiers scanned and tested? Are the ones tested positive isolated from others? Because if a person tests positive for the virus, it will mean a very quick spread of this outbreak in the army."

Yılmaz: Isolation conditions must be ensured

Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Secretary General Bülent Nazım Yılmaz has also noted that places like military barracks are places where the spread of Covid-19 outbreak cannot be prevented:

"It is right to halt the recruitments. The discharge of soldiers currently under arms must be done as soon as possible in a controlled manner and by taking the necessary precautions.

"Several organizations of the military in healthcare field have been disbanded. All training processes from the Gülhane [Military Academy of Medicine] to the training of health personnel have been destroyed. In fact, they must have health strategies and health structures oriented to themselves. It is the handicap of the TAF.

"What is the state of sick rooms in barracks? We cannot know it, but we can guess that they are not suitable for this process. They are not in a condition to counter the effects of the outbreak in large barracks. And, due to their current structure, it is very difficult to impose quarantine and isolation.

"The staff at the barracks should have been evacuated to a great extent till now. However, what needs to be done now is to discharge soldiers in a controlled manner. The soldiers and privates who are not listed as permanent staff must be provided with isolation conditions and physical contact among soldiers must be prevented.

"A differentiation between those suspected [to have the virus] and not is a must. Soldiers must be checked and the suspected must be quarantined. And the ones who are not suspected must be discharged or given a leave on the condition that they are checked in the places where they go." (HA/SD)