Visit of the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias to the New Recruits Training Centre in Avlonas – Attica

Visit of the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias to the New Recruits Training Centre in Avlonas - Attica

February 19, 2026

The Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias, accompanied by the Chief of HNDGS General Dimitrios Choupis and the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, visited today, Thursday 19 February 2026, the New Recruits Training Centre of the Armour Training Centre, in Avlonas - Attica, in view of the enlistment of the 2026 A΄ Training Series (24-27 February 2026).

Mr Dendias was briefed on the materialisation of the New Military Service measures and talked with the Commanders of the New Recruits Centres and Soldier Reception Points from all over the country, who attended the visit. Furthermore, he observed a demonstration of the procedures for reception, enlistment and training of the 2026 A΄ Training Series, training activities, like fire and movement with live fire, Unmanned Aircraft Systems simulators demonstration and mobile weaponry simulator demonstration.

Furthermore, he went to the Reserve Refresher Training Centre, where he was briefed on the progress of the works conducted.

Other attendees were: the Army Inspector General and Commander of the EU-OHQ Lieutenant General Stavros Papastathopoulos, the Commander of HAGS/AIG/MTD Major General Anastasios Dimoulas, the Director of AIG/MTD/TD Brigadier General Konstantinos Basiasand the Commanders of the New Recruits Training Centres and Soldier Reception Points.

Addressing the Commanders of the Training Centres, the Minister of National Defence stated:

"Up to this point, we had been calling the military service a drudgery, while in reality it was a parody. They pretended that they were soldiers and we pretended that we trained them. This "fairy-tale" had to end. We are facing a threat, an actual threat, by the way, it was expressed once more today, a few moments ago, which is 10 times larger than we are.

We have worthy professional members, we also need citizens able to serve their Homeland. This is your job. I rely on you very much. The Inspector General, the General has been ordered to watch you closely, like the Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff and the Chief of HNDGS.

I hope that I will be able to visit all the Centres in this time. I will attempt to make surprise visits.

We have changed what we could change. We will continue to evolve, in catering, in everything.

To keep this short, we are counting on you. Your political and natural leadership too. If you don't respond and you don't achieve what is necessary, no matter what we say, no mater what we do and what we sign, it will be a completely lost cause.

Thank you so much for the effort. I am looking forward to the result".

Mr Dendias stated, after the completion of the visit:

"I came here today, in Avlonas, to the largest Enlistment Centre, accompanied by the Chief of HNDGS, the Chief of the Army and the Army Inspector General, to examine the completion of preparation for the enlistment of the A΄ Training Series of the new military service.

All the Greeks know that up to this point the military service had been a drudgery or even worse a parody, at least for a large portion of conscripts.

Therefore, we are trying to make changes, to establish a military service with substance, a military service that will constitute an opportunity for the conscript, for his family, for the labour market, for our Homeland.

We need the Army of Citizens, this has been the Greek tradition since antiquity. However, for an Army of Citizens to exist, we need to have a high level of training. A training on the modern combat methods of the 21^stcentury. I am referring to drones, anti-drones, simulators, whatever a Fighter's modern training methods currently entail.

At the same time, there is a different approach in provisioning, in catering. The conscripts must eat well. Therefore, we have established a new regulation and its implementation will be examined very strictly by the Army Inspectorate General, with a different composition, a different calorie analysis, with dieticians who will make sure that our soldiers eat well.

And of course, an essentially decent offset for the military service. Meaning, a raise from 8 EUR per month to 100 EUR per month, so that the family will not have to contribute to cover even the cups of coffee of the new soldier.

Of course, the way ahead is long. This is only the beginning. It is a part of the "Agenda 2030" which stipulates a new uniform and new equipment. In reality, we are changing everything. However, we are taking the first significant step.

I will inspect this reform effort with particular strictness, to conclude the degree of execution of the orders of the natural leadership of the Armed Forces, but I am absolutely optimistic for the final result.

I am certain that our Homeland will acquire an Army of Citizens worthy of its prominent military tradition".