On Thursday, 26 June 2025, the oath-taking ceremony of Second Lieutenants, Class of 2025 “Lieutenant General Stylianos Kalbourtzis”, was held at the Hellenic Military Academy (Evelpidon) in Vari, Attica, in the presence of His Excellency, the President of the Republic, Mr. Konstantinos Tasoulas, who awarded the Officer’s swords to the new Officers.
The ceremony was also attended by the MP for the South Athens Constituency Mr. Dionysios Hatzidakis as representative of the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Thanasis Davakis, MP for Ilia Mr. Mihail Katrinis as representative of the Leader of the Official Opposition, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Vasilis Palmas, MP for Ioannina Ms. Maria – Alexandra Stefanou Kefala, the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Choupis, the Metropolitan of Glyfada, Elliniko, Voula, Vouliagmeni & Vari, Mr. Antonios, the Deputy Head of Region for East Attica Ms. Vasiliki Kavallari as representative of the Head of the Region of Attica, the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Chief of Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Dimitrios – Eleftherios Kataras HN, the Chief of the Hellenic Police, Lieutenant General Dimitrios Mallios, the Chief of Cypriot National Guard General Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios Tsitsikostas, the Deputy Chief of National Army General Staff of Moldova, Brigadier General Sergiu Cirimpei, the General Secretary of the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic, Ambassador ad honorem Ms. Aliki Hatzi, Members of the Supreme Military Council, the Special Secretary of the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Nikolaos Manouris, foreign Ambassadors, the Metropolitan of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, Mr. Nikolaos, the Deputy Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Lieutenant General (HAF) Ioannis Kotsakis, as representative of the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, the Inspector General of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Papakonstantinou Christos CG, as representative of the Chief of the Hellenic Coast Guard, and the Coordinator for Fire Service Operations in Attica, Fire Service Major General Anastasios Pappas, as representative of the Chief of the Fire Service.
The ceremony was also attended by Honorary Chiefs of Hellenic Army General Staff and Cypriot National Guard General Staff, the Director of the Military Office of the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic, Vice Admiral Efthymios Mikros HN, representatives of the local government, active duty Armed and Security Forces Officers, Defence Attachés, retired Armed Forces Officers, academic authorities, family members of the Class of 2025 hero Lieutenant General Stylianos Kalbourtzis, and other guests.
Graduates included 226 Second Lieutenants, of which 195 from Greece, 23 from Cyprus, 2 from Albania, 1 from Armenia, 2 from Montenegro, 1 from Moldova, and 2 from Tunisia.
Finally, His Excellency, the President of the Republic, Mr. Konstantinos Tasoulas, awarded the Officer’s sword to the families of the two second class cadets who perished in 2023.
Biography of Lieutenant General Stylianos Kalbourtzis
He was born in Thessaloniki in 1921. He graduated from the Hellenic Military Academy in 1950 and was commissioned as an Artillery Second Lieutenant. He was killed in action while fighting heroically north of the village of Synchari, Cyprus, on 23 July 1974, while commanding the 181st Field Artillery Battalion, whose headquarters was in Trikomo in the province of Famagusta. In 2008, the Hellenic Republic promoted him to honorary Lieutenant General. Throughout his military career, but even more so in battle, Stylianos Kalbourtzis demonstrated unique qualities and features that rightfully distinguish him as a person, an Officer, a Commander, and an Artilleryman.
#ΕλληνικόςΣτρατός, #HellenicArmy
