Minister Stefanović visits Military Academy cadets on Kopaonik

Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović, PhD, and the Commandant of the Military Academy Colonel Srđan Blagojević visited the 145th class cadets who are undergoing cold weather training at the 51st Ski Centre on the Kopaonik Mountain.



On this occasion, he said that only in these extreme mountain conditions, at low temperatures and blizzards, people can see how dedicated our future officers are and how much effort they make.
 
- I talked today to these young people and their professors and none of them said they were cold, none of them have given up, and none of them said they could not do something – said the Minister of Defence.
 
He is glad that they are using new equipment and that Nordic and tour skiing are being introduced in their training, in addition to Alpine skiing.



- As of this year, this will practically become standard training for future SAF officers, as well as new Airsoft guns. We use everything that modern science and technology can offer so that our cadets can receive the best possible training and understand in real-life scenarios how demanding and complex, but also how honourable it is to perform this duty - Stefanović emphasized.
 
He thanked the professors and the Dean of the Military Academy for putting a lot of work into passing on the necessary knowledge to young cadets. 

- They treat them like officers, but also like their own children. I am glad that today I had the opportunity to see this complex cold weather training and I congratulate them all. On this occasion, I would like to invite other young people to join us, to enrol in the Military Academy and to enter the most honourable profession in Serbia - said Minister Stefanović.



In addition to Alpine ski training, the Military Academy cadets are also learning how to apply Nordic and tour skiing techniques in various tactical situations. The future officers and their teachers presented to the Minister of Defence the segments of practical lessons in Military Topography and Weapons and Shooting.

The Minister was particularly interested in the demonstration of how to build and use fixed targets as well as the weapons training using skiing equipment. The cadets and their instructors demonstrated the construction of igloos and bivouacs, as well as the use of the recently acquired Airsoft weapons combined with the most modern tour skiing equipment.

After visiting the cadets on the "Mali Karaman" ski slope, the demonstration of training and the display of weapons and equipment used by the Military Academy, Minister Stefanović had lunch with the cadets who shared their impressions about the stationary camp on Kopaonik.



The Minister praised their enthusiasm and readiness to take on challenges and emphasized that the Ministry of Defence will continue to improve the living and working conditions, but also the quality of instruction and training for the future Serbian Armed Forces officers.