A major package of changes aimed at the new era in the Armed Forces was presented by the Minister of National Defence, Nikos Dendias, at today’s meeting of the Council of Ministers, unfolding the entire map of the transition to the New Structure.

The map of the transition to the new era includes:

The map of the transition to the new era will include the new structure of the new government, the new structure of the new era, the new structure of the new government and the new era of the new era.
New grading system

New salary scale

New career system

New academic framework for military studies

New service

New reserve

Voluntary conscription of women with 12 months of service for women aged 20-26

As for the objectives of the roadmap, it aims to:

Rationalization

Modernisation of the institutional framework with a new evaluation system

Upgrading of academic education

The introduction of a new model of tenure

The introduction of a new model of active reserve

As for the legislation, it “will be put to consultation and nothing is written on marble,” Dendias noted, adding that we are ready for an open dialogue. But he listed cases of irrationality, saying of several categories of cadres that there is a contradiction against the role and age.

New grading scale and pay scale

For example, colonels and their peers are paid several times more than sergeants, citing a 17-18 year adjustment phase leading to a proper Armed Forces pyramid.

It cannot be longer than that, the Minister stressed, explaining that in the new organizational structure there will be a ranking system with 9 distinct ranks. Specifically, the grading scale is separate from the pay scale, what has been in force until now is no longer in force. The salary does not follow the grade.

Moreover, as for the evaluation of the officers of the Armed Forces, 97.3% of the officers were rated at 100% and this does not stand up to any criticism and is completely devoid of seriousness, Dendias pointed out. In fact, the irrationality in numbers has consequences for the units, it has consequences for the commands, he observed, adding that “we are moving to a new career system with a ceiling of positions for senior officers.”

According to the Minister of National Defence, “there will be a new rating scale, to put it simply, we will return to seriousness” when we currently have 85 pay scales, he noted. “In other words, we are motivating the non-responsibility in the military,” commented Dendias, adding that “we are creating a new special pay scale” at a time when 20 special scales are being established

At the same time, the Minister of National Defence announced:

-Increase of the position of responsibility allowance, i.e. plus 156% to the Colonel, up to 5% to the Chief of the General Staff

-Provision is even made for a responsibility allowance for NCO branch leadership

-Establishment of a command bonus, precisely to encourage and reward responsibility.

As for the new salaries, they provide:

-Huge 52% increase for a commander or commander of a frigate

-A 67% increase for a Petty Officer serving on a PN ship

-A 67% increase for a Petty Officer serving on a PN ship

-As well as 51% increase for frigate crew.

“All officers will get significant raises,” Dendias said, describing that this is the first phase and that “these raises are not coming from money given to us by the GAO,” but from the savings of the first phase, the Camp merger. “This is a different example for the Greek public sector,” the Defense Minister stressed.

More increases in 2026

In addition, in the third phase, the savings will lead to a new salary scale and I hope that in a year’s time there will be the possibility of a new increase in the salary of the executives, Dendias stressed.

For non-commissioned officers, he argued that any changes will lead them to higher salaries and pensions than they would have had if the reform had not taken place, while he announced that in a few days the new 10-year housing program of the Ministry of National Defense will be presented, the largest housing program of the modern Greek state, with fulfillment of all the needs of the officers and financed by our arms program. “Our goal is one is every officer when transferred will have a key to a home,” the minister said.

As for the care of the members of the Armed Forces, Dendias also mentioned:

-The programme of day-care centres

He also mentioned the following.

-Development in the resorts of the Armed Forces

-In the military service stations and we will make sure they have discount offers, namely:

-Better salaries, better career, home support for family, vacation and better ability to feed the market.

Military Training Command

As for the military schools, the establishment of the Military Education Administration is envisaged, where all the schools are incorporated and a research fund account is even created, as in universities, to encourage research. In the same context, we are going to degree with a defined scientific subject and also making the non-commissioned officers’ schools higher with professors – faculty members with standardization and certification of education, he said.

As for the development of non-commissioned officers, we are giving them two distinct pathways for those who would like to become officers:

-With a qualifying examination in the second year

-After 14 years, the possibility of transfer is given if they have another degree -There will be a non-commissioned officer next to each Greek senior officer, as well as a non-commissioned officer participating in the judgments each time, as a rapporteur for the judgments of non-commissioned officers.

We have a similar interest in the NCOs, we are creating a career that will be distinctive. We are stopping this porridge tactic, Dendias pointed out.

Break on deferments

Regarding military service, “from service – chore, we must go to service – reserve,” noted the Minister of National Defence, noting that the government and I believe in the civilian army, Dendias said, saying that we are not projecting the model of a mercenary army.

A fabrica has been set up, where tens of thousands have claimed psychological problems, Dendias explained and went on to say that this is not the way it is done.

He said, “It is not true.

“There is an increasing trend in truancy” as he stressed and for this reason he announced that:

There is a strong indication that there is a new trend in the use of the dope.
-We are tightening up the framework for granting deferments, just as we are tightening up the framework for foreign residents and buying out service.

– The same applies to the introduction of the new rules on the use of foreign nationals and the acquisition of residence permits, and the use of foreign nationals’ residency and the acquisition of residency permits.
-We are changing the financial threshold to 1 500 euros per month and we will see

-Transition time for the non-existent a two-year period.

-We will abolish suspensions for candidates for deputies and MEPs

Furthermore, it is given:

-Incentive of nine months of service for all those who join the army after high school and only in the Army in the future all those who enlist.

-Nine-month service for those serving in Evros, the eastern Aegean islands and ELDYK.

-We are completely changing the general catering regulation, i.e. food in all units will be eaten.

New training framework

According to the Defence Minister, “we face a tenfold threat” whenever a new training framework is launched:

-Basic training 10 weeks

-Special 4 weeks

-And training in readiness units 12 weeks

-Then, the soldier now trained will be assigned to the reserve.

“Each of our soldiers will be trained not only in weapons but also in modern technologies, such as drones,” Dendias said, noting that “we need to create a new army and we will create this army.”

Active Reserve

-We are creating a corps of 150,000 active reservists on a voluntary basis in the first phase. If it’s not filled voluntarily we’ll see.

-Expanding the reserve from 58 to 65 years of age.

-Consolidation of reserve with the National Guard.

Creation of two squadrons of reserve commandos in Redina and Aspropyrgos, with commandos even if they currently have a white diploma.

-Recruiting 50,000 people a year over three years with training in special units

-Agreement with the social partners, though the money collected from the buyout of the service will be used to fund the reserve.

-Target an active reserve of 20 women for 2026, ages 20-26, with recruitment incentives. We want to be ready for the time when there will be mandatory conscription of women in Greece.

We are absolutely ready to discuss ideas, thoughts, changes and the ministry does not consider that it is made up of infallibles.”