Hellenic Army
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| Hellenic Army Ελληνικός Στρατός | |
| Image:Hellenic Army General Staff.png "Freedom stems from Valor" "ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΝ ΤΟ ΕΥΨΥΧΟΝ" | |
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The Hellenic Army (Greek: Ελληνικός Στρατός) is the land force of Greece. The Army of the modern nation of Greece has a history of nearly 190 years and came to its present form, gradually through those years.
Motto of the Hellenic Army is "Freedom Stems from Valor" (Greek: "Ελεύθερον το Εύψυχον") and the Hellenic Army Emblem represents the two-headed eagle looking both left and right and the white cross in blue background placed in the middle.
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[edit] History
The modern Hellenic Army was formed shorty after the creation of the State in 1828. The first tactical army battalion was established in August, 1828 after the respective order was given by the first head of state of the independent Greece, Ioannis Capodistrias. The new tactical army would replace the irregular military bands of the capetanei (καπεταναίοι - commanders) who had led the revolt against Ottoman Empire in 1821.
The Hellenic Army has taken part in the following wars:
- Greek War of Independence (1821-1830)
- Greco-Turkish War of 1897
- First Balkan War (1912-1913)
- Second Balkan War (1913)
- Macedonian Front of World War I (1916-1918)
- Allied Expedition to the Ukraine (1919)
- Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922
- Second World War
- Greco-Italian War (1940-1941)
- German invasion and Battle of Crete (1941)
- North African Campaign (1941-1943)
- Italian Campaign (1944)
- Greek Civil War (1946-1949)
- Korean War (1950–1953)
- Turkish invasion of Cyprus (1974)
- War in Afghanistan (2001-present)
[edit] Structure
[edit] General Staff
- Hellenic National Defense General Staff
- Hellenic Army General Staff
Γενικό Επιτελείο Στρατού (ΓΕΣ)- Chief-of-Staff of the Army
Αρχηγός ΓΕΣ - Inspector General of the Army
Γενικός Επιθεωρητής Στρατού / Διοικητής ΔΙΔΟΕΕ - 1st Deputy Chief-of-Staff of the Army
A' Υπαρχηγός ΓΕΣ - 2nd Deputy Chief-of-Staff of the Army
Β' Υπαρχηγός ΓΕΣ
- Chief-of-Staff of the Army
- Hellenic Army General Staff
[edit] Combat and Support Arms
- Most combat arms are called "Arm" (Όπλον). This term denotes army elements that, more or less, have direct participation in combat.
- Most support branches are called "Corps" (Σώμα), with some exceptions.
[edit] Army Units and Formations
After two major reorganisations in the last five years, currently the Hellenic Army consists of two major commands, the Hellenic Army General Staff-HAGS and the Hellenic National Defense General Staff-HNDGS.
Formations under the command of HAGS include the I and IV Army Corps, tasked with the defence of the terrestrial borders; the Supreme Military Command of Interior and Islands, which is responsible for the Aegean islands; the Supreme Military Support Command, which provides logistic support to the Army; and the Order of Battle, Training and Inspection Command, which oversees the administration, education and training of the officer corps. The other component of the Hellenic Army, HNDGS, commands the II Army Corps, which functions as the rapid reaction force of the Hellenic Army and comprises special, elite and aviation forces.
[edit] Personnel
There are three classes of personnel in the Hellenic Army, namely professional, volunteer and conscript. Conscript enlisted men and non-commissioned officers wear special rank insignia to differentiate them from volunteers. There are currently 109,266 personnel on active duty. Mobilization strength is 365,000 more.
Most professional officers graduate from the Evelpidon Military Academy in Athens (Στρατιωτική Σχολή Ευελπίδων) and the Corps Officers Military Academy in Thessaloniki (Στρατιωτική Σχολή Αξιωματικών Σωμάτων), while the rest graduate from various Military Schools according to their specialization.
In the chain of command, graduates of the two Military Academies in Athens and Thessaloniki are considered higher in seniority compared to professional officers of the same rank who graduate from specialised Military Schools. The latter officers are followed in seniority by volunteer and finally conscript staff.
[edit] Equipment
The heavy equipment and weaponry of the Hellenic Army is mostly of foreign manufacture, from German, French, American, British and Russian suppliers. A notable exception is the native-built Leonidas armored fighting vehicle by the Hellenic Vehicles Manufacturer Industry (ELBO).
Equipment runs the gamut from state-of-the art to obsolescent Cold War inventories; the latter are gradually being retired.
[edit] Officers Ranks & Insignia
please visit main article for detailed description of ranks.
Rang-from-hellenic-army.jpg
Senior Officer Ranks (2004) |
Hellenic-army-rang-academy.jpg
Junior Officer Academy Ranks (2004) |
Uniforms-hellenic.jpg
Junior Officer Uniforms (1977-2010) |
[edit] See also
- Evzones - The Hellenic Army Honour Guards
- Evelpidon Military Academy
[edit] External links
- Hellenic Ministry of Defense - Official Site
- Hellenic National Defense General Staff - Official Site
- Hellenic Army General Staff - Official SiteTemplate:Greek Military
| Image:Flag of NATO.svg North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) |
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bg:Военни звания в сухопътните войски на Гърция
el:Ελληνικός Στρατός Ξηράς
