Fears among senior officers about weak or even non-existent participation intensified recently after the announcement of 700 vacancies for Contract Soldiers (SYOP). Despite a salary of €1,200 per month, only 305 applications were submitted, just 70 of them from women.
“All we can do is give the opportunity to women who want to enlist,” a government official told Politis.
The first intake of women for voluntary service in the National Guard is scheduled for late October at the Paphos Recruit Training Center.
According to Politis, there is growing unease among top National Guard officers over whether the Cabinet should go ahead with the call for women’s enlistment. They fear the response may be minimal, or even nonexistent, a scenario that could be seen as a failure of the initiative and damage the Guard’s credibility.
Concerns of a potential fiasco were heightened after the latest SYOP recruitment round, where fewer than half the vacancies were filled. Officers now openly question how many women will apply for voluntary service when the allowance for a conscript is just €150 per month, compared to the €1,200 monthly salary offered to contract soldiers.
Government: Target Achieved
From the outset, concerns had been raised that voluntary service for women would attract little interest.
The government, however, considers its objective met. President Nikos Christodoulides is said to view the legislation as a fulfilled campaign pledge, granting women the right to serve in the National Guard and promoting equality in the armed forces.
“Beyond that, we are giving the chance to women who wish to enlist,” a government source told Politis, stressing that if participation is low, responsibility does not lie with the government since the process is strictly voluntary.
By Cabinet Decision
Under the law passed by parliament, the invitation for voluntary female enlistment is issued through a Cabinet decree, following a proposal by the defense minister and after consulting the Chief of the National Guard. Once published in the Official Gazette, women must file a Declaration of Intent at local recruitment offices at least five working days before the induction date.
Only those deemed medically fit for categories I/1 and I/2 will be eligible.
Service duration ranges from six to 14 months, depending on the volunteer’s choice. Women will be placed in units of preference, while graduates of higher education will be assigned roles linked to their studies.
Volunteers serving at least six months will receive:
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A certificate of service.
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Additional points toward future SYOP (Contract Soldiers) recruitment or civil service hiring, on par with male conscripts.
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Social security credits toward pensions, equivalent to those earned by men during compulsory service.
The Paphos Recruit Training Center has been designated as the main induction site, with Limassol as an alternative if distance proves a deterrent. Free transportation will be provided.
Question in Leadership
The issue comes as the term of National Guard Chief, Lieutenant General Georgios Tsitsikostas, expires in early September. President Christodoulides and Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas are expected to soon decide whether to extend his tenure by six months or a year, or to appoint a successor. The decision will be made in consultation with the Greek government.
