Lieutenant General Dimitrios Vakentis was born in Mytilini village, Samos, in 1966. He was admitted to the Hellenic Military Academy (Evelpidon) in 1984 and graduated in 1988 as Infantry Second Lieutenant.

Up until the rank of Major (1988 – 2006) he served in various Infantry Units, among which were the 2nd Mechanised Infantry Battalion of the Hellenic Forces in Cyprus, as well as Platoon Commander in the Hellenic Army NCO Academy, and Trainer in the Basic Training Programme of the Infantry Academy. He has served as Staff Officer in Evros, the Aegean Islands, and in 2006 he was assigned as MA to SMR at NHTi. Upon his promotion to Lieutenant Colonel (2007), he was assigned as Commander of the 298th Mechanised Battalion of the 79th Higher National Guard Battalions Command. In 2013 he was promoted to Colonel. Then, he was transferred to the Training Directorate of the Hellenic Army General Staff, and following that he was assigned as Chief of Staff of the 79th Higher National Guard Battalions Command (2015-2017). In 2018 he was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned as Deputy Commander of the 98th Higher National Guard Battalions Command “ARCHIPELAGOUS”. In 2019 he was assigned as Commander of the 79th Higher National Guard Battalions Command “MYKALI” and, in 2020, as Chief of Staff of the Higher Military Command of Interior and Islands (ASDEN). In 2021 he was promoted to Major General and assigned as Chief of Staff of the 1st Army – OHQ “ACHILLEAS”. In 2022 he was assigned as Commander of the 95th Higher National Guard Battalions Command “DIAGORIDON”, and in 2023 as Chief of Staff of the Higher Military Command of Army Support (ASDYS). On 13 January 2024 he was promoted to Lieutenant General and assigned as Chief of Staff of the Hellenic Army General Staff.

During his career, he has graduated all Infantry training programmes provided for his rank, as well as the Hellenic Army Staff Officers Academy, the Supreme Joint War College, and the National Defence College.

He is a holder of a good knowledge certificate in the English language.

He is married to Despina Kavvada and has two children aged 31, and 28 years old.