Graduation Ceremony at the House of the National Assembly

Thursday, 11.7.2013 | News

At today`s Graduation Ceremony at the House of the National Assembly, the President of the Republic of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolić, awarded sabres to three top officers of the 56th class of the School of National Defence of the General Staff College, and the badges to the officers of the 2nd class of the Advanced Security and Defence Studies.

At today`s Graduation Ceremony at the House of the National Assembly, the President of the Republic of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolić, awarded sabres to three top officers of the 56th class of the School of National Defence of the General Staff College, and the badges to the officers of the 2nd class of the Advanced Security and Defence Studies.

The First Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vučić awarded sabres to every officer who completed his studies successfully at the General Staff College.

The best officers of the 56th class of the General Staff College are Lieutenant Colonel Tiosav Janković (average score 9.40), Lieutenant Colonel Dragan Mesarović (average score 9.40) and Lieutenant Colonel Mile Vitezović (average score 9.40).

The advanced studies of the 2nd class of the Advanced Security and Defence Studies were attended by the five officers of the Serbian Armed Forces, six from the ministries and the agencies of the Government of Serbia, one member of the National Assembly and the three officers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia, respectively. The 23 officers have been educated at the General Staff College.

The Ceremony was attended as well by the President of the National Assembly of Serbia, Nebojša Stefanović, the Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff, General Ljubisa Diković, the Patriarch Irinej, the ministers to the Government of Serbia, foreign military attachés, relatives and friends.

The President of Serbia has emphasized that the insignia – badges and sables – are rightfully in the hands of the officers who are now as one team, sharing common values, missions and tasks.

– The strength of this team stems from the purpose and the goals it serves, since there are no higher collective goals than to defence the country and to strengthen its security system. Peacekeeping, creating the persistent and strong security system of the country and developing regional cooperation, among other things, serve to ensure that every citizen, state and society could achieve their goals and that every citizen could follow his dream in peace and safety, said the President of Serbia.

Nikolić added that the society and the institutions are changing and that the people who will be assigned to responsible positions should be graced by curiosity, experience and craving for the new knowledge and the wish to better themselves intellectually.

- Do not get lulled by your titles and knowledge acquired so far, because knowledge becomes obsolete soon. Only the wisdom lasts, founded by the knowledge, thoughtfulness, up-bringing and experience. We need the wisdom in order to preserve what previous generations had left us in heritage. The vision, patience and good will are necessary for us to renew and strengthen the relationships and cooperation in the region, said Nikolić.

Congratulating the officers on successfully completed education, the Head of the School of National Defence, Colonel Mile Jelić pointed out that the lectures given by the highest state officials, university professors from our country and abroad, the ambassadors, representatives of religion communities and the generals of our army makes this school unique along with the process of teaching carried out through various trips, such as study tours, commandant reconnaissance activities and trips.

– The confirmation of international respect of our military education and the University of Defence are the officers from Russia, China, United States of America, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia and Macedonia who have been educated in the School of National Defence so far –Colonel Jelić pointed out, telling the officers that they have been chosen to be the leaders of new ideas and new energy needed to realize the tasks and to hold on to proven values, to work for the well-being of their states, armies and people.

On behalf of officers the audience was addressed by the best officer Lieutenant Colonel Tiosav Janković who pointed out that that day was a very special day for all of them because they invested a great deal of effort to fulfill all the demands required during education.

– Together with our professors we managed to overcome many dilemmas, to widen our knowledge, acquire new skills to improve our strategic line of thought and to solve the operational problems – he emphasized, especially thanking the officers` families on patience, understanding and unselfish help and support.

Advanced Security and Defence Studies represent an organizational unity within the School for National Defence which organizes, once a year, the highest level of special education for the officers, state officials of the Ministry of Defence, the officials of the other ministries and agencies of the Government of Serbia, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and the officials from the other states in the region. A primary goal of the Advanced Security and Defence Studies is the education and preparation for highly responsible duties in the system of national security.

General Staff College comprise the third level of special training, upon the completion of the primary studies, and it is attended by the officers from the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian Armed Forces, as well as the officers from the armed forces of other countries. A special training in the organizational unity of the School of National Defence lasts nine months. The aim of the General Staff College is to develop the leadership abilities in the officers for a strategic line of thought along with an efficient commandant and management capacities that will prove effective in a great variety of national and international security challenges.

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