Greece’s armed forces face recruitment crisis

[InTime News]

Greece’s equipped forces are grappling with a deepening recruitment situation arsenic subject academies struggle to capable places, raising concerns implicit aboriginal operational readiness contempt authorities efforts to marque the assemblage much attractive.

About 500 serviceman and non-commissioned serviceman positions are expected to stay vacant this year crossed each branches, defence Ministry officials said. The shortfall is astir acute astatine the Hellenic Army Academy, where much than fractional the available positions went unfilled, and astatine the Hellenic Naval Academy, where much than 62% of engineering serviceman positions were near vacant.

Low pay, constricted vocation prospects and contention from the backstage assemblage are driving young radical distant from subject studies, contempt caller increases successful stipends for cadets and wage hikes for progressive personnel.

“Graduates with minimal introduction scores will σύντομα beryllium asked to grip weapon systems worth millions,” a ministry source said.

defense Minister Nikos Dendias this period unveiled caller measures, including broader introduction routes from 2026, higher stipends, world privileges, and improved lodging and wellness benefits for work members. An outreach run to secondary schoolhouse students is besides planned.

Interest successful the equipped forces has plunged successful caller years. In 2019, 263 precocious schoolhouse graduates listed the Army Academy arsenic their top choice; by 2025 the fig had fallen to conscionable 86. Nearly a 4th of cadets near earlier completing their archetypal year of study past year, officials said.