On Tuesday, 9 December 2025, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Thanasis Davakis attended the event for the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Parachutist School in Aspropyrgos.
He was welcomed by the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, representing the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, the Commanding General of the Hellenic Special Warfare Command, Lieutenant General Georgios Manouras, the Director of the Special Forces Directorate of the Hellenic Army General Staff, Brigadier General Christos Spanidis, and the Commandant of the Parachutist School, Lieutenant Colonel (Inf) Evangelos Sgourakis.
The event was also attended by the Commander of the Hellenic Navy Aviation Command, Commodore Dimitrios Kamaras, representing the Chief of Hellenic Navy General Staff, the Director of C Branch of the Air Support Command, Brigadier General (HAF) Ioannis Karamaniolas, representing the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, the US Military Attaché to Greece Colonel Eric Bauer, MPs, representatives of local government, general and senior Armed and Security Forces officers, retired Armed Forces officers, and family members of Lieutenant (Inf) Ioannis Zoumis.
Upon conclusion of the doxology, Mr. Davakis laid a wreath at the Memorial of Fallen Parachutists, attended a static line jump into the sea and a free fall jump over land, was given a tour of the Museum Equipment Exhibition, and proceeded to the unveiling of the inscription during the naming ceremony of the Free Fall Room of the Parachutist School to “Lieutenant (Inf) Ioannis Zoumis”.
During his address, Mr. Davakis stated among others:
“I am here today with you, feeling pride and respect for your fortitude, your devotion, and the sense of the mission that defines you. A sense of mission and responsibility that you never give up, even when, as time passes by, “active” service comes to an end. Only typically, because essentially, you are still active, useful and effective, as retired Lieutenant (Inf) Ioannis Zoumis did, who used his experience and diffused the knowledge to the young ones.
Today, as a small tribute and token of gratitude, a Room at the Parachutist School, where Lieutenant Ioannis Zoumis served with self-denial, is named after him. Even after retiring, he offered his services as a civilian. He was distinguished for his service to the Country his whole life.
He and you transform the “Above all is the Country” into action. This for you is a brave choice, when you know the risks. It is a choice that justifies the insistence of emblematic figures of the Hellenic Army, like Andreas Kallinskis, to establish the Parachutist School in 1955. He envisaged and predicted the capabilities of the generations to come.
Thank you for your devotion and faith to the ideals of the Country and freedom. The School proved during these 70 years that it is indispensable and you are the elite, the unsung heroes of wars”.
