Woman brigadier heads National Defense School Class

The newly promoted brigadier Stavroula Papadaki won a first for female military personnel, becoming the first woman Air Force officer, as after her promotion is is now the most senior member of the 66th class of the National Defense School, the first ever woman to head a class.

Brigadier Stavroula Papadaki, graduated from the Nursing Officers College in 1983, and is that this time the Defense School's only woman student, who, however, outranks all other students in her class.

Recently, first lieutenant Ioanna Chrysavgi, one of five female fighter pilots in the Hellenic Air Force, was transferred to the Daidalos single aircraft display team that uses the T-6A Texan II for aerobatic exhibitions, marking another first for female soldiers in Greece.

Recruitment of women in the Greek military was late to come. The enlistment of women in the Army was introduced in 1977 (in 1946 women were introduced in the Army as military nurses) by the relevant decree of Parliament 705/1977, which determined the conditions of voluntary service, which were identical to a great extent with those under which men volunteers had served.

Another relevant decree (444/1974) that made Army service obligatory for Greek citizens, including women, while still valid, has not been made effective up to now re. recruitment of women. According to Law 2439/1996, Military Women in the Greek Armed Forces can reach the rank of Brigadier General.