WEBVTT 00:08.159 --> 00:10.689 Hello and welcome to the 39th Air Base 00:10.699 --> 00:12.869 Wing at Incirlik Air Base in Adana 00:12.880 --> 00:15.890 Turka . This area of the world is not 00:15.899 --> 00:17.621 only an important place from a 00:17.621 --> 00:19.649 strategic perspective . It's also 00:19.659 --> 00:21.492 steeped in thousands of years of 00:21.492 --> 00:23.048 culture built up by several 00:23.048 --> 00:25.319 civilizations . We hope you'll take the 00:25.329 --> 00:27.440 opportunity to experience the culture 00:27.440 --> 00:29.440 and history of the area during your 00:29.440 --> 00:31.162 assignment . Keep in mind that 00:31.162 --> 00:33.107 differences in culture can require 00:33.107 --> 00:35.329 differences in behavior . Here are some 00:35.329 --> 00:37.496 things you should know about living in 00:37.496 --> 00:39.849 Turkey . The Turkish people , including 00:39.860 --> 00:42.169 our Turkish Air Force hosts are family 00:42.180 --> 00:44.124 oriented and known for their great 00:44.124 --> 00:46.310 hospitality . While you're here , 00:46.319 --> 00:48.041 you'll have the opportunity to 00:48.041 --> 00:50.319 experience customs such as sharing tea , 00:50.319 --> 00:52.486 witnessing , carpet spinning or eating 00:52.486 --> 00:54.652 culinary fairs such as Adana kebab and 00:54.652 --> 00:57.029 much more . The land of modern day 00:57.040 --> 00:59.639 Turkey was one of the first permanently 00:59.650 --> 01:02.349 settled areas in the world since before 01:02.360 --> 01:04.089 the dawn of recorded history , 01:04.110 --> 01:06.900 settlements , civilizations and empires 01:06.910 --> 01:09.430 have populated the region . There are 01:09.440 --> 01:11.384 historically significant locations 01:11.384 --> 01:13.384 throughout the country that you can 01:13.384 --> 01:16.040 visit . These include ruins and relics , 01:16.050 --> 01:18.879 exhibits and attractions . Not to 01:18.889 --> 01:21.056 mention the culture and cuisine that's 01:21.056 --> 01:23.680 available to be experienced . Some of 01:23.690 --> 01:25.849 the notable empires and civilizations 01:25.860 --> 01:27.860 that have called this region . Home 01:27.860 --> 01:30.220 include the Trojans , the Hittites , 01:30.230 --> 01:32.819 the Ionians , the Persians , the Greeks , 01:32.830 --> 01:34.608 the Romans , the Ottomans , the 01:34.608 --> 01:36.919 Byzantine Empire . And today it's home 01:36.930 --> 01:39.839 to the Republic of Turkey . The 01:39.849 --> 01:41.738 Republic of Turkey was founded by 01:41.738 --> 01:45.150 Mustafa Kamal Ataturk in 1923 . His 01:45.160 --> 01:47.639 surname Ataturk granted to him by 01:47.650 --> 01:49.817 Turkish parliament means father of the 01:49.817 --> 01:52.779 Turks and he's still revered as such to 01:52.790 --> 01:56.610 this day , Ataturk reformed Turkey on 01:56.620 --> 01:59.489 political economic and cultural fronts , 01:59.500 --> 02:01.360 portraits , statues and other 02:01.370 --> 02:03.592 depictions of him are prominent in many 02:03.592 --> 02:05.900 places throughout Turkey . According to 02:05.910 --> 02:08.339 the Turkish government , about 99% of 02:08.350 --> 02:10.929 the population is Muslim . You'll 02:10.940 --> 02:13.107 likely hear the call to prayer outside 02:13.107 --> 02:15.051 as it happens five times every day 02:15.869 --> 02:17.813 during the month of Ramadan . It's 02:17.813 --> 02:19.980 common for Muslims to fast from sun up 02:19.980 --> 02:21.980 to sundown and it may be considered 02:21.980 --> 02:24.259 rude to eat , drink or smoke in front 02:24.270 --> 02:26.690 of people who are fasting today . The 02:26.699 --> 02:28.649 country has about 85 million 02:28.660 --> 02:30.827 inhabitants and its largest cities are 02:30.827 --> 02:33.570 Istanbul , the capital city , Ankara 02:33.580 --> 02:36.990 and Izmir . The city nearest to 02:37.000 --> 02:39.199 Incirlik Air Base is the sixth largest 02:39.210 --> 02:41.432 city in the country populated by around 02:41.432 --> 02:43.350 2 million people . Roughly the 02:43.360 --> 02:46.000 population of Houston , Texas , the 02:46.009 --> 02:48.009 Turkish armed forces consist of the 02:48.009 --> 02:49.953 land forces , naval forces and air 02:49.953 --> 02:52.065 forces here at Incirlik . You'll find 02:52.065 --> 02:54.190 the 10th tanker base command our host 02:54.199 --> 02:56.529 unit . You'll see Tura personnel around 02:56.539 --> 02:58.761 base . You'll probably hear them flying 02:58.761 --> 03:00.630 too . Tura operates tankers and 03:00.639 --> 03:02.929 fighters from here on base . There is 03:02.940 --> 03:05.107 also a Spanish regiment and a rotation 03:05.107 --> 03:07.600 of other NATO partners . According to 03:07.610 --> 03:09.832 the US State Department , the US Turkey 03:09.832 --> 03:12.860 friendship dates to 18 31 when the 03:12.869 --> 03:14.970 United States established diplomatic 03:14.979 --> 03:16.979 relations with the Ottoman Empire . 03:17.449 --> 03:19.820 After World War one and the founding of 03:19.830 --> 03:21.719 the Turkish Republic , the United 03:21.719 --> 03:24.000 States established diplomatic relations 03:24.009 --> 03:26.839 with the Republic of Turkey . In 1927 03:26.850 --> 03:29.919 Turkey has been a NATO ally since 1952 03:29.970 --> 03:31.940 and serves as nato's vital Eastern 03:31.949 --> 03:34.171 anchor , controlling the straits of the 03:34.171 --> 03:36.171 Bosphorus and the Dardanelles which 03:36.171 --> 03:37.838 linked the Black Sea with the 03:37.838 --> 03:39.869 Mediterranean Sea . Turkey is a key 03:39.880 --> 03:42.102 NATO ally and critical regional partner 03:42.102 --> 03:44.213 and the United States is committed to 03:44.213 --> 03:46.380 improving the relationship between our 03:46.380 --> 03:48.380 two countries . The conduct of this 03:48.380 --> 03:50.380 relationship is codified in several 03:50.380 --> 03:52.158 bilateral agreements . The most 03:52.158 --> 03:54.213 prominent one being the 1980 Defense 03:54.213 --> 03:56.509 and Economic Cooperation Agreement , 03:56.520 --> 03:59.434 also known as the Office of Defense 03:59.445 --> 04:01.595 Cooperation . Turkey is a security 04:01.604 --> 04:04.955 assistance organization created in 1947 04:04.964 --> 04:06.964 under a different name . The office 04:06.964 --> 04:08.908 promotes and strengthens strategic 04:08.908 --> 04:10.797 partnerships with Turkey and NATO 04:10.797 --> 04:12.464 allies . Turkey straddles the 04:12.464 --> 04:14.520 Intercontinental divide between Asia 04:14.520 --> 04:16.742 and Europe and a portion of the country 04:16.742 --> 04:18.908 is in each continent . The larger part 04:18.908 --> 04:21.020 is on the Anatolian Peninsula and the 04:21.020 --> 04:22.908 smaller region sits on the Balkan 04:22.908 --> 04:25.020 Peninsula . Turkey is bordered by the 04:25.020 --> 04:28.429 Black Sea , Bulgaria , Greece , the 04:28.440 --> 04:31.500 Aegean and Mediterranean Seas , Syria , 04:31.510 --> 04:35.420 Iraq , Iran , Armenia and Georgia and 04:35.429 --> 04:37.651 just across the Black Sea . You'll find 04:37.651 --> 04:39.873 Ukraine and Russia and we're nearby the 04:39.873 --> 04:42.359 US Central Command or Centcom area of 04:42.369 --> 04:45.140 responsibility . We are all 04:45.149 --> 04:47.260 representatives of the US Air Force , 04:47.260 --> 04:49.371 the Dod and by extension , the United 04:49.371 --> 04:51.482 States to our Turkish hosts . So make 04:51.482 --> 04:53.538 sure you're always putting your best 04:53.538 --> 04:55.538 foot forward , getting involved and 04:55.538 --> 04:57.593 enjoying your time here at RELIK Air 04:57.593 --> 04:59.705 Base . For more information about the 04:59.705 --> 05:01.927 Turkish language , culture or history . 05:01.927 --> 05:03.871 Consider downloading the Air Force 05:03.871 --> 05:06.579 Culture and language guide our wing 05:06.589 --> 05:09.489 host nation advisor Mr Mehmet Bibi can 05:09.500 --> 05:11.611 also be available to answer questions 05:11.611 --> 05:13.667 you have about Turkish culture , the 05:13.667 --> 05:16.130 language or just Turkey in general 05:16.220 --> 05:18.276 contact public affairs to speak with 05:18.276 --> 05:18.450 him .