Deputy Minister of National Defence Thanasis Davakis attends Commissioning Ceremony of New Second Lieutenants at Hellenic Military Academy

Deputy Minister of National Defence Thanasis Davakis attends Commissioning Ceremony of New Second Lieutenants at Hellenic Military Academy

June 25, 2026

The Deputy Minister of National Defence Thanasis Davakis, yesterday, Wednesday 24 June 2026, as representative of the Prime Minister, attended the Commissioning Ceremony of the 2026 Class "Lieutenant General Tasos Markou" New Second Lieutenants, held at the grounds of the Hellenic Military Academy (Evelpidon), at Vari, Attica.

The ceremony was honoured by the presence of H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic, Konstantinos Tasoulas, who awarded swords to the commissioned Second Lieutenants.

The ceremony was also attended by the MP for Eastern Attica A Sector, Mr. Makis Voridis as representative of the Speaker of Parliament, the Chief HNDGS, General Dimitrios Choupis, the Mayor of Vari - Voula - Vouliagmeni, Mr. Grigoris Konstantellos, the Metropolitan of Glyfada, Elliniko, Voula, Vouliagmeni, and Vari, Mr. Antonios, ambassadors of foreign states, the Metropolitan of Mesogea and Lavreotiki, Mr. Nikolaos, the Chief HAGS, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Commandant of the Hellenic Naval Academy, Rear Admiral Ioannis Retsas HN, as representative of the Chief HNGS, and the Commandant of the Hellenic Air Force Academy, Major General Ioannis Karamanis (HAF), as representative of the Chief HAFGS.

The ceremony was also attended by representatives of the Chiefs of the Security Forces, of the Chief of Cypriot National Guard General Staff, of local and regional administration, representatives of the Media, the families of the new Second Lieutenants, as well as those of current cadets.

In total 139 Second Lieutenants were commissioned, of which 107 Greeks, 27 Cypriots, one Armenian, one Montenegrin, one Senegalese, and two Tunisians.

After the conclusion of the ceremony, Mr. Davakis stated:

"I would like to warmly congratulate the new Second Lieutenants on the successful completion of their training, and their incorporation into the Officer ranks of our Army. The new 2026 Class Officers are the future leadership of our Armed Forces, which will safeguard the security, liberty, and territorial integrity of our Country. They are called upon to serve in a Branch which carries a great, glorious heritage, continuing the historical legacy of the Hellenic Military Academy, a cradle of future leaders of the Army. I am absolutely certain they will prove worthy of the lofty mission they are undertaking, and will walk down the honourable path they consciously chose armed with virtue, responsibility, and self-abnegation.