The Minister of National Defence Panos Kammenos accompanied by the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Alkiviadis Stefanis attended the oath taking ceremony of conscripts of 2017 6th Enlistment Series at Ordnance Training Centre, Lamia.

The Minister of National Defence addressed the following statement:

“It is a special pleasure for me to be here today with you, on the occasion of the oath-taking ceremony of 2017 6th Enlistment Series Conscripts who will join officially the big family of the Army.

New conscripts,

The Army is an organization in which its separate services, its Arms and Corps cooperate in a unique manner to defend our national interests. An important cell of this organization is the Ordnance Corps, in the Training Centre of which you attended your basic military training.

It is a Corps which contributes to the achievement of this objective through the correct management of Army materiel and, therefore, of public property which bears a significant importance nowadays.

This day is special for you and your families. A few minutes ago you took the oath of Greek soldiers.

It is an oath for the ideals of our Nation through which you assume the most important responsibility of defending our Homeland.

It is a promise to all those who stood up and fought a big battle to defend the supreme ideals of national independence, freedom and faith.

This oath is a source of strength and pride for the Armed Forces of the country nowadays, as well as a source of commitment to new efforts, aiming at the improvement of their effectiveness.

I would like to assure you that our personnel and our conscripts, that is you,  honour the oath – promise they gave to our flag in every possible manner and are totally devoted to defending it.

As of today, together with the personnel of the Armed Forces, you are called on to continue your creative and peaceful work in the Army, standing up to the expectations of the Greek people.

There is a huge responsibility.

Greek citizens recognize this offer and for this reason they embrace the institution of the Armed Forces with great degree of confidence.

They acknowledge that the Armed Forces are always ready to ensure and safeguard what our country has won. Greek soldiers are in every corner and every rock of our country with decisiveness, boldness and courage to guarantee its security, stability and peace.

They acknowledge also our contribution to their every day lives, our social work in fields, such as security and civil protection in emergency situations, healthcare, particularly air evacuations, and search and rescue, works of infrastructure and other beneficial activities to the community.

This increases the burden of the responsibility we both, the political and military leadership and our personnel, women and men and military and civilians, bear on our shoulders.

Besides, the field of National Defence continues to be considered as one of the most important fields of our political system and it is the most characteristic example of public-social benefit, required to defend the clearly defined national interests, contributing to the greatest possible extent for Greece to maintain its deterrence and defence capability and to enhance its diplomatic force.

Modernised and powerful Armed Forces are a key factor for Greece to organize its present affairs and plan its future affairs with national pride, confidence, hopefulness, faith and decisiveness.

Young soldiers,

The time when military service was for young people a “long interruption of their civil life” has passed. This is due to both quantitative as well as to qualitative changes.

The duration of the service has been reduced.

At the same time, the Ministry of National Defence, along with the military leadership, applies a human-centred policy and supports the personnel by all means.

We believe that the service should be a creative period in one’s life during which they will have the chance not only to contribute to our homeland’s defence, but also to gain experience and skills that will help them in their civilian lives after the service.

It is an obligation for us to show the way and help our young conscripts to progress in a place that promotes moral and supreme ideals. Through actions and various activities of the Armed Forces, we seek to promote humanitarianism and to establish a conduct of social solidarity and contribution.

Dear Parents,

Stand always by your children and be proud because the new generation is our Land’s hope and force, for a better and more creative future. It is my conviction that every generation is better than the previous one.

In the face of our soldiers, we honour all of you who fight your personal battle at these difficult and contradictory times. Indeed, we are much indebted to you who experience the anxiety of choosing the proper upbringing of your children every day.

Finally, I would like to thank the authorities of the Municipality of Lamia, of the prefecture and of the Region, the MPs, the Regional Governor, the Mayor, for attending this ceremony. It is a message of unity and support to our Armed Forces with the blessing of His Eminence and of our Church.

I would like to welcome our youth to the big family of the Army.

I wish you to have a good and creative service, knowing that the leadership of the Ministry of National Defence and the Army are always at your side.

I wish you all happy holidays, Merry Christmas and I assure you that 2018 which approaches in a few days will be a better year for everybody; it will be a year that will bring smiles back to our country.