Memorial Medals Presented to the Members of the 126th Air Surveillance, Early Warning and Guidance Brigade
Thursday, 18.4.2019 | Culture and traditions
On the occasion of commemorating 20 years of defence against NATO aggression on the FR Yugoslavia, memorial medals were conferred in the Air Force and Air Defence Command to the members of wartime 126th Air Surveillance, Early Warning and Guidance Brigade (VOJIN) who, executing their responsible tasks on the protection of airspace above Serbia and Montenegro, had bravely fought for 78 days, resisting daily and incessant bombardment.
The celebration was attended by Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Milan Mojsilović and Air Force and Air Defence Commander Major General Duško Žarković with members of Board, who together with the unit Commander Colonel Aleksandar Dučić, handed over the memorial medals to officers, non-commissioned officers and civilians, and retired members of the unit.
– We are marking 20 years of heroic resistance to the aggression of 19 countries of NATO Alliance against our country; aggression, which was carried out without agreement of the UN against a sovereign country with freedom-loving tradition, which is a founder and member of the UN, which represents a precedent in international relations. Despite manifold supremacy of air force, the units of air surveillance, early warning and guidance achieved notable results, maximally preserving human and material resources. Skilful command, timely operational deployment, application of disguise measures enabled continuous surveillance and early warning on operational situation in the airspace above Serbia and Montenegro – General Žarković stressed.
He emphasised that there were 98 engagements against the units and facilities of Air surveillance, early warning and guidance. Notwithstanding daily attacks, they managed to emplace 165 radar posts and traversed some 300,000 kilometres.
– That could be done solely by a superbly trained unit, with brave, trained and resourceful members. Because of remarkable self-sacrifice, courage and displayed determination of all the members, the 126th Brigade of Air Surveillance, Early Warning and Guidance was decorated by the Order of National Hero – General Žarković said.
Commander of the 126th Brigade VOJIN Colonel Aleksandar Dučić, having especially greeted the parents of killed Lieutenants Siniša Radić and Želјko Savičić and wounded Captain Želјko Mićić, pointed out that the unit had been highly important for defence system since its establishment, with a single and concrete task to protect the airspace.
– Performing that task the brigade has successfully executed numerous and difficult tasks including the hardest one, the defence of the fatherland against NATO aggression in 1999.
We successfully passed that test with our self-sacrificing, determination and courage, dedication and loyalty to the holy goal – the defence of the fatherland and our people – Colonel Dučić said, stressing that as they talked about those heroes, the members of the units were executing their tasks in radar cabins and operation centres’ consoles, aware of the fact that freedom has no price and that it can be defended solely by knowledge and supreme competence.
