22.09.2017.
Soldiers and cadets swore an oath to the fatherland
Today, at the training centres of the Serbian Armed Forces, soldiers who came to serve voluntary military service at the beginning of September, cadets of the Military Academy and the Military Medical Academy and the reserve officers' class swore an oath to the fatherland.
At the Sombor "Aerodrom" barracks in the First Training Centre, cadets of the 142nd class of the Military Academy, together with the soldiers of the September generation, swore their oath to Serbia. The ceremonial act of taking the oath was attended by State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Aleksandar Živković, Commander of the Training Command, Lieutenant General Đokica Petrović, Chief of the Logistics Department of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Željko Ninković, representatives of local self-government, Serbian Orthodox Church, Ministry of Interior and veterans organizations, and . numerous relatives and friends of the cadets and soldiers.
Congratulating the cadets and soldiers on the taken oath on behalf of the Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin and Chief of General Staff General Ljubiša Diković, General Petrović said that the defence of the homeland in this [arts has always been a sacred duty, a right and an honour.
- Through the turbulent periods of the history of our people, the essence of the oath was and will have an exalted and noble value. We are living in a country of glorious history, past, proud and brave people, General Petrović said.
Addressing the cadets and soldiers, he asked them to keep a memory of the giants of our past and be proud of the descendants of the famous ancestors who showed in wars freedom and honour of their homeland how its freedom and independence should be defended.
- Be proud of your country so that it can be proud of you. Many of the battles, combats and wars have been carved into the permanent memory of our people. Each of them is a story for itself, a story about us, our understanding of freedom and life and a dignified form of human existence. We soldiers continue the bright tradition of our people at the same time honourably performing assignments, we bring security to the peaceful life of all citizens of Serbia. It is your job to successfully master the training, to be reliable defenders of Serbia and pride to your parents. To do this, it takes a lot of labour and sweat. Through the training process, you will mature as people, as soldiers and future officers, you will become part of a unique military collective, General Petrović said.
He also emphasized the duty of the commanding officers to educate another generation of soldiers and cadets successfully and effectively on the libertarian traditions of our people and its army, as well as on their personal experience of professionalism and patriotism gained through the years of their careers.
General Petrović also spoke to the parents of the cadets whom he thanked for entrusting the Serbian Armed Forces with the highest values they have.
- Be sure that we will do everything we can that your sons and daughters, and our soldiers, educate and serve their military service in peace, honourably and with dignity. It is on us, the commanding officers, to have the responsibility, take care and the most important task to preserve their lives and health, and at the same time successfully train them to be the defenders of their fatherland.
In the end, addressing cadets and soldiers of the September generation, General Petrović wished them to serve their military service honourably and never to break the oath, but also never to have the opportunity to apply the acquired knowledge in practice.
Conscripts and cadets of the 142nd class of the Military Academy and the 9th class of the MMA Medical Faculty and the reserve officers class officers of the "September2017" generation swore the oath at the Second Training Center "Vojvoda Živojin Mišić" in Valjevo.
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Commander of the Training Command Brigadier General Jelesije Radivojević, representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Ministry of Interior, relatives and friends of the cadets, participants and soldiers and numerous guests.
The ceremony of taking the military oath at the "Vojvoda Petar Bojović" barracks, where 130 soldiers sworn in, was attended by Brigadier General Duško Žarković, Head of Operations Department of the General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Dejan Janković, Chief of Staff of the Training Command, presidents of the municipalities of Vlasotince and Bojnik and representatives of the municipalities of Medveđa, Lebane and Crna Trava, representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Ministry of Interior, schools and other institutions and organizations, as well as parents and friends of soldiers who took oath.
Brigadier General Duško Žarković, congratulating soldiers on the taken military oath, pointed out that the Serbian Armed Forces is steadfastly committed to strengthening defence capabilities and performing all tasks entrusted to it by the Republic of Serbia, fostering military traditions and preserving a strong link between the military and the people.
