Emin Murat Bilgel
| Emin Murat BİLGEL | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1952 İstanbul |
| Allegiance |
 Turkey |
| Service/branch | Turkish Navy |
| Years of service | 1972 – 2013 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held |
- TCG KARAYEL (P-349) |
| Awards |
- Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Honor |
Emin Murat BİLGEL (born 1952) is a Turkish admiral who served as 24th Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces.
Biography
Admiral BİLGEL was born in Istanbul in 1952. He graduated from the Naval High School in 1968 and the Naval Academy in 1972. After his training on board ships for a year, he first joined TCG ZAFER as a CIC Officer.
From 1973 to 1997, he assumed a variety of duties during his sea tour in the order of Division Officer, Department Head and Executive Officer on board destroyers, fast patrol boats and frigates. He then served as the Commanding Officer of fast patrol boats TCG KARAYEL and TCG DOĞAN and frigates TCG YILDIRIM and TCG YAVUZ. Before his promotion to the flag ranks, he commanded the Fast Patrol Boat Division One.
During this period, he also graduated from the Turkish Naval War College and Armed Forces College. He additionally was enrolled in the Fast Patrol Boat Tactical Education Course in Germany and the Destroyer Department Head Officer Course in the United States. His shore tour included staff duties in the Turkish Naval Forces Command Headquarters and NATO AFSOUTH Headquarters in Italy.
After being promoted to Rear Admiral (Lower Half) in 1997, he served as the Chief of General Plans and Principles Directorate in the Ministry of National Defence, Chief of General Plans, Policy and CIMIC position of NAVSOUTH Headquarters in Italy and Commander of the Turkish Northern Task Group.
Having been promoted to Rear Admiral (Upper Half) in 2001, he served as the Commander of Istanbul Strait Command, Commander of the Fast Patrol Boat Group and Chief of Staff of the Fleet Command.
Upon his promotion to Vice Admiral in 2005, he first assumed the Command Naval Training and Education from 2005 to 2007, and later served as the Chief of Staff, Turkish Naval Forces Command HQ from 2007 to2009.
He was promoted to the rank of Admiral in 2009, and commanded the Turkish Fleet from 2009 to 2011.
Admiral BİLGEL became the 24th Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces in August 2011.
His decorations include Turkish Armed Forces Honour Medal, Turkish Armed Forces Distinguished Service Medal, NATO Medal (Kosovo and Former Yugoslavia), the Republic of Korea National Security Legion of Merit, Pakistan Nishan-ı Imtiyaz (Military) and Romanian Naval Forces Emblem of Honor.
Admiral BİLGEL is married with one child.