Promotion of the “September 2019” generation of reserve officers

Minister Vulin: Peace will be more lasting and more certain when the Serbian Armed Forces are strong and when their state is strong

The Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin attended today a ceremony marking the completion of the military training of the "September 2019" generation of reserve officer trainees and their promotion to the rank of reserve second lieutenant of the Serbian Armed Forces, at the “General Jovan Mišković” Barracks in Belgrade.
The ceremony started by reading the Decree of the President of the Republic of Serbia and the Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces, Aleksandar Vučić, by which the trainees were promoted to reserve second lieutenants.

Addressing everyone present, Minister Vulin emphasized that Serbia had seized its right to be military neutral and had chosen and fought to decide for itself how it would live and how it would last, and that we ourselves would decide what our children would be called, what language we would speak, which script we would use for writing.

 - Having chosen to be militarily neutral, we chose not to receive anyone's orders except our people’s. So you should know, officers – that no one will ever send you to do to others what was done to our people and no one will ever order you to deny freedom to other peoples, steal anyone’s piece of land, hurt their children - Minister Vulin emphasized.

Addressing the youngest class of reserve officers, the minister of defence stressed that they must exist in order for Serbia to be militarily neutral and to defend its right to make its own decisions.

- This is why this line of troops belongs to Serbia and all the Serbs, wherever they are. When they see it, they feel better, safer, and more peaceful. And peace will be more lasting and more certain when the Serbian Armed Forces are strong and when their state is strong. Take care, because Serbia cannot afford to lose any of you. Take care and think of your families, think of the future and be sure that what the state of Serbia has invested in you can only be paid back with your life and in no other way – Minister Vulin emphasized.

 Minister Vulin thanked the families of the promoted reserve officers for raising the people who stand in front of their people, ready to preserve, protect and teach it.

- And when you are standing in front of people who will trust you with their lives, their heads, their future and their health, be sure that they will not appreciate you because of your rank or your age, but only because of the knowledge, and human kindness that you give and show them. You cannot ask them to do what you are not prepared to do. And I know that you are ready to do everything for your country and for your armed forces, just as Serbia is ready to do almost everything for peace, and absolutely everything for freedom - said Minister Vulin at the end of his address.
 
To the most successful trainees of the “September 2019” generation, Minister Vulin presented awards - wristwatches with dedication to reserve second lieutenants of the Military Academy’s Quartermaster Service - Dragan Antić (9.73 average grade), Jovana Vukojević (9.55) and Aleksandar Radenković (9.45), as well as reserve second lieutenants of the Medical Service who have trained at the Military Medical Academy’s Faculty of Medicine - Nikola Savić (9.78), Jovana Nikolić (9.67) and Aleksandar Alimpić (9.67).

 On behalf of the "September 2019" generation, the best ranking reserve officer of this year’s generation, Reserve Second Lieutenant Dragana Antić, thanked everyone who helped them on their way to the rank of reserve officers, especially for giving more than they were asked for, selflessly sharing their knowledge and experience.

- We are grateful to our loved ones, first of all to our parents, who taught us to love our country – stressed Reserve Lieutenant Antić, adding that she knows how proud their parents and friends are today.

The families and friends of the reserve officers who attended today's event could not hide their pride. Dejan Đerić, a Master of Electrical Engineering and, as of today, a reserve second lieutenant of the Serbian Armed Forces had the greatest support from his family who came to today's ceremony from Užice.

- I chose the Reserve Officers’ School, first of all, for patriotic reasons, inspired by the Duke Bojović's statement advising us that "a homeland for a man of honour and a serious man is a set of obligations in both war and peace." I recommend that all academic citizens apply to the Reserve Officers’ School and thus strengthen our armed forces and the state - said the Reserve Second Lieutenant Đerić. His friend Marko and mother Ljubica, who said she was most proud of the youth she saw in the lined-up troops, were particularly emotional today.

The example of Reserve Officers’ School being a good choice for girls as well is Reserve Second Lieutenant Sanja Tošić who has completed the six month training with nothing but good impressions. She is a physical education teacher and a history teacher by profession and after graduating from two colleges, the Reserve Officers’ School was the right choice for her who has always been interested in being an officer.

 - I love my country; I want to serve it honestly. I applied for patriotic reasons - pointed out Reserve Second Lieutenant Tošić, whose biggest support today was her boyfriend Predrag who did not hide emotions in front of his girlfriend in the uniform of the Serbian Armed Forces.  He says that today's ceremony has brought back fond memories of his military days.

Today's ceremony was attended by the Rector of the University of Defence, Lieutenant General Goran Radovanović, PhD, Head of the Human Resources Department, Brigadier General Savo Iriškić, Head of the Training and Doctrine Department, Brigadier General Željko Petrović, as well as families, relatives and friends of the youngest reserve officers.