General Necdet Özel (born Ankara, 1950) is the Chief of the Turkish General Staff since 2011. He is only the second in the position not to have NATO experience. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1969 and the Infantry School in 1970. Having promoted to Brigadier General in 1995, he served as the Commander of the 172nd Armored Brigade and as the Chief of Internal Security Operations Department, TLFC. After his promotion to Major General in 1999, he assumed the command of 39th Mechanized Infantry Division and of the Army War College.