Hakan KOCAMAN

In early 2013, I was doing my military service with the Turkish Air Force at the 10th Tanker Base Command in Adana (known today as İncirlik Air Base). That year, because of the budget crisis in the USA, I witnessed austerity measures being applied, immediately after the crisis broke out, to many of the services provided to the American soldiers on the base. Even the extra soap and shampoo in the showers started to be provided only as needed, and their use was restricted. What surprised me most was not that savings were being made, but that soldiers more than ten thousand kilometres away from their homeland reacted to the situation right after the crisis broke out and quickly put austerity measures into practice. Moreover, what was happening was not an economic war waged on their country by foreign powers, but largely a matter of their own budget. What I mean is this: as a country, we should now stop debating the gravity of the situation we find ourselves in today and, first of all, apply savings measures for the sake of our country and our national wealth, both personally and institutionally, however small or large. We should change our daily habits and be more careful and selective when obtaining the goods we consume or the services we use. Personally, our efforts may give the impression that they do not mean much, but if we think with the principle that unity is strength, I am sure the results will be positive for our country and, ultimately, for ourselves.

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