The Minister of National Defence, Panos Kammenos, accompanied by the Chief of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Lieutenant General Christos Christodoulou, attended the oath-taking ceremony of A Enlistment Series newly recruited soldiers and airmen that took place in the 124 Basic Training Wing in the Air Base of Tripoli.
In his address, the Minister of National Defence stated the following:
“It is with great pleasure that I stand here, in the 124 Basic Training Wing, today for the oath-taking of our newly recruited soldiers and airmen, on the occasion of their official accession into the large family of the Hellenic Army and the Hellenic Air Force.
Soldiers and Airmen,
This day is important for you, your families, the Hellenic Army and the Hellenic Air Force, since the period for your contribution to the national defence now officially begins. Your enlistment, apart from being a constitutional mandate and a social temporal duty, constitutes at the same time a denotation of honour towards our Country.
A short while ago, you took a sacred oath, assuming the utmost commitment to the Country, while you are required to perform a noble task and meet the expectations of the Greek people, your families and all of us.
As of this day, you belong to the staff of the Hellenic Army and Air Force and you are required to remain vigilant on the Units and Squadrons throughout Greece. Furthermore, you are given the possibility to take advantage of all knowledge, experience and skills offered, which are going to help you in your subsequent life.
I would like to reassure you that the Ministry of National Defence, the Military leadership, Officers and non-Commissioned Officers and your former colleagues shall be at your side throughout your service.
Because strong emphasis is put on our human resources, as a multiplier of power and centre of gravity of the Armed Forces.
We will meet again in airports, guard houses, the Greek islands, your Units and we will be able to discuss about the improvement of the conscripts’ living conditions.
Since this point in time, you form a part, and perhaps the most important part, of the Armed Forces.
I would therefore ask you to obey and comply with the orders of your superiors, because discipline constitutes a military virtue that should not be confused with the deprivation of freedom. On the contrary, it constitutes a necessary condition for combat power and deterrence capacity of the Armed Forces.
Dear Parents,
I call on you to support your children in various ways throughout their service; to be always proud of them, because they are about to dedicate a short period, however important, of their life in the service of the Country.
You are so proud of them as we are.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On an almost daily basis, we become associated on major developments that change the contemporary geopolitical, geostrategic and geo-economic environment.
Greece has now serious grounds for maintaining a military force of high operational readiness, both in order to deal with existing threats and also potential threats.
Our Political and Military leadership, always in light of safeguarding our national defence, aims at making full use of staff competencies and means and works ceaselessly to find solutions to problems that have dragged on.
For the purpose of overcoming current short-term difficulties, it is required that we work in a spirit of national unity and with the utmost responsibility for the collective interest of our Country.
Whereas we send a clear message to everyone that our sovereign rights are not negotiable and we are here to face all challenges.
Soldiers and Airmen,
I would like to wish you and your families health, prosperity and good luck in your military service.
Thank you”.
