Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias attends FTX “Eponymous Hero 24”

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Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias attends FTX "Eponymous Hero 24"

November 7, 2024

On Wednesday, 6 November 2024, the Minister of National DefenceNikos Dendias, went to the Litohoro Range - Proving Ground, where he attended the final phase of Field Exercise "Eponymous Hero 24", which is conducted by reservists of the XXIV Armored Brigade and the Special Warfare Command (2^ndParachutist Battalion and B Raider Battalion), as well as personnel of the 1^stArmy Aviation Brigade.

The Minister was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of National Defence Giannis Kefalogiannis, the Chief HNDGS, General Dimitrios Choupis, and the Chief HAGS, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis.

Mr. Dendias was briefed on the reservists' refresher training in the context of the exercise, the activities of which started on 3 November and will be completed on 8 November 2024, followed by a presentation of its objectives and its conduct by the military forces involved.

The exercise "Eponymous Hero 24" was attended by the Commanding General of the Hellenic First Army/EU-OHQ "ACHILLEAS" Dimokritos Konstantakos, the Commanding General of D Army Corps "THRACE", Lieutenant General Stavros Papastathopoulos, the Commanding General of the Special Warfare Command, Lieutenant General Prokopios Mavraganis, and the Commanding General of C Army Corps/NRDC-GR "MEGAS ALEXANDROS", Lieutenant General Athanasios Garinis.

The Deputy Minister of Development Anna Mani-Papadimitriou and MPs for Pieria Xenofon Baraliakos and Spyridon Koulkoudinas also attended.

Upon conclusion of the training activities, the Minister of National Defence stated:

"Deputy Minister of the National Defence, madam Deputy Minister of Development, dear fellow MPs, Chief HNDGS, Chief HAGS, Officers, dear Reservists,

It is a great pleasure to be here today. It's been a long time since I've been in this field. I have been here as a Potential Officer, running behind a tank, I think a M-48, and there was snow then.

Reservist exercises are a very important thing. They project the capabilities of the Reserve institution, which I strongly trust.

I said before that the historic tradition of Hellenism for 2,500-3,000 years is absolutely connected to the citizen - soldier. The Homeland, the city-state at the time, the country today, is defended by the armed citizen.

There is a great core of professional personnel, but the muscles are the civilians holding a gun to defend their Country. This is a great honour and a great duty as well, a constitutional duty of Greeks.

The world is changing, we must change as well. We must evolve to be able to defend what we have: our independence, sovereignty, and sovereign rights.

So, we proceed with a very essential reform, the biggest ever. We have called it the "2030 Agenda". In this context, the Reserve has an important role. The Reserve will also be reformed. You proved today, these last six days - also today in front of an audience - that the Reserve can play its role excellently. From the simplest thing, the way you are called up. It is unexplainable why in the 21^stcentury the call up should come with a document served to you by a policeman. You are here because the Country called you, but you yourselves also want it. Your call up from now on will be performed electronically. We all have mobile phones; we are all connected to the internet. Most of us have e-mail.

Also, call ups will be performed more regularly. I heard that some of you have not been called up for 17 whole years; even worse, 24 years a colleague said.

So, we will create a very strong Reserve on a voluntary basis. We do not need anyone who does not want to help the Country. There are plenty who love the Country and want to serve. Those are not simply most of them, they are the overwhelming majority. But it will be done regularly. Because systems change, our capabilities grow, but threats grow too.

You must train in using drones. You must learn to use anti-drone systems.

Next time we are here, drones will fly over your heads.

We must change things, precisely for the reason I told you before: to defend our Country, our capability to exist within the context we believe in; the context of International Law, the United Nations Charter, Democracy, the protection of Human Rights, the Law of the Sea.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you have been doing these past days, but mostly for the example you set to those who have the frame of mind, the desire, the will to serve the Country always.

Thank you".