▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁Army ▁General ▁Staff ▁for ▁the ▁Greek ▁Ar med ▁Forces ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁East , ▁being ▁promoted ▁to ▁Major ▁General ▁( back dated ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 3 ) ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time . ▁He ▁organized ▁the ▁rep atri ation ▁of ▁the ▁Army , ▁returning ▁to ▁Ath ens ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁November . ▁There after ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Deput y ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Staff , ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁Greek ▁Civil ▁War ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁CO ▁of ▁III ▁Army ▁Corps . ▁Prom oted ▁to ▁lieutenant ▁general ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁he ▁became ▁again ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁Army ▁General ▁Staff ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁then ▁served ▁as ▁CO ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Army , ▁as ▁Ins pect or - General ▁of ▁the ▁Army ▁and ▁as ▁CO ▁of ▁the ▁Ep irus - West ▁Mac ed onia ▁Head quarters ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁March ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁His ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁victory ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Army ▁in ▁the ▁Greek ▁Civil ▁War ▁was ▁considerable ; ▁according ▁to ▁US ▁general ▁James ▁Van ▁Fle et , ▁who ▁commanded ▁the ▁J oint ▁U . S . ▁Military ▁Ad vis ory ▁Group ▁to ▁Greece , ▁he ▁was ▁" o ften ▁r ated ▁the ▁best ▁military ▁commander ▁in ▁Greece ". ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁with ▁the ▁Commander ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Cross ▁of ▁Val our , ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁three ▁career ▁Army ▁officers ▁to ▁receive