Dendias Reshapes Greece’s Armed Forces: 9-Month Conscription, Tech Training & Reserve Overhaul

From mandatory drone grooming to progressive reserve corps and sex inclusion — a bold subject betterment for a modern army

A Strategic Transformation for the Hellenic Armed Forces

In what is being described arsenic 1 of the most broad overhauls of Greece’s subject work successful decades, the caller measure introduced by Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias marks a decisive shift toward a much agile, high-tech, and nonrecreational Greek military.

Backed afloat by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis — who called the changes “bold, but perfectly necessary” — the measure aims to revamp military training, conscription procedures, reserve service, and vocation progression wrong the Armed Forces.

“We’re not present to marque cosmetic changes. We’re present to reinvent however Greece trains and maintains its equipped forces,” stated Nikos Dendias during the presumption astatine the Officers’ Club successful Athens (LAED).

Compulsory Service Straight After High School – Reduced to 9 Months

For young conscripts entering subject service immediately aft precocious school, the mandatory word is being reduced from 12 to 9 months, paired with intensive, tech-driven training.

The caller exemplary includes:

• 10 weeks of basal training, including usage of simulators and drone operations
• 4 weeks of specialized instruction
• 12 weeks of tract grooming successful rapid-response units, chiefly on the borders

“We’re investing successful subject tech literacy — from formation simulators to drones — for each soldier,”Dendias emphasized.

Cracking Down connected Draft Evasion – New Rules connected Exemptions

The Ministry is besides targeting Greece’s long-standing contented with subject draught evasion. Over the past 3 years alone, 30,000 young men were classified arsenic I5 (medically unfit) — 76% of them for intelligence reasons.

Key reforms include:

• Final I5 classification lone after 5 years, with ceremonial appraisal by Greece’s disablement certification authorization (KEPA)
• Academic deferment allowed only up to property 25 (from 28)
• PhD-related deferments capped at age 30
• Buy-out of work present imaginable only after property 40, at €1,500/month (up from €900 astatine property 33)

 “Military work is astir fairness. You don’t get a walk due to the fact that you recovered a loophole. That epoch is over,” Dendias declared.

A New National Reserve Corps – 150,000 Trained Citizens

Another cornerstone of the betterment is the instauration of an Active National Reserve Force, expected to include up to 150,000 citizens, with grooming obligations lasting until the property of 60.

Features include:

• Integration of reserves and nationalist guard
• Regular call-ups once each 3 years
• Formation of two elite Special Forces reserve units in Rentina and Aspropyrgos
• Incentives: access to subject hospitals, subject stores, and job security during grooming periods

“We are gathering a reserve unit not conscionable for emergencies, but arsenic a pillar of nationalist resilience and civic participation,” the Minister said.

Women successful Uniform – Pilot Program for Female Volunteers successful 2026

The measure besides sets the signifier for voluntary subject work for women, with a aviator inaugural starting in 2026:

• Up to 200 women volunteers
• Equal opportunities for grooming and advancement

Fixing the Broken Military Pyramid – Career Path Reform for NCOs

Dendias revealed semipermanent structural changes to hole the imbalanced officer-to-NCO ratio in the Greek Armed Forces.

• Current ratio: 1 serviceman to 0.8 NCOs
• Target: 1 serviceman to 3 NCOs
• Promotion nary longer tied to fertile titles
• New responsibility allowances for NCOs
• Salary increases of 13% to 24% across the board

“We can’t tally a subject wherever everyone ends up a colonel. We’re rebuilding the hierarchy, giving NCOs existent vocation growth,” Dendias said.

A 20-Year Vision for a Future-Ready Army

The wide program lays the instauration for a long-term transformation of Greece’s subject operation and culture.

Implementation volition unfold gradually, with a 17–18 twelvemonth horizon to let for creaseless transitions and institutional maturity.

“The service we service contiguous won’t beryllium the service we spot tomorrow. But the choices we marque present volition specify its future,” concluded Minister Dendias.

The measure is not conscionable administrative — it’s political, generational, and strategic. With beardown enactment from the Prime Minister and the Defence Ministry, Greece is taking a decisive measurement toward modernising its Armed Forces, creating a leaner, smarter, fairer system.

It’s a connection to society, to NATO allies, and to determination rivals: Greece is preparing for the aboriginal — not with slogans, but with strategy.

Source: pagenews.gr

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