Greek military ranks

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.

Officers

Officer ranks in the Army retain the style introduced in 1970, with the flaming grenade replacing (since 1975) the phoenix introduced by the Regime of the Colonels in 1973. Navy officer ranks retain the structure introduced in 1936. 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]

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1
Hellenic Army [2] v t e
			Στρατηγός Stratigos		Αντιστράτηγος Antistratigos		Υποστράτηγος Ypostratigos		Ταξίαρχος Taxiarchos		Συνταγματάρχης Syntagmatarchis		Αντισυνταγματάρχης Antisyntagmatarchis		Ταγματάρχης Tagmatarchis		Λοχαγός Lochagos		Υπολοχαγός Ypolochagos			Ανθυπολοχαγός Anthypolochagos
Hellenic Navy [3] v t e
			Ναύαρχος Navarchos		Αντιναύαρχος Antinavarchos		Υποναύαρχος Yponavarchos		Αρχιπλοίαρχος Archiploiarchos		Πλοίαρχος Ploiarchos		Αντιπλοίαρχος Antiploiarchos		Πλωτάρχης Plotarchis		Υποπλοίαρχος Ypoploiarchos		Ανθυποπλοίαρχος Anthypoploiarchos			Σημαιοφόρος Simaioforos
Hellenic Air Force [4] v t e
			Πτέραρχος Pterarchos		Αντιπτέραρχος Antipterarchos		Υποπτέραρχος Ypopterarchos		Ταξίαρχος Taxiarchos		Σμήναρχος Sminarchos		Αντισμήναρχος Antisminarchos		Επισμηναγός Episminagos		Σμηναγός Sminagos		Υποσμηναγός Yposminagos			Ανθυποσμηναγός Anthyposminagos
NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1

NCO and other ranks

Non-commissioned officer streams

Non-commissioned officers in the Greek armed forces are separated into three streams:

1. Σχολή Μονίμων Υπαξιωματικών (ΣΜΥ) (Permanent Non-Commissioned Officers' School  [ el ] graduates (PNCO)) ^[5]
2. Εθελοντές Μακράς Θητείας (ΕΜΘ) (Long Term Volunteers (LTV)) ^[6]
3. Έφεδροι (Reserves (conscripts))

NCO and other ranks insignia

NCO ranks (excl. OR-9 and conscript ranks) have undergone some changes through the years, the latest being in 2004. ^[7] In the army PNCOs are designated by having two arcs above their chevrons, whereas LTVs have no arcs. In the navy, NCO ranks have undergone changes since 1975. In the navy PNCOs are designated by having two arcs above their chevrons, whereas LTVs have one arc. In the air force PNCOs are designated by having two arcs above their chevrons, whereas LTVs have no arcs.

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Hellenic Army [8] v t e																																			Arm/corps insignia only
	Ανθυπασπιστής [a] Anthypaspistis						Αρχιλοχίας Archilochias		Επιλοχίας Epilochias		Λοχίας Lochias												Δεκανέας Dekaneas				Υποδεκανέας Ypodekaneas								Στρατιώτης Stratiotis
Hellenic Army (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
Hellenic Navy [9] v t e																							male		female										male	female
	Ανθυπασπιστής [a] Anthypaspistis						Αρχικελευστής Archikelefstis		Επικελευστής Epikelefstis		Κελευστής Kelefstis												Δίοπος Diopos												Ναύτης Naftis
Hellenic Navy (Conscripts)							No equivalent
	Σημαιοφόρος Επίκουρος Αξιωματικός Simaioforos Epikouros Axiomatikos										Κελευστής Kelefstis												Δίοπος Diopos												Ναύτης Naftis
Hellenic Air Force [4] v t e
	Ανθυπασπιστής [a] Anthypaspistis						Αρχισμηνίας Archisminias		Επισμηνίας Episminias		Σμηνίας Sminias												Υποσμηνίας Yposminias												Σμηνίτης Sminitis
Hellenic Air Force (Conscripts)	No equivalent																																		No insignia
																	Κληρωτός Σμηνίας Klirotos Sminias																		Σμηνίτης Sminitis
NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1

See also

• Military of Greece
• Kingdom of Greece Army Ranks
• Royal Hellenic Navy rank insignia
• Royal Hellenic Air Force ranks

Notes

1. 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

1. "Hellenic Airforce Ranks". Archived from the original on 23 March 2025.
2. "Επωμίδες Φ/Π Στολών" [Shoulders for PV Uniforms]. army.gr (in Greek). Hellenic Army. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
3. "Διακριτικά Βαθμών Προσωπικού ΠΝ" [Insignia of Personnel Ranks]. hellenicnavy.gr (in Greek). Hellenic Navy. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
4. "Διακριτικά" [Ranks]. haf.gr (in Greek). Hellenic Air Force. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
5. "SMY Orkístikan oi néoi Mónimoi Lochíes – 36 apófoitoi apó tin Kýpro" ΣΜΥ Ορκίστηκαν οι νέοι Μόνιμοι Λοχίες – 36 απόφοιτοι από την Κύπρο [SMY New Permanent Sergeants sworn in – 36 graduates from Cyprus] (in Greek). 16 July 2023. Archived from the original on 14 July 2025.
6. "Stratós Xirás: Poioi EMTH - EPOP metatássontai sto Sóma Monímon Ypaxiomatikón" Στρατός Ξηράς: Ποιοι ΕΜΘ - ΕΠΟΠ μετατάσσονται στο Σώμα Μονίμων Υπαξιωματικών [Army: Which EMTH and EPOP are transferring to the Permanent Non-Commissioned Officer Corps] (in Greek). 22 November 2022. Archived from the original on 25 November 2025.
7. tanea.gr (11 October 2004). "Allázoun to ethnósimo kai oi «sardéles»" Aλλάζουν το εθνόσημο και οι «σαρδέλες» [The national coat of arms and the "sardines" are changing]. ΤΑ ΝΕΑ (in Greek). Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
8. "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.
9. "Διακριτικά Βαθμών Προσωπικού ΠΝ" [Insignia of Personnel Degrees]. hellenicnavy.gr (in Greek). Hellenic Navy. Retrieved 26 May 2021.

External links

• Hellenic Airforce Ranks, Hellenic Air Force website
• Διακριτικά Ελληνικού Στρατού (Hellenic Army Insignia), Hellenic Army website
• Διακριτικά Βαθμών Προσωπικού ΠΝ (Hellenic Navy Personnel Rank Insignia), Hellenic Navy website