06.08.2026 11:00
In the Supreme Military Council (YAŞ), along with the promotion and retirement decisions, the career stories of some commanders also drew attention. Özlem İyidilli Karapınar, who was promoted to Brigadier General and became the first female general of the Turkish Air Force, left Ege University Faculty of Medicine to pursue her dream of becoming a fighter pilot, and with this choice, she wrote her name in the history of the Turkish Armed Forces.
A historic decision was made during the critical Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, which lasted approximately two hours. At the summit where promotion and retirement files within the Turkish Armed Forces were evaluated, Colonel Özlem İyidilli Karapınar was promoted to brigadier general, earning the title of the first female general of the Turkish Air Force.
SHE LEFT MEDICAL SCHOOL AND CHOSE THE SKY
Behind this historic promotion lies a truly inspiring success story. Experienced fighter pilot Özlem İyidilli Karapınar, born in 1977, achieved a great success by winning admission to Ege University Faculty of Medicine after successfully completing her high school education. However, a special invitation letter sent to high-achieving students caused her to change all her career plans. Evaluating this invitation from the Air Force Academy, Karapınar decided to leave the white coat and put on a military uniform.
"I REALIZED THAT FLYING WAS WHAT I WANTED MOST IN THE WORLD"
The preliminary flight training she attended after joining the Air Force Academy further reinforced Karapınar's passion for aviation. After these trainings, the experienced soldier, who made a firm decision to become a fighter pilot, had shared his love for the sky with the public at the very beginning of his journey. In an interview she gave to Hürriyet newspaper in 1998, Karapınar described her passion for flying and stated that after the preliminary flight program in Yalova, she realized that flying was what she wanted most in the world.