On Thursday, 21 December 2022, the oath-taking ceremony of first year cadets, Class of 2027 “Lieutenant General Nikolaos Katountas”, was held at the Hellenic Military Academy (Evelpidon) in Vari, Attica.

The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr. Athanasios Bouras, as representative of the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros, the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Angelos Choudeloudis, and the Deputy Chief of Cypriot National Guard General Staff, Lieutenant General Loucas Hadjimichael, as representative of the Chief of Cypriot National Guard General Staff.

The ceremony was also attended by the Mayor of Vari, Voula, and Vouliagmeni, Mr. Grigorios Konstantellos, the Metropolitan of Glyfada, Elliniko, Voula, Vouliagmeni & Vari, Mr. Antonios, the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Stavros Avgoustides, the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Lieutenant General (HAF) Themistoklis Bourolias, Chief of Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Ioannis Drymousis HN, Honorary Chiefs of Hellenic Army General Staff, the Members of the Supreme Military Council, and the Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Police, Lieutenant General Georgios Douvalis, as representative of the Chief of the Hellenic Police, as well as representatives of the local government, Armed Forces and the Security Forces Officers, foreign Defence and Military Attachés, delegations of Officers from Armenia and Serbia, retired Officers, academic authorities, family members of the Class of 2027 Hero “Lieutenant General Nikolaos Katountas”, as well as family members of the new first year cadets.

The oath-taking of first year cadets is a day of honour and celebration for the Academy and the oath is the start of a new path, as stressed in the Order of the Day of the Academy Commandant, Major General Anastasios Polychronos, who prompted them to feel proud, since they became members of the family of the Hellenic Military Academy, an Academy that is unique, honoured by history and unparalleled contribution to the country.

199 first year cadets took the oath, of which 168 from Greece, 21 from Cyprus, 1 from Albania, 3 from Armenia, 2 from Jordan, 2 from Senegal, and 2 from Tunisia.

The ceremony was followed by the first ever parade of the Cavalry Company with 12 horsemen wearing traditional historical uniforms of the Hellenic Army Cavalry.

Biography of Lieutenant General Nikolaos Katountas

He was born in Patras on 11 January 1943. He graduated from the Hellenic Military Academy in 1967. He was a graduate of the Law School of the University of Athens. In September 1973, he was assigned in Cyprus and the 33rd Raider Battalion as Commander of the 31st Strike Company in Kerynia. On 5 August 1974, he was awarded the Order of Merit for Gallant Action for his actions as Commander of the 31st Strike Company of the 33rd Raider Battalion on the night of 20/21 July 1974, when he quietly led his Company to the rear of the enemy positions and captured his objective. On 22 July 1974, during his Battalion's operations in Aghios Georgios, Kerynia, he fought heroically, destroying a large number of enemy tanks. He has been missing since July 1974. By Presidential Decree of 12 December 2008, he was promoted to Lieutenant General.

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