Commissioning Ceremony of March 2024 Reserve Officers

A ceremony to mark the completion of the March 2024 Reserve Officer Course and the promotion of new officers to the rank of second lieutenant was held today at the Military Academy.



The ceremony was attended by State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Mile Jelić, Deputy Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff Lt. Gen. Želimir Glišović, Rector of the Defence University Brig. Gen. Boban Đorović, Ph.D., Head of the Development and Equipping Department Brig. Gen. Milan Popović, Head of the Telecommunications and IT Department Brig. Gen. Mile Vitezović, Head of the Training and Doctrine Department Brig. Gen. Muharem Fazlić and Commandant of the Military Academy Col. Srđan Blagojević, Ph.D.

At the beginning of the ceremony, a Presidential Decree was read, promoting the Reserve Officer Course graduates to the rank of second lieutenant.

On that occasion, State Secretary Mile Jelić presented top of the class course candidates with gifts - wrist watches.



Addressing the audience, State Secretary Jelić recalled the long and glorious tradition of training reserve officers, emphasizing that it was precisely them that had contributed to many war successes in our military history.

- Throughout the whole period, from 1883 to the present day, the reserve officers of the Serbian army have carried a significant war burden and made an invaluable contribution to many war successes in our proud and rich history - from the Balkan Wars, to the two world wars, to the most recent wars fought at the end of the 20th century - said State Secretary Jelić, emphasizing that reserve officer courses delivered by the Military Academy "attract the most responsible and courageous Serbian youth who hold an academic degree, our nation’s intellectual and moral elite, selected educated people with a pronounced sense of patriotic duty and strong character, ready to take on responsibility and help their society and their people”.



He emphasized that reserve officers “have a responsibility and a patriotic duty to strengthen and deepen the unbreakable bond between society and the military in peace”, and told the newly promoted second lieutenants to be proud of that vocation, just as today the community and their families are proud of them - young and educated people who have successfully completed challenging and difficult training and earned their initial officer rank.
 
- You should be aware that, as of today, your every action is the action of a reserve officer of the Serbian Armed Forces, and that military, academic and moral excellence is expected from you at all times - State Secretary Jelić said and congratulated the new second lieutenants on their officer ranks.
 
At today's ceremony, second lieutenants of the infantry branch and telecommunications service were commissioned as reserve component officers. Second lieutenants with the best academic performance in this training cycle are – top of the class Milovan Kolašinac, graduate of the 108th class of reserve telecommunications officers with an average grade of 9.50, second-ranked Dušan Petrović, graduate of the 143rd class of reserve infantry officers with an average grade of 9.44 and the third-ranked, Dušan Đorić, graduate of the 143rd class of reserve infantry officers with an average grade of 9.44.



Speaking on behalf of the newly commissioned reserve component officers, Milovan Kolašinac said that “the military is now richer by a new, educated and motivated generation ready for hard efforts and great deeds”.
 
- The path we took was not easy, but it was a path along which we got to know ourselves, tested and pushed our limits and prepared ourselves for life. During that journey, we became aware of the power lying within us and the power of togetherness, because without teamwork there is no success or good results. Field Marshal Stepa Stepanović was a famous reserve officer of our army, too, and his role in the Balkan Wars and the First World War was enormous. The legacy bequeathed to us by our glorious ancestors like him obliges us to preserve and value what we have been given - emphasized Second Lieutenant Kolašinac.



Today's ceremony was attended by members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, families, relatives and friends of the newly commissioned reserve component second lieutenants.