# Ercüment Tatlıoğlu

Ercüment Tatlıoğlu (born 2 June 1960) is a Turkish admiral who has been the 27th and current commander of the Turkish Naval Forces since 2022.

## Biography

Tatlıoğlu was born on 2 June 1960 in İzmir, Turkey.
He obtained his graduation from Naval High School in 1977 and from the Turkish Naval Academy in 1981. He began his naval career serving as a branch officer and division chief of the Gearing-class destroyers TCG Gayret and TCG Savaştepe from 1981 to 1990. After completing his studies at the Turkish Naval War College from 1990 to 1992, he assumed the role of head of the Operations Branch at the Aegean Sea Region Command from 1992 to 1994. He obtained his further education between 1994 and 1996 at the Turkish Armed Forces College and the Naval War College, US.
In his command assignments, Tatlıoğlu served as the executive officer and later as the commanding officer of TCG Kılıçalipaşa from 1996 to 1998. He subsequently commanded the frigate TCG Zafer between 1998 and 2000 and oversaw the transfer of TCG Gediz from the United States, serving as its commanding officer from 2000 to 2001.
After serving as head of the Operations Branch at the Turkish Naval Forces Headquarters from 2001 to 2002, he graduated from the NATO Defense College, Rome. He was subsequently appointed deputy chair of the Logistics Division at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe from 2003 to 2004, and later served as head of the Strategic Plans Branch Office at the SHAPE Command Group from 2004 to 2006. During this period, he earned a master's degree in European Union Politics and Policies from Leuven University in Belgium. He later completed his Ph.D. on the same subject at Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir in 2017.
Following his appointment as commodore of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla from 2006 to 2007, he was promoted to rear admiral (lower half) in August 2007. He went on to serve as head of the Plans and Policy Department for the Turkish Naval Forces until 2008, as the Turkish Armed Forces and naval attaché in Moscow from 2008 to 2010, as commander of the Çanakkale Strait from 2010 to 2011, and as commander of the Mine Fleet between 2011 and 2012.
He was promoted to rear admiral (upper half) in August 2012 and assumed command of the Amphibious Task Group, serving in this role from 2012 to 2013. He then went on to serve as commander of the Istanbul Strait from 2013 to 2016.
While serving as commander of Naval Training and Education from 2016 to 2017, Tatlıoğlu was promoted to the rank of vice admiral in 2016. On 21 August 2017, he was appointed commander of the Fleet, and during his tenure, he was promoted to admiral on 30 August 2020.. On 19 August 2022, he was appointed as the 27th commander of the Turkish Naval Forces.

## Controversy

Tatlıoğlu was accused in a military espionage and blackmail case but was acquitted in 2016. Following the trial, the judges and prosecutors handling the case, were dismissed from their positions for allegedly being members of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and were subsequently sentenced to prison for their role in a conspiracy.

## Awards and decorations

Tatlıoğlu was awarded the Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Distinguished Service in 2021, and the Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Honor. He was awarded Nishan-e-Imtiaz by government of Pakistan.

## Personal life

Tatlıoğlu is married to Leman Tatlıoğlu with two children.