Major General Stavros Papastathopoulos was born in Nicosia, Cyprus in 1966. He entered the Hellenic Army Academy in 1984 and graduated in 1988, as an Artillery Second Lieutenant.
Up to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (1988-2006), he was assigned to various Artillery units, as well as to the Hellenic Army Academy, as Cadets’ Platoon Leader and to the Artillery School as Instructor. He also served to various staff positions and as Aide-de-Camp to the Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff. Immediately after he became Lieutenant Colonel (2007), he assumed the command of the 163 Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion (PzH 2000 GR) and after the end of his tour (2009), he was assigned, as a Staff Officer, to the Hellenic Military Representation to the NATO Military Committee, in Brussels. After his return to Greece (2012), he was appointed as Director of the Hellenic Army General Staff Chief’s Office, where he was promoted to the rank of Colonel. Then (2014), he assumed the duties of the Commander of the XII Μechanized Infantry’s Division “EVROU” Artillery Command and after the end of this tour (2015), he spent two years in the Directorate for Operational Plans and Exercises of the Hellenic Army General Staff, in the beginning as Branch Chief for National and International Exercises, and later on (2016) as Branch Chief for International Plans and Operations. After his promotion to Brigadier General (2017), he was first appointed as Director, Defense Planning and Programming Directorate of the Hellenic Army General Staff, for two years and then (2019) he was appointed as Commanding General of the 96 Higher Command of National Guard Battalions “CHIOS”. After his promotion to Major General (2020) he was, first, assigned to the D’ Division (Defense Planning-Organization) of the Hellenic Army General Staff, as Director and then (2021) as Commanding General of the XII Μechanized Infantry Division “EVROU”. On March 18th 2022, Major General Stavros Papastathopoulos assumed his current duties as Superintendent of the Hellenic Army Academy.
His military training background includes all required Artillery schools, as well as the Army Staff School, the Supreme War College, the Joint Staff School and the National Defense College. He also attended the Basic Course of the United States Army Chemical School and he graduated (via correspondence) from the United States Army Command and General Staff College. His academic education background includes a Master of Arts in Security Studies (Defense Decision Making and Planning), NPS, Monterey, California, USA and a Master of Arts in Applied Strategy and International Security, Plymouth University, UK (in cooperation with the National Defense College). He is currently a PhD candidate at the Department of International, European and Area Studies of the Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences.
Major General Stavros Papastathopoulos holds diplomas in English (proficient user) and French (independent user) languages.
Finally, he is married and has two children, aged 20 and 17.