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Gendarmerie Special Operations | |
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Active | 1991–1993 (Gendarmerie Commando "A" Teams), 1993-1999 (Gendarmerie Special Operations Groups) 1999–present (Gendarmerie Special Operations) |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | Gendarmerie General Command |
Type | Special forces |
Garrison/HQ | Ankara Güvercinlik |
Nickname(s) | JÖH'ler |
Motto(s) | Shining Honor and Glory on Our Forehead |
Colors | Gold and black |
Mascot(s) | Anatolian leopard |
Engagements | Kurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present) Operation Peace Spring |
The Gendarmerie Special Operations (Turkish: Jandarma Özel Harekat) or JÖH, is the special operations unit of the Turkish Gendarmerie General Command. Its tasks include search and destroy, infiltration, and reconnaissance. Members of the unit receive extensive training at the Jandarma School at Foça and also from selected Turkish Armed Forces instructors. All three of its companies work under the direction of the army regions to which they are assigned, but can also receive tasking from their headquarters in Ankara.[1][2][3][4][5] It was established in 1991, at the height of the Turkish–Kurdish conflict. It has recently been involved in the Turkish occupation of northern Syria.[6] Unit members are in the 16-week training rooms at the Gendarmerie Commando Terrorist Operations School Command in Foça. All kinds of light weapons, mortar use, rocket launcher training, maneuvering under fire, destroying targets, mountaineering, GPS, long distance navigation, camouflage, being able to withstand fatigue and insomnia, making the right decision under stress, adaptation to different climate and geographical situations, fighting in urban areas, explosive recognition and detection, helicopter evacuation, basic helicopter steering, transition through waterways, basic diving, melee combat,[7] survival, boat operations.[8] A person who completes the course becomes a commando. Commando candidates run 300+ kilometers, walk more than 1100+ kilometers and stay in the field for 61 nights.[9] Trainees are expected to complete a 10 kilometer rifle run, a 15 kilometer country run, and a 30 kilometer strength run with full equipment. After the commando training, a sniper course is followed. The Gendarmerie Special Operations course lasts 6 months. The course is organized in Ankara, İzmir and Kayseri with land, air and sea phases.[10] Gendarmerie officers, non-commissioned officers and experts who have received basic gendarmerie commando training can attend the course. Combat training in severe cold in Kayseri or Bolu Basic diving in Ankara In İzmir Foça, the helicopter jump boat operator receives training such as close combat, forestry, airplane-bus-train operations, residential operation, frogman, special operations and Paratrooper.[11] Special operations candidates ran a total of 675+ kilometers under running conditions. At the end of the training, the student will have the ability to plan and conduct special operations in buildings, land, air and railway vehicles in all kinds of terrain and climatic conditions at home and abroad.
In Combat Physical Education classes, basic movements such as pull-ups, sit-ups and push-ups are performed. In addition, a training simulation called TAKSİS is conducted by TÜBİTAK.[12] Has at least 20,000 active personnel.[13] JÖHs are like the equivalent of maroon berets in the Turkish Armed Forces.[14]
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