The Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias presented today, Tuesday 30 September 2025, following its approval by the Cabinet meeting chaired by PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Draft Law of the Ministry of National Defence titled “Roadmap for the transition of the Armed Forces to the New Era” (Career and development of Officers, NCOs and Professional Conscripts in the Armed Forces, salary arrangements for the military personnel in the Armed Forces, reorganisation of education in the Armed Forces, conscription of Greeks, voluntary service for women, and other provisions).

The presentation that was held at the Hellenic Armed Forces Military Club, was attended by the Deputy Minister of National Defence Thanassis Davakis, the Chief/HNDGS General Dimitrios Choupis, the Secretary General of the Ministry of National Defence Antonios Oikonomou, the Chief/HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Chief/HNGS Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras HN, and the Chief/HAFGS Lieutenant General Dimosthenis Grigoriadis.

At the presentation of the Draft Law, Mr. Dendias stated:

“Good evening,

Not long ago, the Cabinet approved the legislation regarding the Armed Forces, which we have named “Roadmap for the transition of the Armed Forces to the New Era”.

It is an extensive bill that includes the new ranking system, the new pay scale, the new system for the career of the Armed Forces’ personnel, the new educational framework, the new military service, the new reserve, voluntary service for women, the regulations for the personnel’s welfare, and broader service matters.

It targets specific goals:

• The rationalization of the organisational structure of the personnel.

• The modernisation of the institutional framework for the in-service career, with a new system for evaluation and promotion.

• The establishment of the new pay scale, extensively discussed about.

• The upgrade of education for the Armed Forces personnel.

• The establishment of a new model for military service, by rationalising the framework for conscription postponement and exemption, and a new framework for the training and instruction of recruits.

• The establishment of a new reserve model, and by that I mean a modern active reserve, as I have already mentioned.

• Voluntary service for women, referring to a twelve-month service for women between 20 and 26 years of age, and the introduction of motives to this end.

• A series of other settings, mainly referring to the welfare of the Armed Forces personnel.

I would like to clarify that this law will be given to consultation, nothing is carved on marble. We are absolutely ready to receive the remarks, the thoughts and the improvements made by those who had the honour to be involved in the Draft Law.

At the projection, you can see the existing Structure of the personnel. In reality, you can see the big issue in the Armed Forces. You can see here the large numbers in certain ranks, and the creation of an inverted pyramid in NCOs and Warrant Officers. Moreover, you can see the fact that – for example – the origin of Colonels in the Hellenic Army is the NCOs Schools, as well as that most Lieutenants in the Hellenic Army come from the NCOs Schools.

Obviously, this is neither the main concern, nor the will of the legislator. If you see the age at which our personnel reach these ranks, coming from the NCOs Schools, you can understand that there is a contradiction between the role and the age.

In the existing situation, you will also see our problems. In the Hellenic Army 1,878 Colonels exist for 539 established posts. It is obvious that 68% of our Lieutenants come from Higher Military Schools of NCOs, at an age that makes it difficult for them to accomplish their task; that the Colonels and similar ranks in the Navy and the Air Force are much more numerous than the Sergeants; that the Majors are six times the Staff sergeants and five times the Sergeants.

We are going towards a new structure of the personnel, as it will be formed after the adjustment phase, which will be pretty long. We are talking about a 17 to 18-years adjustment phase, which will lead to a proper pyramid for the modern Armed Forces.

I know that the adjustment period is very long. We specifically chose it to help the personnel adjust. However, I would like to make clear that it couldn’t be any longer. We are turning the page. You can see here the new Structure in Officers, NCOs and Professional Conscripts. We are creating a ranking system with nine distinct ranks.

Nonetheless, I need to clarify that it cannot be any longer than this.

We are turning the page! Here, you can see the organizational structure in Officers, NCOs and Professional Conscripts; we are forming a ranking system with nine distinct ranks. I would like to make clear – and this will also be visible later on – that the ranking system is different from the pay scale. What was valid up to now will cease. The salary will no longer follow the rank.

I will now touch one of the huge issues we are facing, as regards to the evaluation of our personnel, for their career. We have an outdated legislative framework, which is not codified; the evaluation itself has been reduced to a typical procedure, during which no one is actually being evaluated. Have a look at the numbers: 97.83% of our personnel were graded with 100%. Let me repeat, 100%. 2.3% of our personnel were graded between 95% and 99% and only 0.14% of them were graded below 95%.

You can understand that this cannot withstand any criticism, and it is far from righteousness. There are many examples in the Armed Forces, in this dialogue that will continue. I can tell them to you, and develop them. It makes no sense now, the irrationalism in the numbers I mentioned has implications: in the units, in the commands; there are structures that operate in a completely reversed structure and distribution.

Now, we are shifting to a new career system. Established posts will be defined by rank, by branch and by category. Ceilings for the legislated established posts for senior officers will be determined, and their promotion will be done only to cover the established posts provided. A new evaluation rating scale should be formed so that, in simple terms, we can level up.

Obviously, as I have already said, the salaries will be disengaged from the ranks.

Coming to the issue of salaries. Currently, we have 85 pay scales, we have too many. We have a connection between the salary and the rank, as I already mentioned, we also have a decrease in the salary of new Officers and NCOs, and a total lack of recognition – in terms of pay scale – regarding the positions of responsibility. Consequently, we encourage the non-taking of responsibility in the army. This is in total contrast with the mind-set of the military.

Therefore, we create a new special wage grid, in which we will disconnect the rank from the salary; we establish 20 pay scales, a more equitable distribution, and resources saving, through the “Agenda 2030”. There is an example: A Warrant Officer with 16 years of service, in his 17^th year is currently paid 20,220 euros per year, and with the new pay scale, he will be paid 23,431 euros per year. After 35 years of service, with the current system he will be a Major, and with the current Major’s salary he will be paid 32,628 euros. However, with the new pay scale, he will be a 2^nd Lieutenant, paid 39,610 euros. Throughout his career, this will bring an improvement from 505,000 to 587,000 euros, nearly 82,000 euros more, which translates to a whole lump-sum benefit.

In the case he becomes an Officer in the ways provided by the law, I will discuss them later, he will reach 632,000 euros, which means a profit of more than 100,000 euros.

In the next presentation, referring to the monthly increase of the allowance for positions of responsibility. You can see that the percentages are really high. We start at plus 156% at the rank of Major, and rise to the Chief/HNDGS who, unfortunately Chief, will only see 5% provided for him in the law.

We also have here an important innovation, the establishment of the allowance for positions of responsibility for the NCOs, especially for the head, the HNDGS Command WO, the General Staff Command WO and the Formation Command WO. Here, we will make provision for an allowance for positions of responsibility for the leadership of the NCOs as well.

Moreover, in the next slide, you will also see the establishment of the allowance for command, with considerable sums provided as allowance for command, in order to encourage and reward taking responsibility.

Which brings me to some examples, which will be given to you, regarding the salaries under the new pay scale. A 2^nd Lieutenant with three years of service, celibate, who serves in border regions, will see a raise, from 1,197 net income, to 1,586 euros, which is a 31% raise. You can see the raises in the ranks of Captain, Major, Commander HN, or in Commanders of Independent Sub-Units reaching a 24%. Please notice the huge raise by 52% in Commanders or Frigate Commanders.

Now let us see the Petty Officer 1^st Class, who serves as crew in the Fleet: his raise will be from 901 net income to 1,512 net income. The increase is 67%, and you can see next to that the rest raises, as an example. For the Petty Officer 3^rd Class with 7 years of service, the raise is 51%. Next to that, you can also see the Professional Conscript Staff Sergeant, Master Sergeant, WO, 2^nd Lieutenant. Everyone, the entire personnel will get significant raises.

I want to be clear in this issue; this is the first phase of raises, which do not come from money we were given from the State General Accounting Office, but from money that resulted from the savings of phase A of the change in the Forces Structure, i.e. the merger of military camps.

The Ministry itself saved this money and, may I say, this is a completely different model and example in the Greek public sector.

In this same mind-set, I am looking forward to a phase C; why phase C? Because in phase B, we are using the money saved, to give a raise to soldiers, the 50 and 100 euros. In phase C, the saving will lead to phase B of the change of the pay scale, hopefully in a year, even though this depends on many parameters, as you can understand, before reaching the point of announcing a new raise in the salary of the personnel. One thing is certain, that all personnel will receive significant raises.

I would also like to bring up the strain felt by the NCOs, which is completely understandable. Any changes made will lead the NCOs to higher salary than the one they would have, had the reform not been done, and they will also direct the NCOs to higher pensions than the ones they would take, had the reform not been done.

In addition, I will announce in a few days, as it is ready – or close to that –, the 10-year Housing programme of the Ministry of National Defence, which will be the largest housing programme made by the modern Hellenic state. It has a clear horizon for the fulfilment of all; let me repeat – all, the needs of the Armed Forces’ personnel. All of them.

This programme is funded by the armaments programme. We know, we have our armaments programme 10+10 years. We know how much money we are giving to the Share Funds, we know the difference, but we also know what kind of housing programme we can fund. Our goal is one: to ensure that all personnel, when they are transferred, will get the key to a house, without having to search for one on the free market.

In addition, we have the programme for our Nursery Schools, so as to help new families. We will develop the resorts for the Armed Forces, and we will enable further access to them by the NCOs as well. We will develop military outlets (you will see presentations for them) and we will make sure that we have discounts by various branches of the Greek Economy, making our personnel’s life easier, meaning better salaries, better career, houses, family support, resorts, better feeding capabilities than the ones on the market.

I will now discuss academic education, where we are making a huge leap. We proceed to the establishment of an Education Command, where we will include all Military Schools, with horizontal coordination, rationalisation, reduction of bureaucracy, a holistic view of the career path, and we will also proceed to the establishment of a specific funds account for research, along the lines of our country’s Higher Education Institutions.

I have already said that our goal is to encourage research in the Military Schools. The next page refers to the existing circumstances regarding the admission in Higher Military Schools, without the option to choose a direction. You are aware of the current situation, the two basic directions. We are shifting towards a total reform, to a degree with a specific scientific field in the course of Arms, we are introducing the degree on Management Science and Technology, and we are establishing the course of Corps with a degree on Logistics Management. We have chosen the term “Logistics”, as it better describes in English what the term “Supply Chain” might confuse us in scientific terms.

Moreover, for both the Engineers of Arms and the Engineers of Corps, a degree on Electronics and Telecommunications, a degree on Building and Infrastructure, and with a degree on Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, with five years of studies, alignment with the Polytechnic schools and the ability to establish the professional rights.

At this point, we will also proceed to post-graduate degrees, however the details are abundant and extensive, and we will have the chance to go through the particulars. As regards the NCOs’ Schools, things are even more interesting. We have made the NCOs’ Schools Higher Schools, by including them in category “6”, their professors will be Professors-Faculty Members – so they can be Higher Schools – oriented towards a technological direction and a traineeship, with a standardization of training, and a certification of the programme and qualifications by the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education. Also, by offering the possibility to conduct a post-graduate degree within the school. We are discussing with the Ministry of Education, at an early stage. You will be analytically briefed on this issue.

A matter also referring to the NCOs is their capabilities for career development. We can do two things, regarding this issue; we are offering two distinct courses for those who wanted to become an Officer in their lives.

First, after admission exams in their second year in the NCOs School, they could enter the Higher Schools for Officers. In addition, after 14 years of service, we are giving him the opportunity to transfer, as long as they have a University degree, to the posts published by the General Staffs. The aim of the law is to fully upgrade the role of the NCOs in the military.

I will show you a picture that has got me marked. I am here, in the Field Artillery School of Fort Sill in the US. When we say here “Artillery School”, imagine something bigger than the island of Lefkada, where all the Armed Forces are trained in a series of arms, as well as the use of drones and anti-drones, in the United States. Next to me is the Commanding General of “Fort Sill”, who is a two-star general. Here are two Greek Officers studying in the School. The most interesting fact in this picture is this man right here. He is a Sergeant Major, and he is the one running Fort Sill, not the General. Respectively, similar NCOs run all the US Armed Forces, and they are the ones responsible for all the training in the US Army. I have plenty of examples to give you, but I think that this picture is illustrative.

From now on, the planning is to have a NCO next to every Greek senior Officer. A Warrant Officer will be next to the Chief/HNDGS.

In addition, in the evaluations of NCOs, the NCO will always be participating. This NCO will be the rapporteur for the NCOs’ evaluations. Consequently, I believe I have given you an outline of how we will treat the NCOs.

We have the corresponding respect and interest for the personnel who are Professional Soldiers. We differentiate the Officers, the NCOs and the Professional Soldiers. We create a clearly distinct career for each group. We establish the ways to move from Professional Soldier to NCO, from NCO to Officer, and we put an end to the practice there was so far, one I would call – please allow me – a practice for the Zulus. Everyone for everything, no evaluations, no meritocracy, no motivation for the one who does the job, versus the one who is uninterested.

Which leads me to the issue of military service. I have repeatedly said from the beginning, that from a service-slog we should shift to a service-slot.

I will begin with the conscription exemption and the evaders.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I never hid from you that the Government, and I personally, but also a large, the vast, majority of the political system and the Greek citizens, believe in the Army of citizens. It is a constitutional responsibility, for every Greek man and woman, to defend the Country. It is more than the worthy military personnel, and we cannot have the option of a mercenary army, available in neighbouring countries. It is not in our tradition,

From the ancient years, the Army of the Athenian Democracy, and of Sparta and the Greek cities, was an army of citizens. In particular, it was an army where each one would cover the one next to him with his shield. They had a common fate in peace and at war. Currently, it seems like some of our fellow citizens do not embrace this viewpoint. In this way, a delightful “factory” has been set up, thanks to which 35,500 people in the last three years refuse their military service, claiming “psychological issues”. In addition, 38,890 have decided to be evaders abroad.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are talking about 20 Brigades – so as to have a sense of the magnitude – when the Country faces a threat ten times higher! Excuse me, but we cannot let this situation be, nor will we pretend to not see it. I know that there will be political consequences, I perceive it, I understand it, but this is not how it will work.

The people who wear the honoured uniform of the Greek soldier and go to the borderland are not fools, and those who deliver papers from private doctors and get exempted are not the smart ones. As a matter of fact, the “runaways” are a rising trend, if you see the presentations. Therefore, we are tightening the framework for providing deferments, we will only grant them up to 5 years, upon presentation of credentials by a Senior Consultant A or a Director A from a public hospital, rather than any psychologist. The final evaluation will be made after the completion of the five years, by providing a report by the Disability Certification Centre (KEPA).

In addition, we are tightening the framework for those resided abroad, and the framework for the purchase of the obligation to military service. Currently, this is the 33^rd year of age, with 900 euros per month. Please excuse me, but this is not justice. Someone may be abroad, receiving an abundant salary, and someone is in service here. This cannot work.

We are changing the age limit, we are going to 40 years of age, we are changing the financial ceiling, we are going to 1,500 euros per month, and we will see. We will see. I repeat, we believe that the service to the Country is a self-evident obligation for all Greeks. We are not willing to accept their division to shrewd and naïve. Naturally, we are going to grant some transition time to the evaders, at least two years. There is always time to correct an erroneous approach.

We will also rationalise the duration of postponement due to studies. We will eliminate the postponement for parliamentary and MEP candidates. Such things cannot withstand criticism. They are looking for a 40^th political party, so as to enter candidature and get a postponement.

Moreover, we are shifting to a mind-set of conscripting the first-called, as long as they desire it, immediately after the completion of their secondary education. We are motivating them with a 9-months service, in order to have young, strong people in the training. This way, we will also have them for a longer time in the reserve.

We will distribute all conscripts in the Army. We end conscription in the Air Force and the Navy. However, if those entering the Army possess certain professional skills, for example a seaman’s book, or if one is an aircraft mechanic, they will be internally transferred to from the Army to the Navy or the Air Force.

The military service is 12 months, we will not change that. Nonetheless, we have a 9-month service for those in the Units of Evros, the East Aegean, the Hellenic Force of Cyprus, the Special Forces, the Presidential Guard, and the first-called.

We will establish a monthly compensation of 100 euros for those serving in the borderline, Evros and the islands – as you know, it currently is at 8.80 euros – and 50 euros for the ones serving in the mainland.

We are also changing the feeding regulations. To put it simply, the food in the Army will be edible in all Units. We will not have some Units where the food is edible, and some others where the food is prepared and then thrown away.

The General Inspectorate, which is correspondingly being staffed in Larissa, will guarantee that this will be implemented with surprise and serious inspections. A lot of work has been conducted by HNDGS and the Staffs for a new regulation regarding board, with new portions, new calories, new scientific criteria. This must be imposed. By the way, with a new logistical way of monitoring expenses. I will not expand on this issue now.

Military Service: Currently, we have two types of army. We have the Special Forces and all the rest. The combativeness level of the rest, or at least of some of them, is an issue we should better not discuss. Most of them have barely fired a few bullets in their lives. These phenomena cannot continue. I say once more, we are facing a tenfold threat.

Therefore, we will change the model of the military service. We have taken international patterns, we have exhausted the issue. Ten-week basic training, special training in specialties and capabilities leading to certifications, four weeks. Serious, I repeat, serious operational training at the high readiness units, 12 weeks. Moreover, from that point forward, after six months, the opportunity to stay in Evros or on the islands, or in high value Units, or the opportunity of being transferred close to the place of residence, but with the obligation to serve for 12 months.

After that, of course, the trained soldier will join the reserves. I have said in the past and I said it again in Tripoli on Sunday, that each of our soldiers will not be trained solely in arms. He will also be trained in modern technologies, since they are close to his interests. Meaning drones, First Person View (FPV) and also anti-drones. A soldier who cannot currently use the First Person View is not useful to us in field units. That is the lesson learned from the wars in Ukraine and Southern Caucasus.

We must create a new Army and we will create that Army.

We need Reserve Officer Cadets. In order to motivate the Reserve Officer Cadets – it is an issue of particular interest for me since I served as a Reserve Officer Cadet and as a Second Lieutenant – we are decreasing the military service from 17 to 14 months, but we ask for a higher education degree and of course the rank of Second Lieutenant will not be awarded just a few days before the Cadet’s discharge but three months earlier.

Let us discuss an issue often repeated, the active reserves. Currently, one is called or was being called in the reserves via documents handed by a police officer, if the reserve could be found. And then, in most cases, the reserve used to contact his MP to call in sick. We are creating a corps of 150.000 active reserves. On a voluntary basis, initially. The number will be complemented. If it is not complemented voluntarily, we will examine the issue once more.

We expand the reserves’ age limit from the current 55 years to 60 years.

There are many capabilities within the Armed Forces. The next conflict, which is an affliction that I hope will never occur, will not be fought solely on land, in the water, in the air. It will also be fought via the internet, in the field of information. People with significant professional skills, if needed by the Homeland, should not have white discharge papers.

Furthermore, we unify the workforce of our reserves with our National Guard. We are rectifying a previously unbelievable omission. I am referring to the people who served in the Special Forces. The most battle-worthy part of our army. Perhaps some of you know that the Special Forces have Units of full exposure. So, what is currently happening? When someone leaves the special units, either immediately or after a while, they give him white discharge papers. It is hard to believe! The best, the better trained, we send them home instead of keeping them for the Reserves. Thus, we immediately create Reserve Raider Squadrons. In Rentina, the 4^th Raiders Unit and in Aspropyrgos the 3^rd Paratroopers Squadron. We ask for Raiders to join these two Units, even if they have white discharge papers.

I am certain that much more than those, we need will come forward and thus we will create even more Units. These Units will go on. Meaning that these Raiders will belong to these Units, these Units will have a main corpus of Career Officers and they will be under constant training. Therefore, we will develop the Reserves in the Special Units first and then to the rest of our Army.

With regards to the rest of the Active Reserves, initially we begin by calling 50.000 per year every three years. It is a long time but we will do it as a first step. We will train them in acquired specialties and capabilities and in new technology weapons –I spoke earlier about drones and anti-drones – in special units and we will utilise the local Reserves in Evros and the islands of the Eastern Aegean. We will give motives and access to Military Hospitals for treatment and also to Military Exchanges.

We are examining, along with the employers’ organisations the securing of employment facilitations for the time away from work. We have already agreed with the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises. We had an exquisite talk with the General Confederation of Greek Workers. I will also meet with the other labour bodies. However, with the money we will receive from the paid exemption from the military service, we aim to fund the Reserves. Meaning, when the employers, in small and very weak enterprises, cannot help us cover the expense.

Finally, I want to talk about the voluntary enlistment of women, of which I am very proud. We have set a very small trial goal for 2026. 200 Volunteers, in the ages between 20 and 26, for a 12-month military service. We have built infrastructures at the Ordnance Training Centre in Lamia. We will give them motives. Access to hospitals, Clubs, recognition of service time as prior professional experience, points awarded for the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection, recruitment as Professional Soldiers and priority for civilian personnel hire, such as nurses, day care teachers, administrative personnel etc.

As soon as we fulfil this goal, we will expand our goals. I do not mind revealing that. I want us to be ready for the moment, when and if required, that Greece will also have a regular obligatory enlistment for women. The time is not ripe yet, but we want to move towards that end.

We named this great legislative initiative “Map of the Armed Forces’ Transition to the New Era”. So, allow me to say, without modesty, that I believe it is exactly that.

I say once more, that we are in absolute readiness to discuss ideas, thoughts, changes. Moreover, the Ministry, the Civilian and Military leadership, does not consider its members infallible.

The consultation and later debate at the Hellenic Parliament is a creative stage, a stage for improvement, a stage for looking for new, better solutions and use, in total, the ideas that the Greeks might have and realise what I am certain we all sense as our constitutional duty: The safeguarding of the sovereignty and the sovereign rights of our Homeland.

Thank you very much”.