After finishing school, he entered the Hellenic Naval Academy on 10 October 1899, and was commissioned as Ensign of the Line on 16 July 1903. In 1908–1910 he was detached for training abroad, and briefly served aboard the French Navy cruiser "Ernest Renan" in 1912. Promoted to Sub-Lieutenant on 29 March 1910, he participated in the Balkan Wars of 1912–13 aboard the destroyer , taking part in the Battle of Elli and the operations to capture Imbros, Samothrace, and Mount Athos. On 2 June 1913 he was promoted to lieutenant and to lieutenant first class on 16 July 1916, serving as adjutant to the Minister for Naval Affairs, Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis (1915–16) and captain of the torpedo boat "Thetis".