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.

Air Force

The Hellenic Air Force, is the youngest of the three services (founded in 1930). Its rank structure and insignia are based on the British Royal Air Force.

Officer ranks

NATO codeOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1OF(D)Student officer
 Hellenic Air Force
No equivalent No equivalent
General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant 2nd Lieutenant
Πτέραρχος Αντιπτέραρχος Υποπτέραρχος Ταξίαρχος Σμήναρχος Αντισμήναρχος Επισμηναγός Σμηναγός Υποσμηναγός Ανθυποσμηναγός
Transliteration Pterarchos Antipterarchos Ypopterarchos Taxiarchos Sminarchos Antisminarchos Episminagos Sminagos Yposminagos Anthyposminagos

NCO and other ranks

NATO CodeOR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
 Hellenic Air Force
No equivalent No equivalent
(ΣΜΥ)
(SMY)
(ΜΕΕ-ΕΠΟΠ-ΕΜΘ)
(MEE-EPOP-EMTh)
(ΣΜΥ)
(SMY)
(ΕΠΟΠ-ΕΜΘ)
(EPOP-EMTh)
(ΣΜΥ)
(SMY)
(ΕΠΟΠ-ΕΜΘ)
(EPOP-EMTh)
(ΕΠΟΠ)
(EPOP)
(ΕΠΟΠ)
(EPOP)
Warrant Officer
Ανθυπασπιστής[note 1]
Chief Master Sergeant
Αρχισμηνίας
Master Sergeant
Επισμηνίας
Staff Sergeant
Σμηνίας
Corporal
Υποσμηνίας
Aircraftman
Σμηνίτης
Transliteration Anthypaspistis Archisminias Episminias Sminias Yposminias Sminitis
Greece
(Conscripts)
No equivalent
No equivalent
No insignia
Conscript Sergeant
Κληρωτός Σμηνίας
Conscript Aircraftman
Σμηνίτης
Transliteration Klirotos Sminias Sminitis

Army

Officer ranks

NATO codeOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1OF(D)Student officer
 Hellenic Army
No equivalent No equivalent
General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Officer Designate
Στρατηγός Αντιστράτηγος Υποστράτηγος Ταξίαρχος Συνταγματάρχης Αντισυνταγματάρχης Ταγματάρχης Λοχαγός Υπολοχαγός Ανθυπολοχαγός Δόκιμος Έφεδρος Αξιωματικός
Transliteration Stratigos Antistratigos Ypostratigos Taxiarchos Syntagmatarchis Antisyntagmatarchis Tagmatarchis Lochagos Ypolochagos Anthypolochagos Dokimos efedros aksio­matikos

NCO and other ranks

NATO CodeOR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
 Hellenic Army
No equivalent No equivalent Arm/corps insignia only
Warrant Officer Master sergeant Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private
Ανθυπασπιστής[note 2] Αρχιλοχίας Επιλοχίας Λοχίας Δεκανέας Υποδεκανέας Στρατιώτης
Transliteration Anthypaspistis Archilochias Epilochias Lochias Dekaneas Ypodekaneas Stratiotis
 Greece
(Conscripts)
No equivalent
No equivalent No equivalent No insignia
Officer Designate
Δόκιμος Έφεδρος Αξιωματικός
Sergeant
Λοχίας
Corporal
Δεκανέας
Lance Corporal
Υποδεκανέας
Candidate Reservist Rank
Υποψήφιος Έφεδρος Βαθμοφόρος
Private
Στρατιώτης
Transliteration Dokimos Efedros Axiomatikos[note 2] Lochias Dekaneas Ypodekaneas Ypopsifios Efedros Bathmoforos Stratiotis

Officer ranks

NATO codeOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1OF(D)Student officer
 Hellenic Navy
No equivalent No equivalent
Admiral Vice Admiral Rear Admiral Commodore Captain Commander Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Sub Lieutenant Ensign Officer Designate
Ναύαρχος Αντιναύαρχος Υποναύαρχος Αρχιπλοίαρχος Πλοίαρχος Αντιπλοίαρχος Πλωτάρχης Υποπλοίαρχος Ανθυποπλοίαρχος Σημαιοφόρος Σημαιοφόρος Επίκουρος Αξιωματικός
Transliteration Navarchos Antinavarchos Yponavarchos Archiploiarchos Ploiarchos Antiploiarchos Plotarchis Ypoploiarchos Anthypoploiarchos Simaioforos Simaioforos Epikouros Axiomatikos

NCO and other ranks

NATO CodeOR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
 Hellenic Navy
No equivalent
male

female
No equivalent

male

female
Warrant Officer Master Chief Petty Officer Senior Chief Petty Officer Chief Petty Officer Leading Seaman Seaman
Ανθυπασπιστής[note 3] Αρχικελευστής Επικελευστής Κελευστής Δίοπος Ναύτης
Transliteration Anthypaspistis Archikelefstis Epikelefstis Kelefstis Diopos Naftis
Greece
(Conscripts)
No equivalent
No equivalent No equivalent
Officer Designate
Σημαιοφόρος Επίκουρος Αξιωματικός
Conscript Petty Officer
Κελευστής
Conscript Leading Seaman
Δίοπος
Conscript Seaman
Ναύτης
Transliteration Simaioforos Epikouros Axiomatikos Kelefstis Diopos Naftis

See also

Notes

  1. The Greek Warrant Officer is included in OR-9, however he is afforded the privileges of an officer, see STANAG 2116 REV6 note 30.
  2. Greece has only one level of Warrant Officer. According to the current issue (2010) 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 30.
  3. Greece has only one level of warrant officer. According to the current issue (2010) 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 16.
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