When 19-year-old Melbourne born and raised Pavlos Tsapournis, who is doing his national service in Greece in the Aegean island of Samos, was asked by the Greek Minister of Defence Dimitris Avramopoulos why he decided to come and serve in the army all the way from Australia, he responded: “It is my duty to the motherland, Minister.”
The Greek Minister was so impressed by the action and the response of the young man that he contacted the parents of the soldier in Melbourne by phone in order to congratulate and thank them for the way they raised their son.
Pavlos’ Melbourne- born and resident elder brother also served in the Greek army.