An event was held on Thursday, 1 December 2022, at the Hellenic Military Academy (Evelpidon) for the 40th anniversary of the Academy’s relocation to its current facilities in Vari, Attica.

The event was attended by:

• The Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros.
• The Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Charalampos Lalousis.
• The Chief of Cypriot National Guard General Staff, Lieutenant General Dimokritos Zervakis.
• The Chief of Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis HN, and the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Lieutenant General (HAF) Themistoklis Bourolias.
• The Mayor of Vari, Voula, and Vouliagmeni, Mr. Grigorios Konstantellos.
• The Metropolitan of Glyfada, Elliniko, Voula, Vouliagmeni, and Vari, Mr. Antonios.
• The Army Inspector General – Commander of the Doctrine and Training Command, Lieutenant General Nikolaos Flaris.
• The Deputy Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios Kellis.
• The Commandant of the Hellenic National Defence College, Lieutenant General Anastasios Spanos, and the Commanding General of the Higher Army Support Military Command “THISEAS”, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis.
• Honorary Chiefs of Hellenic Army General Staff General Konstantinos Ghinis (ret.), General Vasilios Tellidis (ret.), and General Georgios Kambas (ret.).
• Active duty and retired Army Officers.
• Academy faculty members.

Addresses were given by the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff, and the Hellenic Military Academy Commandant, Major General Stavros Papastathopoulos.

In his address, the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff gave a brief history of the Academy from its establishment by Ioannis Kapodistrias in Nafplio in June 1828 to its subsequent relocations to Aegina, Piraeus, the facilities donated by the National Benefactor Georgios Averof in Pedion tou Areos, and, finally, to its current facilities in Vari.
He stressed that the Academy is the country’s oldest educational institute, established before Greece's official recognition as a sovereign state in 1832, whose main mission is to shape capable leaders for the Armed Forces. He noted that the "good hopes of the Nation" were always there during all the important moments of the Nation, shedding their blood and writing gold pages of heroism and glory, from the Macedonian Struggle and the Balkan Wars to WW2, Korea, and Cyprus, honouring the Greek Officer’s uniform.

He then mentioned the modern operation of the Hellenic Military Academy and the provision of multifaceted education and training to cadets, both academic and military, in premises with modern facilities, high living standards, excellent sports areas, ranges and proving grounds, and with a modern syllabus.

In conclusion, the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff mentioned the distinction of a team of cadets in the Military Skills Competition SANDHURST 22 of the United States Military Academy (USMA – West Point) who won first place among foreign teams, and congratulated the Academy’s Command and the military personnel and faculty members for their work.

To read the entire address of the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff press here and to read the address of the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff press here.

Speeches were also given by the Honorary Commanding General of the Athens Military Command, Lieutenant General Dimitrios Bakas (ret.), and Professor Emeritus of Military History at the Hellenic Military Academy (Evelpidon), Major General Andreas Kastanis (ret.).

#ΕλληνικόςΣτρατός, #HellenicArmy