It is announced that, on Saturday 8 December 2007, the Military Medical Academy in Thessaloniki will celebrate the first sixty years (1947-2007) of continuous operation. During the day of the jubilee Celebrations  , the first students of the Academy, who entered in 1947 will be honoured at the amphitheatre of the 424th General Military Training Hospital at 10.00 and at the Corps Officers Military Academy auditorium at 18.00.

     The Academy under the title of Military Medical School was founded in 1926 at the ELPIS Hospital premises. Medical Corps Lieutenant Colonel Flokos Charalambos was assigned as first commandant, as his sedulous efforts were largely responsible for the establishment of the school.

     The Academy was moved to the the ROUF Military Camp in the summer of 1927, and in 1932 at its third Headquarters located at the Logothetopoulos Edifice where it operated until its dissolution in 1935. In 1937 it was re-established as a Medical Faculty in the Offices School of Military Services located at the French Hospital on Alexandras Avenue. However, none of the Medical Faculty students had the chance to be sworn in as doctors , since the Greek – Italian War broke out, the school was dispersed and the students sent to the front line.     

     With the conclusion of the II World War and more specifically in 1947 it re-operated as a  Military Medical School in Thessaloniki at the old German School edifice. In this new period of the Academy, Medical Corps Lieutenant Colonel Silaedopoulos Dimitrios was commissioned as new commandant. In 1958 the Academy was stationed at its present location.

     Initially the MMS was attended by students of the Medical Faculty and from 1953 Veterinary, Dental and Pharmacy faculties were gradually introduced. Foreign national students started attending the school since 1962.

     In September 5th 1970, the Military Medical School was renamed to Corps Officers Military Academy since the Faculties of Recruiting, Finance and Magistracy Faculties were operating up until 1989, when certain faculties were temporarily suspended. In 1994, its function continued with a 4 year study period for the Faculties of Finance and Recruiting. The students are granted entrance into the academy through the Pan Hellenic Examination System for University Admittance.

     Since 1989, women were allowed to enter the Academy. From the academic year 2005/2006, the Faculty of Psychology was founded with studies at the School of Philosophy, was also introduced. All students study at the respective faculties in the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki.

     The Academy has provided thousands of Officers to the three branches of the Armed Forces and the Police Force, and played a significant role in the social service task of the Armed Forces. Indicatively, this year, 217 Officers of the Medical, Veterinarian, Pharmacist, Dental, Finance and Recruiting Faculties, as well as 9 foreign nationals and 2 Greek Cypriots graduated from the Academy. 

     The mission of the Academy is to provide scientific and Military education and skills, so as to prepare adequately skilled Officers. The Corps Officers Military Academy graduates are allocated to the three Services of the Armed Forces and the common Recruiting Corps, while graduating Officers deriving from the Medical Faculty are also allocated to the Hellenic Police Force. The Corps Officers Military Academy is an independent Joint Formation, at Brigade level, subordinate to the Hellenic National Defence General Staff.
    
     Media representatives are invited to cover the ceremony. POC, Corps Officers Military Academy Public Affairs Office, Mrs. Sfakianou  Kalliopi,          (tel. 2310-962102).

                                      LTC Char. Laloussis 
                                      HNDGS Spokesman