Oath-taking Ceremonies
Friday, 20.9.2019 | Stories from Units
Oath-taking ceremonies of soldiers on voluntary military service, students of reserve officers' class of the September 2019 generation, students of the Military Academy and the Military Medical Academy and students of the Secondary Vocational Military School were held today at the training centres in Sombor, Valjevo and Leskovac.
– Today you have sworn that you will guard your country and be with your people wherever and whenever they need it. Today you have made your country, your people, your ancestors and your descendants proud, proud of the lineup that stands before them, the lineup that is our guardian, our rampart against any evil, crime and storm. Today you made proud those who walked before you and today you look at the grateful eyes of those who will wish to look like you, to be just like you – Minister Aleksandar Vulin said at today's oath-taking ceremony of soldiers on voluntary military service, students of reserve officers' class of the September 2019 generation, students of the Military Academy and the Military Medical Academy and students of the Secondary Vocational Military School, held at the 'Vojvoda Živojin Mišić' barracks in Valjevo.
Congratulating those who swore that they would protect their country and their people, Minister Vulin told them not to worry, because no one would ever send them to do evil to other nations and stifle their desire for freedom.
– We have chosen to be militarily neutral, not to listen to anyone, not to do anything that can endanger our people and our way of life. Never will crimes committed against the Serbian people be perpetrated by the Serbian people or by the Serbian army against other people and against other nations. Rest assured that grateful Serbia stands by you, proud and honoured, safe and peaceful, because only a strong Serbia and its strong army are the guarantors of peace in the entire Balkans. When Serbia was strong and its army was strong, there was peace, security and stability. When Serbia was weak, powerless and distant from its people and its borders, then there was trouble and war – Minister Vulin said, adding that such a proud and powerful army is the only guarantee that our people will live in peace, that the whole Balkans will live in peace.
Minister Vulin thanked the army for trust, hope, perseverance, persistence, stubbornness, for being alongside its state and its people and that its present members make the Serbian Armed Forces worthy of their ancestors and worthy of the memory of their descendants.
Minister Vulin thanked numerous families that gathered at today's ceremony to support their loved ones as they were taking the oath for having given to Serbia what was most valuable to them, with great confidence and hope.
– Dear parents, I wish to thank you on behalf of the only beloved Serbia for these giants, for this lineup, for this most beautiful, best, bravest youth. You brought them up, took care of them, rejoiced, wept with them and because of them. Thank you for giving them to us, for entrusting them to us, because there is no greater sign of trust, no greater hope than when you hand over your child to your country. You gave the best and the most beautiful you have, what makes it worth giving birth to, to your country. Thank you for that, and the people for whom they stand here and for whom they exist will be grateful as well – Minister Vulin said.
Anastasia Vojvodić of Belgrade is among the 280 members of the Serbian Armed Forces who took the oath. According to her, the experience of her brother who voluntarily served military service two years ago spurred her interest in the military. She points out that her experience is very positive and recommends all her peers to apply for military service.
It was natural for Đorđe Rajković from the vicinity of Lajkovac to continue along the path traced by his ancestors and become a member of the army. As he says, the very act of taking military oath is something sacred for him just as it is for every soldier. His opinion is shared also by the Military Academy cadet Petar Milanović from Veliko Gradište, who believes that every man should go through a form of military training.
The military oath was also taken today by 199 soldiers and cadets at the Airport barracks in Sombor and 134 soldiers at the 'Vojvoda Petar Bojović' barracks in Leskovac.
The oath taking ceremony in Valjevo was attended by Rector of the University of Defence, Lieutenant General Goran Radovanović; Deputy Commander of the Training Command, Brigadier General Jelesije Radivojević; Chief of the Human Resources Department of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Savo Iriškić; Chief of the Cabinet of the Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Siniša Kresović; Bishop Milutin of Valjevo; Mayor of Valjevo, Slobodan Gvozdenović and numerous representatives of local self-government.
In Sombor, the oath taking ceremony was attended by Chief of Staff of the Operations Department of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, Major General Želimir Glišović; Chief of the Department for Training and Doctrine, Brigadier General Željko Petrović; and in Leskovac – Deputy Commander of the Joint Operations Command, Major General Ilija Todorov.
