CHIEF OF STAFF

Major General Christos Vafiadis

 

Major General Christos Vafiadis was born in Thessaloniki, Greece in 1948. He entered the Hellenic Army Academy in 1967 and upon graduation in 1971 was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry.

He attended basic training at the Infantry Academy and went on to complete numerous other military schools including Paratroopers School,  Unconventional Warfare School,  Intel School and  Battalion Commanders School.  He also attended several  schools in the United States, such as the Amphibious Operations Staff College,  Amphibious Vehicles School and the Training Methods Optimization School. Furthermore, as a senior officer Major General Vafiadis graduated from both the War College and the Command and Staff College in the United States.
Throughout his career Major General Vafiadis has held an array of leadership positions. He has served in several Special Forces units and was a Commander in the Paratroopers Academy.  Some of his other assignments include Staff Officer at Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSOUTH) in Naples, Italy; Deputy Commander of the 34th Mechanized Brigade; and Military Attaché to the Greek Embassy in Teheran, Iran.
After his promotion to Brigadier General in 1999, he was selected as Deputy Commander of the Hellenic Army Academy.   In May 2000 he was assigned as commander of the KFOR Force Support Brigade (senior officer of the Greek forces in Kosovo).
After his promotion to Major General in March 2001 he assumed the position of Chief of Staff for Joint Command Southeast (JCSE) in Izmir, Turkey on May 15, 2001.
He has been awarded with numerous decorations and medals.
Major General Christos Vafiadis and his wife Giota have two children:  Maria, who is  serving as  a 2nd  Lt.  in the  Hellenic Army  and  Konstantinos, a student of political science in Italy.