It guards the sensitive borders of Turkey with Greece and Bulgaria, including the straits Bosporus and Dardanelles.

Ali İhsan Sabis is the first commander of the 1st Army, which has been operating since the Ottoman Empire.

The army is responsible for the Thrace region, the straits and the safety of Istanbul.

Under normal circumstances, the second duty of the Turkish Chief of General Staff is the next task.

From 1983 to the present day, it was the first place where all the chiefs of the general staff served.