Veteran status occupies a distinguished place in T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s collective social memory. Yet this privileged view often does not translate into reality. Those who have borne the physical burdens of war and conflict and return to civilian life grappling with psychological trauma find themselves facing only limited and superficial support mechanisms after retirement. While the Ministry of Family and Social Services provides benefits such as travel discounts, interest-free housing loans, or public-sector employment opportunities, these measures establish only a basic welfare floor\u2014the psychosocial dimension of support is largely overlooked.<\/p>\n
Veterans whose service has ended struggle to reintegrate into social life and frequently must confront their past alone. The state\u2019s approach to veterans is largely built on a \u201cfinancial compensation\u201d model: a certain sum is paid, some rights are granted, and the individual is expected to live quietly thereafter. However, the modern welfare-state paradigm encompasses not only economic aid but also psychological, social, and cultural rehabilitation\u2014especially for those who risked their lives in the service of the nation.<\/p>\n
The veteran identity can, over time, become not merely a title but a way of life. This, in turn, makes reintegration into civilian society even more difficult. Castro and Truusa (2019) describe veterans culturally as \u201cmigrants\u201d: in moving from military culture to civilian life, the individual undergoes an identity change and an adaptation process. The absence of adequate psychological and social support mechanisms during this process can lead the individual to feel isolated and cut off from society. Brewster (2020), meanwhile, highlights that although veterans can lean on one another through strong identity bonds, the civilian community\u2019s failure to fully understand this identity often reinforces their sense of exclusion. While the shared nature of military experiences creates a sense of \u201cfictive kinship\u201d\u2014a symbolic brotherhood forged by common experiences and traumas\u2014there is progressively less ground for empathy with the rest of society. The concept of \u201cfictive kinship,\u201d akin to Benedict Anderson\u2019s notion of the \u201cimagined community,\u201d refers to symbolic bonds of brotherhood established through shared trauma and solidarity (Burke, 1997).<\/p>\n
The psychosocial impact of veteran identity is also supported by empirical research conducted in countries such as the United States. Studies have found that individuals who strongly identify with their veteran status are less susceptible to tendencies toward suicide and depression (Tsai, 2016; Dillahunt-Aspillaga, 2022). In this context, both legal and cultural recognition of veteran identity in T\u00fcrkiye are vital for ensuring psychological well-being.<\/p>\n
In T\u00fcrkiye, one circumstance makes this situation even more serious: the issue of unrecognized, or \u201cnon-disabled,\u201d veterans. These individuals, who have not been granted official status, are deprived both of legal protection and of social legitimacy, effectively rendering them invisible. Under Turkish law, veteran status is defined by statutes such as Law No. 2330 on Cash Compensation and Monthly Pensions, Law No. 3713 on the Fight Against Terrorism, and Law No. 5510 on Social Insurances and General Health Insurance. However, the single most decisive instrument is the Turkish Armed Forces\u2019 Regulation on Health Capability. That regulation sets out the criteria and medical classifications determining whether an individual is considered \u201cdisabled.\u201d If someone fails to meet those criteria\u2014even if they have taken part in combat, been wounded, or received treatment\u2014they are not officially recognized as a \u201cveteran.\u201d It is here that a gray zone emerges, occupied by the so-called \u201cnon-disabled veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n
Field research by \u00d6zsoy (2023) shows that the refusal to grant these non-disabled veterans formal recognition damages their veteran identity and inflicts deep psychological strain. This is not merely an individual grievance but also a societal shame.<\/p>\n
In T\u00fcrkiye, being recognized as a veteran is often defined solely by symbolic honors. The supports the state offers\u2014such as travel discounts, housing loans, or priority in public-sector employment\u2014are woefully inadequate in light of the psychological burdens these individuals bear. There are not even systematic governmental studies on serious issues like depression, anxiety disorders, or suicidal tendencies. The dominant perspective confines veterans to being \u201cphysically wounded\u201d individuals, yet the deepest wounds of war are inflicted on the mind\u2014and those wounds do not easily close, even many years later.<\/p>\n
However, the United States follows a different trajectory in this regard. In the U.S., veterans are perceived not merely as individuals but as a collective asset. The phrase \u201cThank you for your service\u201d[1] <\/strong>is not just a courtesy but the product of a deep societal culture of gratitude (Adler, 2011). This attitude is underpinned by a robust institutional framework. The Department of Veterans Affairs[2]<\/strong> is a massive federal agency, established in 1930, whose mission is to address the medical, psychological, social, and economic needs of veterans (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2023). Through over 1,500 health care facilities, 170 medical centers, and hundreds of regional offices, the VA provides services that include hospital care, therapy, career counseling, addiction treatment, and housing assistance. Its next-generation programs\u2014such as \u201cWhole Health\u201d\u2014are based not merely on symptom management but on a holistic model that centers on the individual\u2019s entire life context (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2023). Policies like the GI Bill furnish veterans with educational scholarships, and veteran-owned businesses receive preferential treatment in public contracting (Brewster, 2020; Truusa & Castro, 2019). Furthermore, numerous non-governmental organizations create social networks for veterans, facilitating their reintegration into civilian life (Tsai, 2016).<\/p>\n In T\u00fcrkiye, the absence of a holistic and sustainable institutional framework is striking. Services for veterans are mostly fragmented, ad hoc, and symbolic. The patchwork of support\u2014spread across the Ministry of Family and Social Services, the Social Security Institution, and various local authorities\u2014fails to form a coherent equivalent to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In this context, establishing a centralized, specialized agency for veterans in T\u00fcrkiye would not only streamline service delivery but also bolster the social standing of these individuals. Veteran status should represent more than compensation for physical loss; it ought to create a durable bond of loyalty between the state and those who have risked everything in its defense. Taking steps in this direction would strengthen both personal rehabilitation and the national conscience.<\/p>\n This silence around veterans has become even more pronounced during T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s recent \u201cpeace process.\u201d While politicians, opinion leaders, local stakeholders, and media voices were all heard in that period, veterans remained systematically muted. Those who served on the front lines against terrorism\u2014who lost comrades and bore physical wounds\u2014were treated as a \u201csource of discomfort,\u201d never consulted, and their suffering went unacknowledged. It is clear they were not opposed to peace, yet no one asked them, \u201cHow do you feel?\u201d This omission is not merely an ethical failing but a rupture in the nation\u2019s collective memory.<\/p>\n \u201cPeace is achievable not merely by silencing weapons but by ensuring justice and amplifying every voice.<\/em><\/p>\n What Should Be Done?<\/strong><\/p>\n Transforming T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s veteran\u2010related policies is essential. First, a comprehensive Veteran Support Agency\u2014modeled on the U.S. VA\u2014must be established. This agency should offer a multidimensional framework that goes beyond medical care to include psychological counseling, employment guidance, family assistance, and social reintegration. Data on veterans should be published regularly to the public, academic research in this field must be funded, and public awareness campaigns should be intensified.<\/p>\n Civil society organizations ought to be incentivized, and local governments supported in setting up dedicated counseling and support centers for veterans. In any future peace or reconciliation processes, veterans should participate not only in ceremonial roles but also in decision\u2010making bodies, negotiation tables, and strategic planning. Finally, a societal reflex of \u201cthanking our veterans\u201d should be cultivated\u2014using public service announcements, television series, and films to foster a culture of genuine gratitude.<\/p>\n The definition of veteran status must be made more inclusive, the moral trauma experienced by \u201cnon-disabled veterans\u201d must be alleviated, and legal reforms should be enacted to ensure these individuals have equal access (\u00d6zsoy, 2023). Psychosocial support systems should be established, veterans\u2019 own accounts should be shared with society, and they must be granted active\u2014not merely symbolic\u2014roles in public life.<\/p>\n Veteran status should be respected as a rank, but that respect must be felt not only at commemorative ceremonies but in everyday life: in services, in policy, and in social interactions.<\/p>\n References<\/strong><\/p>\n Brewster, L., Ratliff, S., Sowden, A., & Brown, J. (2020). What makes a veteran?\u00a0Journal of Veterans Studies, 6<\/em>(1), 68\u201381. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.21061\/jvs.v6i1.152<\/p>\n Burke, P. (1997).\u00a0Varieties of cultural history<\/em>. Cornell University Press.<\/p>\n Castro, C. A., & Truusa, T. T. (2019). Social and psychological risk and protective factors for veteran well-being: The role of veteran identity and its implications for intervention.\u00a0Frontiers in Psychology, 10<\/em>, 2673. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2019.02673<\/p>\n Dillahunt-Aspillaga, C., Haskins, E. C., Rozzell, M., & Lind, J. D. (2022). Veteran identity and well-being: A systematic review of the literature.\u00a0Journal of Veterans Studies, 8<\/em>(1), 45\u201361. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.21061\/jvs.v8i1.303<\/p>\n Truusa, T. T., & Castro, C. A. (2019). Point of connection: Veteran identity and reintegration.\u00a0Journal of Veterans Studies, 5<\/em>(1), 65\u201377. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.21061\/jvs.v5i1.85<\/p>\n Tsai, J., Sippel, L. M., Mota, N., Southwick, S. M., & Pietrzak, R. H. (2016). Longitudinal course of posttraumatic growth among US military veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.\u00a0Depression and Anxiety, 33<\/em>(1), 9\u201318. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/da.22371<\/p>\n \u00d6zsoy, M., Akta\u015f, B., & Kaya, F. (2023). Mal\u00fbl say\u0131lmayan gazilerin sosyal g\u00fcvenlik sorunlar\u0131 ve psikososyal etkileri.\u00a0Sosyal Politikalar Dergisi, 11<\/em>\u00a0(2), 45\u201363.<\/p>\n Footnotes<\/strong><\/p>\n [1] The phrase \u201cThank you for your service\u201d became increasingly common in American society\u2014especially after the 9\/11 attacks\u2014as a way to express gratitude to veterans transitioning back into civilian life.<\/p>\n [2] Veterans Affairs is a cabinet-level federal agency of the U.S. government. For ease of reference, it will hereafter be abbreviated as \u201cVA.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Veteran status occupies a distinguished place in T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s collective social memory. Yet this privileged view often does not translate into reality.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":1513,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[245,246,232,248,7,244,247],"ppma_author":[243],"class_list":["post-1512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-law-and-justice","tag-psychological-trauma","tag-rehabilitation","tag-social-life","tag-turkish-collective-memory","tag-turkiye","tag-veteran-status","tag-war"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"authors":[{"term_id":243,"user_id":24,"is_guest":0,"slug":"yusuf-tuna-alemdar","display_name":"Yusuf Tuna Alemdar","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Yusuf-Tuna-Alemdar.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Yusuf-Tuna-Alemdar.jpg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1512"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1512\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1512"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toplum.org.tr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=1512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}