98th National Guard Higher Command (Greece)

The 98th National Guard Higher Command "Archipelago" (Greek: 98 Ανώτερη Διοίκηση Ταγμάτων Εθνοφυλακής «ΑΡΧΙΠΕΛΑΓΟΥΣ», 98 ΑΔΤΕ; 98 Anóteri Dioíkisi Tagmáton Ethnofylakís "Archipelágous", abbrev. 98 ADTE), is a Greek Army mechanized infantry division-sized command responsible for the defence of the island of Lesbos, Greece.^[1]

History

At the conclusion of World War II, the 120th National Guard Command (Greek: 120 Διοίκηση Ταγμάτων Εθνοφυλακής; 120 Dioíkisi Tagmáton Ethnofylakís) was formed in Lesbos, overseeing the territorial National Guard battalions (predominantly reservist and militia units) based on the island. This formation evolved, on 20 April 1975, into the 98th Military Command (Greek: 98 Στρατιωτική Διοίκηση, 98 ΣΔΙ; 98 Stratiotikí Dioíkisi, 98 SDI), and again on 12 March 1978, into the 98th National Guard Higher Command, consisting of two infantry regiments (22nd and 36th), with artillery and armored support elements. Despite its name, which honors the formation's previous "territorial" incarnations, the 98 ADTE evolved through the 1980s and 1990s into a mechanized infantry division. In October 2009 the 98 ADTE was given the honorific title "Archipelago" in commemoration of the World War I-era Archipelago Division.^[2]

Emblem and motto

The emblem of the 98th National Guard Higher Command is a lion facing east, above a graphic depiction of the island of Lesbos.

The division's motto is Men are the City's Towers (Greek: ΑΝΔΡΕΣ ΓΑΡ ΠΟΛΙΟΣ ΠΥΡΓΟΣ, Άνδρες γαρ πόλιος πύργος; Andres Gár Pólios Pýrgos). The phrase is attributed to Greek lyric poet Alcaeus of Mytilene, a native of Lesbos, and is taken from his political songs, or Stasiotika (Greek: Στασιωτικά).^[3][1]

Structure

• 98th National Guard Higher Command (98 ΑΔΤΕ), based at Lesbos
  • HQ Company (ΛΣΤ/98 ΑΔΤΕ)
  • 398th National Guard Armored Battalion (398 ΕΑΡΜΕΘ)
  • 2nd National Guard Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (B ΕΑNΕΘ)
  • 221st National Guard Mechanized Battalion (221 M/K ΤΕ)
  • 263rd National Guard Mechanized Battalion (263 M/K ΤΕ)
  • 264th National Guard Mechanized Battalion (264 M/K ΤΕ)
  • 265th National Guard Mechanized Battalion (265 M/K ΤΕ)
  • 296th National Guard Mechanized Battalion (296 M/K ΤΕ)
  • 98th National Guard Artillery Battalion (98 MΕΘ)
  • 98th National Guard Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion (98 MΕAΠ)
  • 475th National Guard Signal Battalion (475 ΤΔΒΕΘ)
  • 98th National Guard Anti Τank Company (98 ΛΑΤΕΘ)
  • 98th National Guard Supply Battalion (98 ΤΥΛΠΕΘ)
  • 98th National Guard Support Battalion (98 ΤΥΠΕΘ)
  • 98th National Guard Medical Battalion (98 ΤΥΓΕΘ)

References

Sources

• Στρατός και Ενημέρωση, ΑΠΡ-ΜΑΪ-ΙΟΥ 2016 (PDF) (in Greek). Hellenic Army Information and Public Relations Directorate. June 2016. 

Formations of the Hellenic Army
Hellenic Army General Staff
First Army	1st Infantry Division 1st Raider/Paratrooper Brigade 13th Special Operations Command 32nd Marines Brigade 71st Airmobile Brigade 1st Army Aviation Brigade 2nd Mechanized Infantry Division 24th Armoured Brigade 33rd Mechanized Infantry Brigade 34th Mechanized Infantry Brigade 20th Armoured Division 25th Armoured Brigade
ΙΙI Army Corps/NDC-GR	1st Infantry Regiment 8th Motorized Infantry Brigade 9th Infantry Brigade 10th Infantry Regiment 15th Infantry Regiment
IV Army Corps	12th Mechanized Infantry Division 7th Mechanized Infantry Brigade 31st Mechanized Infantry Brigade 23rd Armoured Brigade 16th Mechanized Infantry Division 3rd Mechanized Infantry Brigade 30th Mechanized Infantry Brigade 21st Armoured Brigade 29th Mechanized Infantry Brigade 50th Mechanized Infantry Brigade
ASDEN	5th Airmobile Brigade 79th National Guard Higher Command 80th National Guard Higher Command 88th Military Command 95th National Guard Higher Command 96th National Guard Higher Command 98th National Guard Higher Command
ASDYS	Northern Greece Supply Centre Southern Greece Supply Centre
Army Academy Military Geographical Service