24.09.2020.
By training NCOs, we are strengthening the pillars of the Serbian Armed Forces
The Serbian Armed Forces are increasing their operational capabilities aware that a man is at the core of every readiness, which is why they pay special attention to the continuous training process and different kinds of courses for all their members.
When it comes to NCOs, they have the opportunity, in addition to receiving education in secondary military schools, to become professional soldiers who stand out in their units in terms of knowledge and abilities, and want to achieve further advancement in their career.
Being aware of the significance of the NCO corps and in order to keep up with modern armies of the world, in 2010, the Serbian Armed Forces formed the NCO Training and Advancement Centre as part of the Training Command, which has become a base for generating quality and trained staff. This Centre, named after Milunka Savić, a Great War heroine and a sergeant of the Serbian Army who was decorated several times, is located in the “People’s Hero Stevica Jovanović” barracks in Pančevo.The NCO Training Centre offers: Leadership Course, Basic NCO Course, Advanced NCO Course, as well as career, specialist and special-purpose courses, such as courses for training instructors and new weapons and military equipment handlers.
The first level of a soldier’s career development on the way to the rank of an NCO is the Leadership Course. The best professional soldiers who have proven themselves through work and commitment in performing military duties attend this course. Upon successful completion of this eight-week course, the participants gain the right to attend the Basic NCO Course, after which they have the opportunity to become non-commissioned officers of the Serbian Armed Forces.
During the Leadership Course, participants improve their existing knowledge and acquire new general military and specialist knowledge and skills, in order to be able to perform the tasks of a Deputy Squad Leader and master the basics for further training.
A turning point in the career of a professional soldier and a new beginning of a professional military career in terms of advancement in the service is the Basic NCO Course, which consists of three modules: general, specialist and internship, followed by the ceremonial end of the course. This course lasts 26 weeks, or 130 workdays.All course participants, regardless of their branch or service, must complete the same first module lasting 10 weeks, which is held in the NCO Training and Advancement Centre. After the course, participants are ready to command a squad and perform general tactical tasks as well as to undergo basic individual training and general military training.
The second, specialist module lasts 12 weeks and provides the opportunity to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to command a squad in performing branch or service-specific tasks and undergo specialist branch or service-specific training. This stage of training is carried out in specialist training centres throughout Serbia and in units of the Serbian Armed Forces.
The third module lasts three weeks, during which course participants do an internship performing initial branch or service-specific duties in the units of the Serbian Armed Forces.The basic NCO course covers various areas, including subjects such as leadership, general military regulations, military morale, training methods, drills, military topography, tactical training, firearms and physical training. At the end of the course, participants have a one-week preparation for the military ceremony, at which all those who successfully completed the course are promoted to the first NCO rank - sergeant, and are then assigned to appropriate duties in the units of the Serbian Armed Forces.
For all those who want to advance further in their NCO careers, there are also Advanced NCO Course, career courses (First Sergeant Course, Command Master Sergeant Course, Command and Staff Course), specialist and special-purpose courses (courses for training instructors, courses for certifiers, instruction and teaching methods courses, courses for new weapons and military equipment handlers).
Throughout their careers, NCOs of the Serbian Armed Forces adopt, develop and promote values such as military spirit, courage, integrity, initiative, discipline and self-discipline, commitment, expertise, authority, responsibility in performing tasks, teamwork and loyalty to the unit, army and state, so it can rightly be said that they represent one of the pillars of our armed forces.
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VIDEOGALLERY24.09.2020
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