Konstantinos Floros

General Konstantinos Floros (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Φλώρος; born June 24, 1961) is a Greek army officer and since January 2020 the incumbent Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff. From 14–25 January 2019, due to the then Chief of the HNDGS, Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, becoming Minister of National Defence, and pending the appointment of a replacement, he served as the acting Chief of the HNDGS. From 25 January 2019 – 17 January 2020 he served as the commander of the First Army.

Konstantinos Floros
General Floros in 2018
Born	June 24, 1961 Chalcis, Greece
Allegiance	Greece
Service/branch	Hellenic Army
Years of service	1979−
Rank	General
Commands held	Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff Deputy Chief of the HNDGS 13th Special Operations Command 16th Mechanized Infantry Division Head of the Special Operations Planning Section, HNDGS VII Amphibious Raider Squadron

Biography

Konstantinos Floros was born at Chalkida on 24 June 1961. In 1979–1983 he attended the Hellenic Army Academy, graduating as an infantry second lieutenant.[1]

He then served as platoon leader in the Non Commissioned Officers Army Academy, and company commander in Samos Island. He entered the army special forces in 1986, serving successively in the 575th Marines Battalion, the 3rd Special National Guard Detachment, and the 2nd Paratroopers Squadron. During this time, apart from the relevant army schools, he also completed courses in the Hellenic Navy's elite Underwater Demolition Unit in 1989, and the US Army's John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School in 1992, where he distinguished himself as the best foreign student of his cohort.[1]

In 1999, he attended the Supreme War School, and after graduation was posted to the 13th Amphibious Raiders Regiment.[1] After serving as a staff officer in the Special Forces Directorate of the Hellenic Army General Staff in 2003–2004, he was appointed commander of the elite VII Amphibious Raider Squadron.[1] In 2005–2008 he served in the Greek permanent representation to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. After completing courses in the National Defence School in 2008, he became head of the Special Operations Planning Section in the Hellenic National Defence General Staff Until summer 2011, when he was appointed chief of staff of the 16th Mechanized Infantry Division.[1]

Promoted to brigadier general, he assumed command of the 13th Special Operations Command in 2012, before moving to the Army General Staff as head of the Operations Directorate in March 2014. He remained at this post for a year, when he was promoted to major general and moved again to the HNDGS as director of the I (Operations) Branch. From February 2016 he also assumed the lead coordinating role in the HNDGS's involvement in the European migrant crisis.[1] In January 2017, the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA) appointed him chief of staff of the HNDGS, but in March of the same year he was promoted to Deputy Chief and the rank of lieutenant general.[1]

Following the retirement of the incumbent Chief of the HNDGS, Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, in order to be inaugurated as Minister of National Defence, on 14 January 2019, Lt. General Floros was appointed acting Chief until KYSEA selected a replacement.[2] This occurred on 25 January, with the selection of Air Chief Marshal Christos Christodoulou.[3]

On 17 January 2020, KYSEA selected him as Chief of the HNDGS in succession to Christodoulou, promoting him to full general.[4]

General Floros is married with two daughters.[1] He speaks English, and has a post-graduate degree on "Strategic Analysis and Crisis Management and Resolution" from the University of Aberdeen, and on "International Relations and Strategic Studies" from Panteion University.[1]

References

1. "Υπαρχηγός ΓΕΕΘΑ" (in Greek). Hellenic National Defence General Staff. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
2. "Ορκίστηκε ο νέος υπουργός Εθνικής Άμυνας" (in Greek). in.gr. 14 January 2019. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
3. "Νέος Αρχηγός ΓΕΕΘΑ ο Χρήστος Χριστοδούλου" (in Greek). in.gr. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
4. "ΚΥΣΕΑ - Κρίσεις 2020: Αυτή είναι η νέα ηγεσία των Ενόπλων Δυνάμεων". www.armyvoice.gr (in Greek). 2020-01-17. Retrieved 2020-01-17.

External links

Media related to Konstantinos Floros at Wikimedia Commons