The Hellenic National Defence General Staff ( el, Γενικό Επιτελείο Εθνικής Άμυνας, abbr. ΓΕΕΘΑ) is the senior

staff Staff may refer to: Pole * Staff, a weapon used in stick-fighting ** Quarterstaff, a European pole weapon * Staff of office, a pole that indicates a position * Staff (railway signalling), a token authorizing a locomotive driver to use a particula ...

of the

Hellenic Armed Forces The Hellenic Armed Forces ( el, Eλληνικές Ένοπλες Δυνάμεις, Ellinikés Énoples Dynámis) are the military forces of Greece. They consist of the Hellenic Army, the Hellenic Navy, and the Hellenic Air Force. The civilian a ...

. It was established in 1950, when the separate armed services ministries were consolidated into the Ministry of National Defence. Its role in peacetime was as a coordinating and senior consultative body at the disposal of the Greek government, and in wartime as the overall headquarters of the Armed Forces. In recent years, through ongoing efforts at increased inter-services cooperation and integration, the HNDGS has assumed peacetime operational control over the separate branches. Between 19 December 1968 and 10 August 1977, the HNDGS was abolished, and the Armed Forces Headquarters ( el, Αρχηγείο Ενόπλων Δυνάμεων, abbr. el, ΑΕΔ) established in its place.

The Chief of the HNDGS

The Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff () conducts the HNDGS and is the main adviser to the

Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence The National Security Governmental Council ( el, Κυβερνητικό Συμβούλιο Εθνικής Ασφαλείας) (ex. Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence), usually known by its acronym KYSEA (ΚΥΣΕΑ), is the supreme d ...

(KYSEA) and to the Minister of Defence on military issues. Through the Chiefs of General Staffs, he carries out the operational commanding of the Joint Headquarters and the units that come under them, as well as the rest forces, when it comes to the issues of operation plans implementation and the Crises management System implementation, conduction of operations outside the national territory and participation of the Armed Forces in the confrontation of special situations during peace time. He constructs the National Military Strategy after taking into consideration the suggestions of the General Staffs of the Armed Forces Services and according to the directions of the Ministry of Defence he manages and proposes the priority of the armament programs and suggests the general policy directions and priorities on every operational objective. Traditionally, since 1970, the Chief of the HNDGS holds the rank of full general, admiral or air chief marshal, and is the only serving four-star officer of the Hellenic Armed Forces (as opposed to retired, since three-star ranks are often promoted one rank on retirement). Since 17 January 2020, the incumbent Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, is General Konstantinos Floros. Flag of the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (Army variant).svg, Rank flag of the Chief of the HNDGS (Army variant) Flag of the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (Navy variant).svg, Rank flag of the Chief of the HNDGS (Navy variant) Flag of the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (Air Force variant).svg, Rank flag of the Chief of the HNDGS (Air Force variant)

List of chiefs of the HNDGS

Notes

References

External links

Hellenic Ministry of Defence – Official Site

Hellenic National Defence General Staff – Official Site
*
Former Chiefs of Defence – Hellenic National Defence General Staff – Official Site
{{Chief of military by country Military of Greece

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

1950 establishments in Greece