Supreme Military Command of the Interior and Islands


The Supreme Military Command of the Interior and Islands, more commonly known as ASDEN, is a Corps-sized formation of the Hellenic Army responsible for the defence of the Aegean Islands.

History

Formed in Athens in 1945 as the Higher Military Command of Attica, by 1961 it had evolved from a territorial defence force to a Corps-sized formation, overseeing the Aegean region's four National Guard Commands. It was soon renamed to the Supreme Military Command of the Interior and Islands to reflect the expansion of its role.
In 1995, the command's headquarters were relocated to the suburb of Karea in Athens, Attica, and by 2005 it had become a major operational formation of the Hellenic Army, consisting of two division and five brigade-strength, mechanized, National Guard Battalion Higher Commands. After a wide-ranging defense review in 2013, the Corps' capabilities were strengthened with the 5th Infantry Brigade reorganized as an air assault brigade to become ASDEN's rapid reaction force.

Emblem and motto

The emblem of the ASDEN depicts the Lion Gate of Mycenae. It symbolizes power through unity.
The Corps' motto, Defending One's Country, is from Homer's Iliad, attributed to the Trojan Prince Hector in the final days of the Trojan War, when Polydamas advised him to stop the attack on the Achaeans because the omens were not auspicious. Hector replied "There's one good omen, defending one's country!".

Structure

Supreme Military Command of the Interior and Islands, in Athens