Greece overhauls military service to strengthen reservist force

Greece’s Defense Minister Nikos Dendias on Thursday announced sweeping reforms to the country’s Armed Forces, with a key focus on expanding the Army's reservist base by redirecting all future conscripts exclusively to the Hellenic Army, beginning in 2026.

Under current policy, conscripts serve across all three branches—the Army, Navy, and Air Force—but only Army conscripts become part of the reserve force. The new policy will ensure a consistent annual increase of 5,000 to 6,000 reservists, enhancing national readiness in times of crisis.

“In critical moments like in 1987, our Army reservists were vital. We are now planning for the future,” Dendias said.

Command restructuring & modern warfare

The reforms fall under the broader “Agenda 2030”, aimed at modernizing Greece’s defense posture. One of the major structural changes includes the reorganization of regional Army Commands into four key Supreme Commands:

Army Support: Epirus and Macedonia, Thrace and Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean

The current 1st Army, based in Larissa, will be disbanded, and its duties absorbed by the new Army Support Command. The Fourth Army Corps will be upgraded to become the Thrace Supreme Command.

Reflecting shifts in modern warfare, new specialized units will also be established across all military branches for unmanned aerial, surface, and submarine vehicles, which played a transformative role in recent conflicts like the war in Ukraine.

While details on how conscripts will be trained to operate drones remain unclear, Defense Ministry officials emphasized that drone warfare will soon become as fundamental as rifle training.

Conscripts to receive pay hike, better food

Another key reform addresses the long-standing issue of conscripts' symbolic pay, currently just €8.80 per month for most. From 2026, soldiers will receive:

€98/month for those serving in border regions

€50/month for those in the interior

€200/month for married conscripts with a child

Additionally, €12 million will be allocated to improve food quality in military camps, after reports revealed widespread waste due to soldiers preferring food from nearby eateries.