Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, Cadets, Soldiers, Seamen, Airmen, National Guards and Civilian Personnel of the Hellenic Armed Forces,
Concluding my two and a half year- tenure as Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff and Commander of the Higher Operational Formations, I release my duties and hand over the Command of the Hellenic Armed Forces to a distinguished officer, General Dimitrios Grapsas. However, I will continue to serve my country from a different post.
I would like to thank the Prime Minister for the honor and tribute paid to me, that is also reflected to the Hellenic Armed Forces as well.
I feel particularly touched, because my whole career within the Armed Forces is terminated today, here, in the Naval Academy, where I graduated 40 years ago, joining the glorious Navy to which I am grateful for the training and education and military ethics provided to me.
During my tenure, I have sensed the feeling of duty towards my country and I have felt the sense of responsibility, as well as emotions, joys and sorrows that the “office” of the Officer renders.
In our times, the world is being changed and the region of our geostrategic interest, namely the Balkans, the Black Sea, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and North Africa, does not dissociate itself from searching new balances, multidimentional ideas on security, means to secure the national sovereignty and defining new strategic priorities. In that environment, Greece, having powerful Armed Forces, has been recognized as a pole of peace, stability and cooperation.
The Armed Forces have always been oriented towards ensuring the national independence and sovereign rights, as well as supporting, promoting and defending the national interest of Greece.
The maintenance of flexible, efficient and rapidly reacting forces, that will have credible capability to deter all threats, is necessary for the security and defence of the country. This is the heavy, but worthy of honor, task of the Armed Forces, accomplished day and night without groan, with courage and outstanding spirit.
The participation of the Armed Forces in peace-keeping operations, under the U.N auspices, projects Greece internationally and serves with the best possible way the National Defence Policy and Defence Diplomacy.
The award of distinction of merit to all cadres of the Armed Forces that participated in the peace-keeping operations in Lebanon, Kosovo, B-H, Africa and Afghanistan and elsewhere, demonstrates the high operational level of the Armed Forces and high esteem they acquire internationally.
It is worth mentioning the evacuation operations of Greeks and foreigners from Lebanon. The Greek Naval Units were the first that sailed in Lebanon and assisted in rapid evacuation of citizens from warring zones, providing humanitarian aid to the people. In those operations, excellent political-military cooperation was proved among the Parties involved, namely the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs.
We shall not ignore the social role of the Armed Forces in the framework of which they provide personnel and means to relief population from natural disasters, to provide medical aid and conduct air-evacuation operations, throughout the country, and particularly in the border and the islands. The participation of the Armed Forces in search and rescue operations, in land and sea, has always been of great importance.
Today, the Armed Forces step towards evolution. The whole process is not a revision but rather a continuation of those implemented to date, having as a main axis the consolidation, through the expansion and deepening of Jointness.
Evolution is not a task that has to be accomplished. It is a change in the culture and the methods deeds are implemented. Evolution is the “voyage” itself, not the “destination”.
Men and Women of the Armed Forces,
Our country has entrusted you the honor and defence of our National Flag. You are all aware that the Greek People merit you and the State supports you. It rests with you to prove worth of these feelings, and also to prove that these high defence expenses will lead to a meaningful investment for our national security and not an unnecessary cost.
Greek citizens contribute through taxes to the defence of their country and they want that these contributions be invested properly. Only then, they will focus on their ever-day life, being confident that national tasks are being accomplished, in order that their future and the future of their children is ensured.
Vision, enthusiasm and persistence, along with unrest mental strength, are necessary to accomplish the mission of the Armed Forces.
Finally, we should deem high respect for the veterans and take care of them. If we despise them, we ignore history, devaluate ourselves and refuse our future.
Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, Cadets, Soldiers, Seamen, Airmen, National Guards and Civilian Personnel of the Armed Forces,
Leaving the Armed Forces, I would like to thank the Ministers of National Defence, Mr. Spyliotopoulos Spylios and Mr. Meimarakis Evangelos, as well as the Deputy Ministers, Mr. Michaloliakos Vassilios and Lampropoulos Ioannis, for the excellent cooperation and mutual understanding we had, and their support during my tenure.
I also thank the Chiefs of the General Staffs for their concord and contribution to the progress of the Armed Forces, as well as the Deputy Chiefs of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, the Commanders of Major Operational Formations and my Staff, who have worked tirelessly to support my efforts.
At the same time, I thank all Cadres of the Armed Forces and their families for supporting them, so as to prove that to overcome, indeed, our limits in order to accomplish mission, is neither romantic nor a utopia. The duty of the cadres of the Armed Forces, as Kazatzakis has written, is not to do what they can do, but what they cannot do for the country.
Finally, I thank both God and St. Nikolaos, the patron saint of our Navy, who protected me and enabled me to make this adventurous “voyage”, that provided me with experience and knowledge. I feel grateful to my parents and thankful to my wife, who has excused me for the time I have deprived from them, due to duty engagements.
My successor, General Dimitrios Grapsas, with whom I have cooperated many times, particularly when he was commanding the Higher Military Command of Interior and Islands and, later on, during his tenure as Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff, is a professional and highly skilled officer. His morale, professionalism and commanding qualifications constitute the best guaranty for a successful tenure in the office of the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff. I wish him health, good luck and success to his new duties. I am confident that he will accomplish them in the best possible way.
Concluding, I would like to assure you that parting from the Armed Forces and entering the political scene, I will maintain the sense of duty towards the Country, a feeling that inspires every Greek Officer, a pillar for every step in the future.
As a last expression of honor and respect to the greatness of the Armed Forces, I kneel with respect to the immortal dead in the struggles of our Nation, as well as the heroes of the peacetime periods that died or wounded on duty, showing courage and self denial.
I humbly salute the War Flags of all Services of the Armed Forces and I pray to the Most Holy Mother of God to protect you.
Long live our Country,
Long live our Nation,
Long live the Armed Forces !
Admiral Panagiotis Chinofotis
Chief, HNDGS