The new pay system for the Armed Forces and Security Forces is not only changing the salaries of personnel currently in active service. It is also creating a higher basis for calculating future pensions, meaning that the first differences are already becoming apparent for those retiring in 2026.

The changes affect approximately 160,000 personnel across the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Fire Service and Coast Guard, and their impact is cumulative: the longer the higher salaries remain part of the average pensionable earnings, the higher the final pension will be.

For those retiring in 2026, pensionable salary is calculated based on average monthly gross earnings over the period from 2002 to 2026. The calculation now also incorporates the increases introduced under the new pay scale, thereby raising the final average.

As a result, two personnel members with the same years of service but different retirement dates may receive different pensions.

Someone retiring in 2026 can secure a higher pension than a colleague who retired in 2025, even if their other circumstances are similar.

Salary increases

Within the Armed Forces, monthly increases vary according to pay category.

In Pay Category A, the increase can reach up to €280 per month. In Pay Category B, the increase is up to €130, while in Pay Category C, it can reach €103.

Similar adjustments apply to the Security Forces. For the Police, Fire Service and Coast Guard, the average increase is estimated at approximately €111 per month, although the final amount depends on rank and pay classification.

For lower ranks, the adjustment starts at around €48 per month, while for the highest ranks it can reach as much as €150.

The impact of these increases does not stop at current salaries. Because higher earnings are incorporated into the average pensionable salary, they gradually create a higher basis for calculating pensions.

How much will pensions increase?

The examples indicate that the difference can already be significant this year.

For a member of the uniformed services with 35 years of service, a pension that in 2025 was calculated on pensionable earnings of €2,300 and amounted to approximately €1,295 could rise to around €1,357 in 2026, provided pensionable earnings increase to €2,440.

That represents a monthly increase of approximately €63.

The impact is even greater for those completing 40 years of service. With pensionable earnings of €3,470, the pension in 2025 could have been approximately €2,171. If pensionable earnings rise to €3,750 under the new pay scale, the pension could reach approximately €2,322.

In this case, the monthly increase approaches €150, equivalent to approximately €1,200 more per year.

This difference shows that the timing of retirement may become increasingly important, as higher pensionable earnings are gradually incorporated into the calculation.

Who is affected?

The changes affect approximately 160,000 personnel across the Armed Forces and Security Forces.

The measures cover personnel in the Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, Hellenic Police, Hellenic Fire Service and Hellenic Coast Guard.

For those approaching retirement, the key change is that their pension will now reflect, to a greater extent, the higher earnings they received while in active service.

The more years that the new salaries remain part of the average usedThe total income of retired personnel does not consist solely of their main pension. An important role is also played by for the calculation, the greater their potential impact on the future pension.

Dividends from the Mutual Funds

The total income of retired personnel does not consist solely of their main pension. An important role is also played by dividends from the Mutual Funds, which vary depending on years of service, rank and pay grade.

At the Army Mutual Fund (MTS), for example, the dividend at grade A1 for 35 years of service amounts to €247.32, while the amounts in other grades vary according to each beneficiary’s circumstances.

In the Air Force, total income can be significantly increased through the combination of the dividend and the benefit provided by EKOEMA.

For senior ranks, the combined value of these benefits can reach as much as €837.22 per month, providing significant additional income on top of the main pension.

A similar situation exists in the Navy, where retired personnel receive, in addition to their regular dividends, a special benefit from EKOEMN.

The amount of this benefit depends on the year of retirement and the individual’s rank, with different provisions applying to those who retired up to 2016 and those who retired from 2017 onward.

Indicatively, the special benefit amounts to €151.38 for a Captain, €132.24 for a Commander and €80.04 for an Ensign.

Overall, the new pay framework has a dual effect for uniformed personnel: higher earnings while in active service and a higher basis for their future pensions.

For those approaching retirement, the differences are already becoming visible. And the longer the new salaries are incorporated into the average pensionable earnings, the stronger their expected impact on the final pension amount.