made officers' personal assistants. the number of these conscripts is estimated to be 231,000. Attitude towards conscription, the army and conscripts (draftees) Most companies require men to have completed their military service before their job candidacies can be accepted. Traditionally, families do not consent to their daughters marrying men who have not served their terms. The reason behind this requirement is an irregular loss of workforce; the companies are legally bound to discharge draft evaders or face legal consequences, however valuable an asset these people are. It is a common opinion that having completed military service carries a symbolic value to the majority of Turks. It is commonly regarded as a rite of passage to manhood, and most men grow up with the anticipation of serving out their time. On the other hand, it is held to be one of the main reasons behind the brain drain prevalent among well-educated young professionals. An argument used in defense of conscription is that it serves to intermingle an otherwise stratified society. It is believed that going through the same hardships can make common ground amongst otherwise diverse groups and interconnect them. Conscientious objection Refusing obligatory military service due to conscientious objection is illegal in Turkey and punishable with imprisonment by law. Upon being drafted, soldiers who refuse to serve their conscription can be convicted and made to serve their conscription period in military jail. Upon release, the offender often receives new call-up papers, and if he refuses, he is sent back to serve another sentence. Notable objectors include Mehmet Tarhan and Osman Murat Ülke. Sexual orientation and military service The Military Health Regulation for the Turkish Armed Forces uses the 1968 American Psychiatric Association's definition of homosexuality as a disease from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual released that year. As such, homosexuals who are discharged or exempt from military service receive the same report as those who have mental or physical disabilities and are considered to have a psychosexual disorder. In order to receive this report, individuals have to "prove their homosexuality," undergoing what Human Rights Watch calls "humiliating and degrading" examinations. In October 2009, the report of the EU Commission on Enlargement stated that "The Turkish armed forces have a health regulation that defines homosexuality as a ‘psychosexual’ illness and identifies homosexuals as unfit for military service. Conscripts who declare their homosexuality have to provide photographic proof. A small number have