Minister Stefanović attends youngest reserve officers’ promotion ceremony

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović, PhD, attended today the ceremony celebrating the completion of the “September 2020“ Reserve Officers Course and the promotion of the course participants to the rank of reserve second lieutenants in the “General Jovan Mišković“ barracks in Belgrade.

Congratulating the newly promoted reserve officers, Minister Stefanović pointed out that today’s ceremony was a reflection of the respect that Serbia, its leadership and the Serbian Armed Forces had for those young people’s determination to perform their military service and become our armed forces’ reserve officers.
 
- Serbia pays tribute to these young people who have tried their skills over the past six months at the Military Academy, in the field, on training grounds and firing ranges, working in Serbian Armed Forces units amidst the Covid-19 crisis. They have chosen to serve Serbia and become reserve officers – Stefanović pointed out.
 
“Serbia has 49 new reserve officers as of today“, the Minister of Defence pointed out, adding that our armed forces were 49 members stronger.
 
- Those 35 young men and 14 young women who served in our infantry, technical, quartermaster and medical corps showed that young people in Serbia are neither uninterested nor lazy, although we’ve often heard that in the past few weeks from the people who think that Serbia does not need compulsory military service or the military. Those people do not understand the history or the tradition of our country, or our people’s needs and they obviously do not want strong armed forces or a strong Serbia.

These young people prove them wrong. Young people in Serbia are brave and hard-working, they love Serbia and its citizens and they are ready to fight tooth and nail and build a better country – the Minister of Defence said.

Presenting awards to the best reserve officers in this generation, Stefanović pointed out that the fact that they came from Sremska Mitrovica, Pančevo, Knjaževac, Osečina, Niš, Kruševac and other cities, showed that people across the country were interested in the military. The Minister is especially glad that, when visiting the units, he saw that people were happy because of the fact that the state is investing more and more in our military.

- Besides investing in technical means, weapons and equipment, we are also striving to improve service members’ standard of living. We want to increase soldiers and officers’ salaries and show that the Ministry of Defence, the Government and the President of Serbia are doing their best to make our military worthy of pride. We want to have a strong military, because only a strong military can achieve strong deterrence and guarantee that Serbia can continue to develop peacefully, knowing that it is safe because it is protected by its military – Stefanović said. 

The Minister presented wrist watches with dedications to the best Military Academy’s reserve officers in this generation, Reserve Second Lieutenants Milan Ranđelović (GPA 9.55), Nikola Stojanović (9.45) and Bogdan Teodorović (9.38). The Minister also presented wrist watches with dedications to the best MMA Medical Faculty’s reserve officers, Darko Kovačević (9.33), Srbo Milisavljević (9.28) and Kristina Ljubičić (9.00).

On behalf of the “September 2020“ generation, the top-ranked reserve officer, Second Lieutenant Milan Ranđelović, pointed out that  their decision to put on the uniform and become Serbian Armed Forces’ reserve officers, was the result of maturing, education, ups and downs, praises and criticism.

- Today we receive our ranks, titles and our country’s acknowledgment. Let’s not forget that this act is a part of our personality and the most important thing we have promised – to be brave – Ranđelović emphasizes, adding that they are aware that they have to fight for their homeland’s honour in war and peace, every day, through their deeds. 

Today’s ceremony was attended by Deputy Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, Major General Petar Cvetković, Rector of the University of Defence, Lieutenant General Goran Radovanović, PhD, Commandant of the Military Academy, Major General Bojan Zrnić, PhD, Head of the Human Resources Department, Brigadier General Savo Iriškić and Head of the Training and Doctrine Department, Brigadier General Željko Petrović.