Greek military ranks

Modern Greek military ranks are based on Ancient Greek & Byzantine terminology, even though the ranks correspond to those of other Western armies. For example, ancient hoplite unit of approximately 100 men, the lochos, is today the name for a company of soldiers; its commander, as in ancient times, is a lochagos, while his lieutenants are called ypolochagoi — literally, "sub-captains" — a modern neologism. A sergeant is known as a lochias. A tagmatarchis (major) commands a tagma (battalion) and so forth. Thus, every officer or non-commissioned officer is in the land and air forces is generally named after the type of unit he commands, with the suffix -agos (from agein, "to lead") or -archos / arches (from archein, "to rule").

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

Category	Greek rank	Transliteration	English Equivalent	NATO	Insignia
General Officers
	Πτέραρχος	Pterarchos	Air Chief Marshal	OF-9
	Αντιπτέραρχος	Antipterarchos	Air Marshal	OF-8
	Υποπτέραρχος	Ypopterarchos	Air Vice-Marshal	OF-7
	Ταξίαρχος Αεροπορίας	Taxiarchos Aeroporias	Air Commodore	OF-6
Senior Officers
	Σμήναρχος	Sminarchos	Group Captain	OF-5
	Αντισμήναρχος	Antisminarchos	Wing Commander	OF-4
	Επισμηναγός	Episminagos	Squadron Leader	OF-3
Junior Officers
	Σμηναγός	Sminagos	Flight Lieutenant	OF-2
	Υποσμηναγός	Yposminagos	Flying Officer	OF-1
	Ανθυποσμηναγός	Anthyposminagos	Pilot Officer	OF-1

NCO and other ranks

Category	Greek rank	Transliteration	English Equivalent	NATO	Insignia
Warrant Officers
	Ανθυπασπιστής	Anthypaspistis	Warrant Officer	OR-9
Non-commissioned Officers (Professional NCOs)
	Αρχισμηνίας	Archisminias	Chief Master Sergeant	OR-8
	Επισμηνίας	Episminias	Master Sergeant	OR-7
	Σμηνίας	Sminias	Staff Sergeant	OR-6
	Υποσμηνίας	Yposminias	Corporal	OR-4
	Σμηνίτης ΕΠΟΠ	Sminitis EPOP	Aircraftman Professional	OR-1
Other ranks (draftee soldiers)
	Κληρωτός Σμηνίας	Klirotos Sminias	Conscript Sergeant	OR-5
	Σμηνίτης	Sminitis	Aircraftman	OR-1

Army

Officer ranks

Category	Greek Rank	Transliteration	English Equivalent	NATO	Insignia
General Officers
	Στρατηγός	Stratigos	General	OF-9
	Αντιστράτηγος	Antistratigos	Lieutenant General	OF-8
	Υποστράτηγος	Ypostratigos	Major General	OF-7
	Ταξίαρχος	Taxiarchos	Brigadier	OF-6
Field Grade Officers
	Συνταγματάρχης	Syntagmatarchis	Colonel	OF-5
	Αντισυνταγματάρχης	Antisyntagmatarchis	Lieutenant Colonel	OF-4
	Ταγματάρχης	Tagmatarchis	Major	OF-3
Company Grade Officers
	Λοχαγός	Lochagos	Captain	OF-2
	Υπολοχαγός	Ypolochagos	Lieutenant	OF-1
	Ανθυπολοχαγός	Anthypolochagos	Second Lieutenant	OF-1
Officer Designate
	Δόκιμος Έφεδρος Αξιωματικός	Dokimos Efedros Axiomatikos	Officer Designate	OF(D)

NCO and other ranks

Category	Greek rank	Transliteration	English Equivalent	NATO	Insignia
Warrant Officers
	Ανθυπασπιστής	Anthypaspistis	Warrant Officer	OR-9
Non-commissioned Officers (Professional NCOs)
	Αρχιλοχίας	Archilochias	Chief Master Sergeant	OR-8
	Επιλοχίας	Epilochias	Master Sergeant	OR-7
	Λοχίας	Lochias	Staff Sergeant	OR-6
	Δεκανέας	Dekaneas	Corporal	OR-4
	Υποδεκανέας	Ypodekaneas	Lance Corporal	OR-3
	Στρατιώτης	Stratiotis	Soldier Professional	OR-1
Other ranks (draftee soldiers)
	Λοχίας	Lochias	Staff Sergeant	OR-6
	Δεκανέας	Dekaneas	Corporal	OR-4
	Υποδεκανέας	Ypodekaneas	Lance Corporal	OR-3
	Υποψήφιος Έφεδρος Βαθμοφόρος	Ypopsifios Efedros Bathmoforos	Candidate Reservist Rank	OR-1
	Στρατιώτης	Stratiotis	Soldier	OR-1

Navy

Officer ranks

Category	Greek Rank	Transliteration	English Equivalent	NATO
Flag Officers
	Ναύαρχος	Navarchos	Admiral	OF-9
	Αντιναύαρχος	Antinavarchos	Vice Admiral	OF-8
	Υποναύαρχος	Yponavarchos	Rear Admiral	OF-7
	Αρχιπλοίαρχος	Archiploiarchos	Commodore	OF-6
Senior Officers
	Πλοίαρχος	Ploiarchos	Captain	OF-5
	Αντιπλοίαρχος	Antiploiarchos	Commander	OF-4
	Πλωτάρχης	Plotarchis	Lieutenant Commander	OF-3
Junior Officers
	Υποπλοίαρχος	Ypoploiarchos	Lieutenant	OF-2
	Ανθυποπλοίαρχος	Anthypoploiarchos	Sub-Lieutenant	OF-1
	Σημαιοφόρος	Simaioforos	Ensign	OF-1
Officer Designate
	Σημαιοφόρος Επίκουρος Αξιωματικός	Simaioforos Epikouros Axiomatikos	Officer Designate	OF(D)

See also

• Military of Greece
• Hellenic Army
  • Hellenic Army officer rank insignia
  • Hellenic Army enlisted rank insignia
• Hellenic Navy
  • Royal Hellenic Navy Ranks
• Hellenic Air Force
  • Hellenic Air Force officer rank insignia

External links

• Hellenic Airforce Ranks, Hellenic Air Force website
• Διακριτικά Ελληνικού Στρατού (Hellenic Army Insignia), Hellenic Army website
• Διακριτικά Βαθμών Προσωπικού ΠΝ (Hellenic Navy Personnel Rank Insignia), Hellenic Navy website