18.03.2021

Military Academy Day marked



The Military Academy, an institution that nurtures professional officers and is the first and most important stronghold of the military profession in Serbia, has marked its 171st anniversary today. The ceremony was attended by the Rector of the Defence University, Lieutenant General Goran Radovanović, Assoc. Prof., PhD, and the Commandant of the Military Academy, Major General Bojan Zrnić, Prof., PhD.
The ceremony to mark the 170th anniversary of the foundation of the Military Academy could not be held last year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  

- Unfortunately, this year we are marking the Military Academy Day in similar circumstances, but this time we are certain that human reason, together with science as its purest expression, will address this problem. Regardless of the difficult circumstances, the Military Academy has managed to work uninterruptedly, maintain the quality of the teaching process and achieve notable results – the Commandant of the Military Academy General Zrnić said at the ceremony.

He emphasized that the teaching process had been carried out by combining traditional teaching with the University of Defence’s distance learning platform.

- We have organized and conducted all practical forms of instruction, exercises, shooting practices and cold-weather training. We have promoted a new generation of second lieutenants and admitted candidates to Military Academy’s 145th class, accredited new programs of study in order to better prepare cadets for future work in the 21st century whose beginning is marked by a dynamic development of technology. Important steps have been made to enrich the cultural and intellectual life of the Military Academy and its cadets – General Zrnić emphasized.  

On the occasion of the Military Academy Day, an oratorical contest entitled “I Am Giving You an Example, Not an Order” was held. The winner is a second-year Military Academy cadet Branislav Belotić who delivered his speech to the audience.

- Is there anyone among us who is afraid? Is there anyone who regrets being a soldier? No, there isn’t! Is there anything more important for us today than this? For us, Serbs, the homeland has always been sacred. You live, give and sacrifice yourself for it – cadet Belotić spoke.

The message sent at today's ceremony is that through joint efforts and by working on the quality of instruction, modernization of the curriculum, better selection of cadets and improvement of living and working conditions, we can help the Military Academy remain a jewel in the crown of Serbia’s success and strength.