Hellenic Air Force Technical NCO Academy

Frequently Asked Questions

The NCO Academy Headquarters

The Academy is located at the Dekeleia Air Base, Tatoi, at a distance of about 18 km from the City of Athens.

Scientific Field where the Technical NCO Academy falls into

 The Technical NCO Academy falls into the Scientific Field of Technological Sciences.

Admission to the Academy

Admission of Cadets to the Technical NCO Academy follows the current system of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs for admission of candidates to Higher Educational Institutions.

The Ministry of Defense determines the number of students admitted to the Academy and publishes the circular concerning students’ admission to the Technical NCO Academy, which is then sent to all Senior High Schools in the country, and anywhere else necessary.

A prerequisite for admission to the Academy is success in the preliminary exams. Exams are supervised by the HATC (Hellenic Air Force Training Command) and are subject to a common selection system, which comprises psychometric tests, health tests and athletic tests.

These preliminary exams do not have a competitive character, like the Panhellenic Exams, but they require that the candidate gather a minimum number of skills, defined for each test separately. After completion of these tests, the Department of Admission Exams of the Hellenic Air Force Training Command drafts the lists of the candidates who were successful in the preliminary exams, which are sent to the Air Force General Staff and to the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs.

The Hellenic Air Force Training Command invites the candidates, who were successful according to the lists of Tertiary Education published by the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs, to enlist in the Academy on a specific date. The announcement is publicized in the Media.

Duration of studies and obligatory time of stay in the Service after graduation

Studies last two years and obligatory stay in HAF is nine years.

Specialties and time of enrollments

After enlistment, Cadets are divided into the following specialties: Aircraft Technician, Transport Means & Machinery Technician, Electrician, Weapons Technician, Airport Facilities Technician, Telecommunications– Electronics Technician, Flight Controller and Supply Specialist, according to the existing needs of the Air Force.

General issues on the education provided in the Academy

Education is divided into academic education, military training and physical education.
Students in the aforementioned departments reside in the Academy premises during their studies and are dismissed only after permission given by the Commander on times and periods which are specified in the Academy Regulation.

Cadets are granted leave: 

• During Christmas – New Year holidays (from the afternoon of December 23 until the evening of January 7 )
• at Easter (from the afternoon of Holy Wednesday until the evening of the Third Day after Easter Sunday)
• Twenty (20) days in August.

All student fees and living expenses are covered by the State and the Cadets receive a monthly allowance.

Graduation Rank

All graduates are awarded the rank of Sergeant.

The minimum time of stay in every rank, necessary for promotion (provided that all other legal conditions are satisfied) is:

• three (3) years for the rank of Sergeant
• three (3) years for the rank of Master Sergeant
• three (3) years for the rank of Chief Master Sergeant
• four (4) years for the rank of Warrant Officer

After promotion to the rank of Second Lieutenant, they can reach the rank of Colonel.