10.07.2020.

Celebration of Conclusion of Courses for Attenders of 9th Class at ASDS and Officers of 63rd Class of GSC

- Today, security system of Serbia has become richer for a new class – for officers, civil servants, the people who know and understand the security system, but most of all, it has become richer for the people who love their country and who have dedicated their lives not to their profession, since being part of security structures of this country is not a profession but it is a choice, and a life mission – underlined the Envoy of the President of the Republic of Serbia and Supreme Commander of the Serbian Armed Forces the Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin at a celebration to mark the end of education for attenders of the 9^th class of Advanced Security and Defence Studies and attenders of the 63^rd class of General Staff Course of the National Defence School, which was held today at the Military Academy.

According to him, we are richer, safer, and surer for another generation of people who have sworn to defend their fatherland, our way of life and our people.
He said that “at the Advanced Security and Defence Studies, and at General Staff Course we have prepared ourselves for everything that may threaten the security of our country”.

- Today, war is waged by some other means, and it is not led using solely equipment and personnel. Today, war is becoming more and more specialised, and it is more and more becoming a fight for hearts and souls of peoples, for abolishment and annihilation of political stability, for threatening security and even health of an entire nation. At the studies we were prepared for that very thing in order to be able to find new answers in the new times to new security threats, to attempts to destabilise our country, to make it torn apart, defeated, divided, to destroy political stability using special war systems and hybrid warfare, to destroy economic security, and the path of progress that this country has taken – Minister Vulin stressed.

At today’s celebration of completion of education, Minister Vulin presented officer sabres to the first three ranking officers in the 63^rd class of GSC, and a mediaeval Serbian sword to attenders of the 9^th class of ASDS, while remaining officers of the 63^rd class of GSC received sabres from Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces General Milan Mojsilović. General Staff Advancement was completed by 38 officers from the country and abroad, out of which 35 came from organisational units of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces and three officers came from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The most successful in the class were Lieutenant Colonel Manojle Mićović with average score of 9.67, the second ranking was Commander Darko Stričić, with the average score of 9.67 as well, while the third ranking officer is Lieutenant Colonel Srđan Glavonjić with average score of 9.50.

Addressing the gathered on behalf of the attenders, the first ranking officer, Lieutenant Colonel Mićović underlined that on that day all the attenders were richer for a new experience and knowledge, and that they were ready for new duties in the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces “aware of the importance and responsibility that they entail”.

- I am certain that this will be a motive for our further work and that we will honourably execute all assigned tasks. I assure you that we will undertake the new duties well prepared, aware of the obligations that we will face, and ready to confront all challenges, looking forward to provide our contribution through our dedication and zeal to building of operational capabilities of the armed forces, enhancement of the state of defence system and better future of the Republic of Serbia – Lieutenant Mićović said.

The Advanced Security and Defence Studies were completed by 11 attenders, among whom four are representatives of the state government bodies and services of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, four are officers in the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, while one officer came from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a representative of the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and an officer of the People’s National Army of DPR Algeria.

The celebration that was held at the Military Academy was attended by members of the Board of Minister of Defence and Chief of General Staff, University of Defence, Director of SIA Bratislav Gašić, representatives of diplomatic corps and the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Advanced Security and Defence Studies are an organisational unit in the National Defence School and they are organised once a year as the highest level of professional advancement for officers and civil servants, aimed at educating and preparing the attenders to assume high duties in the system of national security.

The General Staff Course is combined in its character and it represents the third level of career advancement for officers. Its aim is to develop leadership capabilities of officers for strategic thinking and efficient command and management in the wide spectrum of national and international security challenges.

The most successful officer of the 63^rd class Lieutenant Colonel Mićović underlined that it was a great honour and pride, especially in such a class, but that it was equally a great pride to be with such colleagues and socialise with them.

- I am very glad that we have completed the advancement despite all difficulties caused by coronavirus outbreak – Lieutenant Colonel Mićović stated extending special gratitude to the unit from which he came, sending message to his colleagues to opt for attending that form of advancement so that they could gain new knowledge and great experience that it offered.

The second ranking officer, Commander Darko Stričić completed the course with the same average score and he explained that his impressions were conflicted – on one hand he felt happy because of completion of the Course, but on the other, he was sad because of upcoming parting with the colleagues with whom he had shared everything.

He underscored that, though coronavirus outbreak affected their education, the envisaged programme was successfully carried out owing to their efforts and the efforts of professors.

Colonel Mitar Adžić from the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina was among the attenders of this generation of GSC and he underscored that he had been well received from the first until the last day, not only in the National Defence School, but by the colleagues from the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces.

- Not for a single moment have we felt like foreigners in this state. We have received wholehearted assistance from all. Today’s celebration is the crown of our work. This school will mean a lot in our further promotion – Colonel Adžić noted extending his gratitude to the National Defence School.

One of the attenders of the Advanced Security and Defence Studies is Ivan Mijailović from the Ministry of Justice. Speaking about the studies that he had completed, Mijailović stressed that it was a great privilege, honour and commitment to be a part of educational system of the Ministry of Defence, and to gain new and expand the existing knowledge.

- I am certain that the knowledge that the colleagues and I have gained will be to a large extend used and upgraded in our work. I am pleased to be a part of this ceremony and to have received the medieval sword from the Envoy of President of the Republic as a symbol of this education and our state and I will proudly take it home – Mijailović said.