The Hellenic National Defense General Staff announces that the Oath taking Ceremony and Service Sword Award to the   graduate officers of the Medical, Finance and Recruiting Corps, of the Corps Officers Military Academy, in Thessaloniki, will take place on the premises of the institution on Friday, 01 February 2007 at 10.30. The Service Swords will be awarded to the graduates by the Hellenic National Defense General Staff B’ Branch Director   Rear Admiral Nicolaos Fatousis (HN).

The graduates of the current academic year are: thirty nine (39) Greek Men and Women. More specifically 36 newly sworn-in Offices of the Medical Corps, are to be allocated to the three (3) Services of the Armed Forces  as follows:20 officers to the Army(11 doctors,3 veterinarians,4 dentists, and 2 pharmacist), 7 officers to the Navy(7 doctors) and 9  officers to the Air Forces (5 doctors, 1 veterinarians and 3 dentists) , 2 Finance Corps officers, allocated to the three (3) services of the Armed Forces as follows: 1 officer to the Army, and 1 officer to the Navy , and  1 graduating Recruiting Lieutenants to the Recruiting Corps. Concluding 4 foreign officers graduated from the Academy (3 from Albania and 1 from Armenia). The number of women who graduated the Academy amounts to 16, including the two Albanian offices. 

The Academy was established in Athens, in 1926, and operated until 1940 as a «Military Medical School». The graduates of the time were sent to the front line providing support to the Greek soldiers many of them sacrificed themselves falling in the field of honour for their country.
 
In 1947, the School was relocated in Thessaloniki, initially at the German School edifice and later on at its present location.
  
In 1953, the Medical, Veterinarian, Dental and Pharmacy Faculties were gradually introduced.
 
In 1970, the Military Medical School was re-named to Corps Officers Military Academy with the addition of Finance, Recruiting and Magistracy Faculties. The latter ceased to operate in 1986.
 
Since 1989, women were allowed to enter the Academy. In 2005, the Psychology Faculty Section was also introduced. All students attend the respective faculty in the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki.

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 staff the three Services of the Armed Forces and the common for all 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. Sfakianakou  Kalliopi, (tel. 2310-962102).

                                       LTC Char. Laloussis
                                      HNDGS Spokesman