Michael Costarakos, honorary leader of GEETHA, died

2023-06-02 12:28:48

Michael Costarakos passed away at the age of 67honorary leader of GEETHA.

He had been dealing with health problems for a long time and died at noon on Friday at the 424 Military Hospital of Thessaloniki.

He was Chief of the General Staff of National Defense from November 1, 2011 to September 15, 2015.

He was born in Thessaloniki in February 1956. He graduated from the Experimental School of the University of Thessaloniki and entered the Military School of Evelpida in 1974, from where he graduated in 1978, named second lieutenant of Artillery.

Successfully graduated from:

• the Basic and Advanced Training Schools of Artillery Combat and the Interbranch School of Air Defense,
• the K/B HOK Air Defense School in Greece and in the USA (FORT BLISS, TEXAS),
• the K/B HOK School at the NATO Planning Center (NPC GLONS, Belgium),
• the War College,
• the first NATO Operational Planning School at the Netherlands War College,
• the NATO Defense School’s School of International Security Environment,
• the School of National Defense.

As a junior and senior officer, he served as:

• Commander of Heavy Artillery A/K Artillery and K/B HOK,
• Squadron Operations Officer K/V HOK,
• Deputy Squadron Commander,
• Field Artillery Squadron Commander,
• K/V HOK Squadron Commander,
• Staff in Artillery Command,
• Staff Intelligence at the International Military Staff of NATO (IMS/NATO),
• Officer at the Directorate of Information of GEETHA,
• Director of the Staff Office of the Chief of General Staff,
• Head of CURRENT OPS for the Balkans at IMS/NATO,
• Director of Staff at NATO Deployable Corps Greece,
• Director of its Joint Operation Center

As a senior officer he served as:

• Assistant Chief of Staff at the GSS/NDC-GR,
• Commander of the 96 Higher Command of National Guard Battalions “CHIOS”,
• Director of the 3rd EG/GES,
• Director of the GES Operations Division,
• Director of the 1st Branch/GIS,
• Commander of the 12th Motorized MP “EVROU”,
• Commander of the SS “Megas Alexander”,
• Commander of the NATO Deployable Corps Greece,
• Chief of the National Defense General Staff.

On November 13, 2014, he was elected president of the Military Committee of the European Union.

He was awarded all the prescribed military medals and decorations of his rank.

He graduated from the political department of the Law School of the University of Athens and holds a master’s degree in “Diplomatic and Strategic Studies”. He spoke English and French. He was married to Ekaterini Sgourou and had two daughters.