Modern Greek military ranks are based on Ancient Greek and Byzantine terminology.

In the army and air force, these names are often based on the unit or post that a holder of each rank usual commands. For example, a tagmatarchis is in charge of a tagma, which is derived from an Ancient Greek word translatable as "command", "order", or "class", and in modern Greek is a unit equivalent to a battalion in other armies; hence a modern tagmatarchis is a rank equivalent to major in other armies. Similarly, a lochagos normally commands a lochos (a word that originally meant "warband"), which in Ancient Greece was a 100-strong hoplite unit, but in modern Greek usage is equivalent to an infantry company. Hence a lochagos is the equivalent of a captain in other armies, and the modern Greek equivalent of an army first lieutenant is the modern neologism ypolochagos: literally, "sub-captain". Likewise, the modern Greek equivalent of a sergeant is a lochias.

The suffixes -agos and -archos (or -arches), which are often found in Greek rank names, are derived from the roots agein "to lead" and archein "to rule", respectively.

Air Force

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The Hellenic Air Force, is the youngest of the three services (founded in 1930). Its insignia are based on the British Royal Air Force, while it uses Army rank titles when translated to English.[1]

Officer ranks

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NATO code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1
  Hellenic Air Force[2]
                   
Πτέραρχος
Pterarchos
Αντιπτέραρχος
Antipterarchos
Υποπτέραρχος
Ypopterarchos
Ταξίαρχος
Taxiarchos
Σμήναρχος
Sminarchos
Αντισμήναρχος
Antisminarchos
Επισμηναγός
Episminagos
Σμηναγός
Sminagos
Υποσμηναγός
Yposminagos
Ανθυποσμηναγός
Anthyposminagos

NCO and other ranks

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NATO code OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1
  Hellenic Air Force[2]
                 
Ανθυπασπιστής[a]
Anthypaspistis
Αρχισμηνίας
Archisminias
Επισμηνίας
Episminias
Σμηνίας
Sminias
Υποσμηνίας
Yposminias
Σμηνίτης
Sminitis
  Greece
(Conscripts)
No equivalent
  No insignia
Κληρωτός Σμηνίας
Klirotos Sminias
Σμηνίτης
Sminitis

Army

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Officer ranks retain the style introduced in 1970, with the flaming grenade replacing (since 1975) the phoenix introduced by the Regime of the Colonels in 1973.

Officer ranks

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NATO code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1
  Hellenic Army[3]
                   
Στρατηγός
Stratigos
Αντιστράτηγος
Antistratigos
Υποστράτηγος
Ypostratigos
Ταξίαρχος
Taxiarchos
Συνταγματάρχης
Syntagmatarchis
Αντισυνταγματάρχης
Antisyntagmatarchis
Ταγματάρχης
Tagmatarchis
Λοχαγός
Lochagos
Υπολοχαγός
Ypolochagos
Ανθυπολοχαγός
Anthypolochagos

NCO and other ranks

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NCO ranks (excl. OR-9 and conscript ranks) have undergone some changes through the years, the latest being in 2004.[4]

NATO code OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1
  Hellenic Army[5]
                    Arm/corps insignia only
Ανθυπασπιστής[a]
Anthypaspistis
Αρχιλοχίας
Archilochias
Επιλοχίας
Epilochias
Λοχίας
Lochias
Δεκανέας
Dekaneas
Υποδεκανέας
Ypodekaneas
Στρατιώτης
Stratiotis
  Greece
(Conscripts)
  No equivalent
        No insignia
Δόκιμος Έφεδρος Αξιωματικός
Dokimos Efedros Axiomatikos[a]
Λοχίας
Lochias
Δεκανέας
Dekaneas
Υποδεκανέας
Ypodekaneas
Υποψήφιος Έφεδρος Βαθμοφόρος
Ypopsifios Efedros Bathmoforos
Στρατιώτης
Stratiotis
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Officer ranks retain the structure introduced in 1936, whilst NCO ranks have undergone changes after 1975.

Officer ranks

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NATO code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1
  Hellenic Navy[6]
                           
Ναύαρχος
Navarchos
Αντιναύαρχος
Antinavarchos
Υποναύαρχος
Yponavarchos
Αρχιπλοίαρχος
Archiploiarchos
Πλοίαρχος
Ploiarchos
Αντιπλοίαρχος
Antiploiarchos
Πλωτάρχης
Plotarchis
Υποπλοίαρχος
Ypoploiarchos
Ανθυποπλοίαρχος
Anthypoploiarchos
Σημαιοφόρος
Simaioforos

NCO and other ranks

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NATO code OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1
  Hellenic Navy[7]
                 
male
 
female
 
male
 
female
Ανθυπασπιστής[a]
Anthypaspistis
Αρχικελευστής
Archikelefstis
Επικελευστής
Epikelefstis
Κελευστής
Kelefstis
Δίοπος
Diopos
Ναύτης
Naftis
  Greece
(Conscripts)
   No equivalent
     
Σημαιοφόρος Επίκουρος Αξιωματικός
Simaioforos Epikouros Axiomatikos
Κελευστής
Kelefstis
Δίοπος
Diopos
Ναύτης
Naftis

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Greece has only one level of Warrant Officer. According to the current issue (2021) of STANAG 2116, the Greek Warrant Officers are included in OR-9, however they are afforded the privileges of an officer. See STANAG 2116 note 29, page D-9

References

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  1. ^ "Hellenic Airforce Ranks".
  2. ^ a b "Διακριτικά" [Ranks]. haf.gr (in Greek). Hellenic Air Force. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Επωμίδες Φ/Π Στολών" [Shoulders for PV Uniforms]. army.gr (in Greek). Hellenic Army. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  4. ^ tanea.gr (2004-10-11). "Aλλάζουν το εθνόσημο και οι «σαρδέλες»". ΤΑ ΝΕΑ (in Greek). Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  5. ^ "Διακριτικά Φ/Π Στολών Υπαξιωματικών Αποφοίτων ΣΜΥ" [Badges F / P Uniforms of Non-Commissioned Officer Graduates]. army.gr (in Greek). Hellenic Army. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Διακριτικά Βαθμών Προσωπικού ΠΝ" [Insignia of Personnel Ranks]. hellenicnavy.gr (in Greek). Hellenic Navy. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Διακριτικά Βαθμών Προσωπικού ΠΝ" [Insignia of Personnel Degrees]. hellenicnavy.gr (in Greek). Hellenic Navy. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
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