Greece’s military faces worsening recruitment crisis: Report

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – Greece’s armed forces are in the grip of a recruitment crisis, with military academies struggling to fill their vacancies, Greek daily Kathimerini reported Monday.

With roughly 500 officer and non-commissioned officer posts left unfilled this year, Greece’s armed forces are facing a deepening recruitment crisis, the daily reported, citing the Defense Ministry.

The gap is reportedly sharpest at the Hellenic Army Academy, with over half the spots unfilled, and at the Naval Academy, where 62% of engineering posts remain vacant.

Low pay, limited career prospects, and private sector competition are deterring youth from military studies, despite recent stipend and salary hikes, according to the report.

Interest in the armed forces has dropped sharply in recent years, with Army Academy applicants falling from 263 in 2019 to only 86 in 2025.