Michail Kostarakos
Michail Kostarakos | |
---|---|
University of Thessaloniki | |
Spouse(s) | Katerina Sgourou |
Life and career
Michail Kostarakos was born in
As a field officer (Brigadier General in 2006), he commanded the 96th National Guard Higher Command at Chios, the 3rd Bureau and the Operations Command of the Hellenic Army General Staff, the 12th Mechanized Infantry Division, and finally the III Army Corps/NDC-GR, before being promoted to full General and assuming the post of Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff on 1 November 2011.[2] On 13 November 2014, he was elected as the next Chairman of the European Union Military Committee, with a three-year tenure starting from November 2015.[3]
Kostarakos was awarded several distinctions, including the Grand Cross of the Order of the Phoenix, the Grand Commander of the Order of Honour, the Armenian Medal for Military Co-operation, and the NATO Medal for the Balkans.[2]
General Kostarakos was married and had two daughters.
On 20 August 2015, the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence decided the retirement of Kostarakos and his replacement with the hitherto Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, taking effect on 15 September. Kostarakos was immediately recalled to active duty pending his assumption of the post of Chairman of the European Union Military Committee,[4] which took place on 6 November 2015.[5]
Kostarakos died on 2 June 2023, at the age of 67.[6]
References
- ^ Michalis Kostarakos (17 October 2013). "Αναχώρησε για την "τελευταία του μετάθεση" ο Υποστράτηγος Δ.Κωσταράκος |veteranos |Εθνικά Θέματα". Veteranos.gr. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f "Βιογραφικά Ηγεσίας: Αρχηγός ΓΕΕΘΑ" (in Greek). Hellenic National Defence General Staff. Retrieved 15 September 2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "General Kostarakos elected president of the EU Military Committee". To Vima. 14 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ^ "Νέος αρχηγός ΓΕΕΘΑ ο αντιναύαρχος Ευάγγελος Αποστολάκης" (in Greek). in.gr. 20 August 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
- ^ "The Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (CEUMC)". European External Action Service. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
- ^ "Former Armed Forces chief, General Michail Kostarakos, passes away at 67". Ekathimerini. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.