Ioannis Veryvakis was born in Edessa in northern Greece on 3 November 1930.

He entered the Hellenic Army Academy in 1950, and graduated as an Infantry Second Lieutenant on 9 August 1953.

From July 1991 to June 1992 he also served as chairman of the NATO Military Committee.

[2][3] Amidst the climate of polarization between the socialist PASOK and the conservative New Democracy at the time, the decision of the conservative government under Konstantinos Mitsotakis to select Veryvakis, whose brother was a prominent PASOK politician, as head of the country's armed forces was widely commented at the time.

In addition to the usual Greek decorations for his rank and positions, he received the following foreign decorations: Commander of the Legion of Merit (USA), Commander of the Legion of Honour (France), and the Order of the Madara Horseman, First Class with Swords (Bulgaria).