# GREEK SPECIAL FORCES OUTLOOK



## RackMaster (Mar 3, 2008)

Out of curiosity from another thread ;), I found this.  Fairly interesting how they originally followed the SEAL design/doctrine. 



> * 					GREEK SPECIAL FORCES OUTLOOK*
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## QC (Mar 3, 2008)

Inreresting history.


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## Diamondback 2/2 (Mar 3, 2008)

Well equiped, I am wondering what missions (training or operational) they conducted in the USA?


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## tigerstr (Mar 4, 2008)

As stated above (gdamadg beat me to it, very nice English language source BTW!), Greek SOF lineage starts with the "IEROS LOCHOS" a formation that was organised in Mid East during the first part of WW II (1942, after Greece was overrun by the Germans) by Greek Officers, and was modelled after British special units of the time.

The Greek SOF motto still is "O tolmon nika" which means "Who dares wins" in ancient Greek.

But, US SEALs and SF played a bigger part in forming Greek SOF after the War and often trained with them. 

I am not aware of any "missions" in the US, but a lot of Officers and (mostly senior) enlisted got and still get training in US SOF schools like Ranger and SEAL.

Greek DYK training is modelled after SEAL training to the extent that there is a "Hell Week" also called Hell Week in Greek (diavolovdomada) 

Besides the 5 units described above, there is another important SOF unit in the Greek Armed Forces, * Z’ MAK * (MAK for Moira Amphibion Katadromon-meaning Amphibious Raid Squadron and just mentioned above as an Amphibious Commando Unit) an army unit for amphibious raids, rapid intervention etc. 

Also, the name of the Air Force special unit, is not 31st Special Operations Squad, it is * 31st Special Operations Squadron *.

PS: The original "IEROS LOCHOS" (SACRED COMPANY would be a translation, in Greek we call a Company sized unit "Lochos") was an ancient Greek elite military unit of the city state Thebes, consisting of about 300 men. 

These men were exceptional athletes (and wrestlers) from aristocrat families and were professional soldiers training all year round with public expenses. 

They were a very tightly knit unit consisting of "friends" (allegedly the first version ever of the "buddy" system) since it was thought that if someone is fighting with close friends he will not desert or accept defeat and the death of his friends.

According to an account they were also lovers. (just in case someone says I ommited that on purpose) 

Their famous leaders were Pelopidas and Epaminondas.

This unit won every battle it fought for 35 years, also beating Spartan units in repeated battles of this time frame, despite being outnumbered most of the time.

It was completely decimated (they fought to a man although surrounded and repeatedly asked to surrender) by the cavalry and Phalanx soldiers of *Philipos* (father of *Alexander the Great*) the year 338 B.C. and the unit ceased to exist. 

The men of IEROS LOCHOS were all buried together and a monument, a stone lion, was erected at their place of burial.

The monument still stands today


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## tigerstr (Mar 4, 2008)

There is also a good description (with photos)  for 2 Greek SOF units in Shadowspears own Spec Ops Library:

*DYK *

http://shadowspear.com/greekdyk.htm

and *ETA *

http://shadowspear.com/greeketa.htm


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## tigerstr (Mar 7, 2008)

*Greek SOF photos*

Since some people here seem to be interested here is a link with a lot of photos from the Greek Armed Forces

http://greekmilitary.net/greektroops.htm

Some of them are really good, and some are a bit dated.

Have patience, its a loooong scrolling experience!


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## tigerstr (Mar 7, 2008)

And two pics I found elsewhere bout Greek Army SOF (ETA)


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## tigerstr (Mar 7, 2008)

And a vid also found on greekmilitary.net .

About 6m time, some aspects of training like obstacle-confidence course, rappelling, climbing, water infiltration, stalking/sniper, for Raider Units (Monades Katadromon), a Ranger type outfit. 

[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EaheOuP5gr0&rel=1&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EaheOuP5gr0&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"width="425" height="355"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]


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