Infantry
Infantry was designated as an independent Arm, even from the first Army Organisation issued during the Fight for Independence.
During the Army’s reorganisation and the free Greek State, under the governance of Ioannis Kapodistrias, the Regular Corps was established with Infantry at its core. Since the force of the Regular Corps was limited, its commander was also the Infantry commander, a direct subordinate of the Secretary of Military Affairs, as the Ministry of Military Affairs was called at the time.
The Greek Infantry, with the immense moral strength it draws from its historic past and the incalculable contribution in blood, is constantly evolving, mutating and adjusting to the rapid developments of technique, tactics and technology, providing every guarantee that it will keep walking on the road of honour, duty and glory.
The Infantry emblem
The emblem, consisting of the rifle, the sabre and the lamp, in combination with the written ancient maxim «ΔΙΩΚΕ ΔΟΞΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΡΕΤΗΝ», which is attributed to the philosopher Menander (342 – 292 BC) from his work «ΜΕΝΑΝΔΡΟΥ ΓΝΩΜΑΙ» (Menander’s Maxims),which fully reads “ΔΙΩΚΕ ΔΟΞΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΡΕΤΗΝ, ΦΕΥΓΕ ΨΟΓΟΝ”, means: “Strive for glory and virtue, avoid arrogance”and does not constitute a simple symbolism, but it has a direct relation to the work and mission of the Infantry, since Glory is acquired through self-sacrifice and boldness, is won with the rifle and the sabre by those who have developed their moral strengths to the full and have acquired the necessary knowledge through study and exercise. It is consolidated with the blood of the Infantry’s dead, symbolised on the emblem with the red background. Virtue constitutes the decoration of the brave. It is manifested with morale, justness, integrity, kindness and respect towards the opponents and is completed with the realisation of the symbolism of the lamp, meaning the faith in God and the homage to the dead.
Our Mission
The mission of the Infantry is to conduct melee fighting, on any terrain, under any weather conditions, day or night, to conquer territory, to annihilate or capture the enemy, to chase them away from their positions and secure the holding of the conquered territory.
Characteristics
Infantry is the par excellance Arm of melee fighting. Its main characteristics are agility, coherence and the ability to fight on any terrain, for a great amount of time, day and night. It fulfils its mission with a combination of fire, movement and psychological shock of the opponent, which is brought about through assault and strike.