Thought I'd give you guys a peek into what I got to see while traipsing about Nato Ally and EU Wannabee, Turkey..was very interesting..

Coming from a country where ' alert status' means the Commissionaire has to put down his coffee and wave to you.. Turkey is quite ' strict '..still the military ' presence' wasn't as obvious as that seen at Charles De Gaulle airport coming and going.

anyway...

visited Tactical Fighter Squadron # 7.. it shares an airfield with a local commuter civvie airport..all around the perimter are concrete bunkers each holding one fighter plane and a small attached building housing the flight crew and support.. Their whole shift they sit in the cabin attached to the bunker waiting the call..

still that seems better and easier the lads stationed closer to more volatile areas; was informed that there, the pilots are assigned 2 to a plane for each shift. one pilot spends an hour plugged into the cockpit,the other kips out.. they switch about each hour, as a flight, the pilots rotate at different times during the hour so that they don't all get caught changing at the same time...kule...

drove past a ' tank farm '.. looked like a maximum security prison.. three levels of barb wire fencing, machine gun manned perimter towers, etc. etc.. acres and acres of tanks and other big beasties.. doggie patrols throughout and techies swarming over the behemoths.. orders are to ' turn over' the engines on a segment of the monsters on a rotating basis so that they are always ready to go -- and this is ' peacetime '..

Had a tour of Hagia Sophia, world famous Cathedral/Mosque in Istanbul.. while there watched a precision parade of young men all dressed in Russian style blue great coats and oversized forage caps. they had arrived on military buses and were guarded by soldiers in full camo gear, tac vests and machine guns at the ready and lead by a reg army officer [ Lt. Col ] and two ' assistants' of Major rank... each company of lads was escorted by outriders in full combat gear...

Seems it was a ' cultural/educational tour ' by a military academy [ more on that in a moment ]..

according to our hosts Turkey has compulsory schooling only from Senior kindergarten to Grade 8 - though it is debating extending that to Grade 11 soon ..

After Grade 8 schooling is optional.. kids can stay home work for dad, apprentice for a trade or go on to high school..three streams.. State run ' public' high schools, , Private tuition-paid high schools, or, if seeking a career in the military.. DoD/Mod run Military high school - sort of like US style Military academies but part of and run by the various branches army/navy/air force...some are boys only [ the majority ] and some are co-ed -- surprisingly, no women-only schools.

Turkey has compulsory military service.. every male at age 21 must serve..if you are sole family breadwinner or are enrolled in a university you get a deferral [ not an exemption ] and must complete your service later...

If you have a university degree in something the military wants/needs you can be inducted as a direct entry officer and serve minimum 6 months with pay.

If you have a degree but in an area not needed by the military you serve 12 months as enlisted at No pay but get all the ' amenities '

if you have no university degree you serve 15 months; again, room/board and toys but no pay...

Women can and do serve but voluntary only.. still, Turkey has a all-female fighter squadron who are considered top notch by international standards...

Only saw one naval vessel.. shore patrol in the Bosphorus, low slung with anti-aircraft guns mounted on the foredeck.. straits and Bosphorus are ' international waters' not Turkish territory, though Turkey has a veto over what ships may or may not pass if they have concerns over things like environmental damage , etc..

Was prepping to leave for home just as the military and the country was gearing up for a national party - March 18 - in celebration of the Dardanelles shebang in WWI when Turkey stopped the Brit/French fleet from capturing the strait..this ' defeat' of the Imperialists lead directly to the Gallipoli fiasco which, of course, is another celebratory day in Turkey...

and don't get them started on Gemal Ataturk - there isn't enough booze in Turkey to toast his memory - talk about a Cult of Personality!!