The General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces (Turkish: Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri Genelkurmay Başkanlığı, abbreviation: TSK Gnkur. Bşk.lığı) is highest staff organization in the Turkish Armed Forces. Chief of the General Staff The Chief of the General Staff is the most senior ranked officer in the Turkish Armed Forces. The current Chief of the General Staff is Yaşar Güler. His predecessor was Hulusi Akar. According to the Constitution of Turkey, the Chief of the General Staff reports to the President and serves as Commander of the Turkish Armed Forces. In times of war, the Chief of the General Staff assumes the authority of Commander in Chief on behalf of the President, which represents the authority of Commander in Chief on behalf of the Parliament. Commanding the Armed Forces and establishing the policies and programs related with the preparation of personnel for combat, intelligence, operations, organization, training and logistic services are the responsibilities of the General Staff. Furthermore, the General Staff coordinates the military relations of the Turkish Armed Forces with its counterparts in the member states of NATO and other friendly nations. The Chief of the General Staff holds the fifth-highest rank in the state protocol list, behind the President of the Republic, the President of the Constitutional Court, the Chairman of the Grand National Assembly and the Vice President, on the protocol of the Republic of Turkey. It is customary for the Chief of the General Staff to have held the post of Commander of the Turkish Land Forces prior to their appointment. Although it is not a legal requirement. Turkey's defense organization The hierarchy, representation and employment of the Turkish Armed Forces within the state organization is regulated by the constitution of Turkey. The Turkish Armed Forces consists of General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces, the Turkish Land Forces, the Turkish Naval Forces and the Turkish Air Forces. According to the constitution, the 'Commander in Chief' is within the spiritual entity of the Grand National Assembly and represented by the President who is responsible to the Grand National Assembly for national security and the preparation of the Turkish Armed Forces to defend the country. However, the authority to declare a state of war and send the Turkish Armed Forces to foreign countries or allow foreign armed forces to be stationed in Turkey require a vote of approval from the Turkish Parliament. Although president can decide to use