12.08.2020.

Minister Vulin: We are proud of the June generation of soldiers

Today, the Minister of Defence, Aleksandar Vulin, accompanied by the Chief of Staff of the Training Command, Colonel Nikola Dejanović, visited soldiers of the “June 2020” generation who are doing voluntary military service in the “Vojvoda Živojin Mišić” barracks in Valjevo, where he attended specialist training in infantry equipment.

- Just as the the March class of soldiers who were doing voluntary military service amazed Serbia with their huge contribution to the fight against Covid-19, so the members of the June class of soldiers make us all proud. Young men and women from all parts of Serbia are training, learning, acquiring new skills and many of them have decided to tie their fate to the Serbian Armed Forces and become professional soldiers once they have completed their military service – said Minister Vulin.

- The soldiers of the June class also help a lot in the fight against Covid. They set up temporary Covid hospitals, helped wherever it was needed and none of them said it was too hard or that they could not or would not carry out their tasks. Each of them worked for their country - said Minister Vulin, adding that, with the June class of soldiers, the Serbian Armed Forces and the state of Serbia are even stronger and safer.

The Commander of the Training Command’s Second Training Centre, Colonel Zoran Smiljanić, explained that the June generation of soldiers, having completed basic training in the Second Centre, moved on to specialist training for marksmen, where soldiers were trained to use infantry weapons – the 7.92 mm M 76 sniper rifle, 64 mm M80 hand-held rocket launcher and 7.62 mm M57 and 99 9 mm CZ pistols.

- Soldiers of the June generation, just like the previous March generation, are especially motivated for carrying out their training tasks and they have been engaged several times in setting up temporary Covid hospitals in Belgrade. They carry out all tasks well, on time and without question – said Colonel Smiljanić, emphasizing that the June and March generations of soldiers are among the best generations of soldiers who have done voluntary military service in the Second Training Centre in the last few years.

Private Katarina Ilić from Batočina says that she has been interested in the military from a young age, and that is the reason why she joined the voluntary military service.

- I have been doing my military service since June this year. The parts of training that I liked most were weapons handling and shooting practices. I have good company, the accommodation is good and the food is great. I have been interested in the military and the whole military system from a young age. I’m planning to do this job in the future – said Katarina Ilić.

Lance Corporal Miloš Dragić from Ćuprija says that the training is demanding and that the criteria are very high, which motivates him to work harder.

- For now, I really like shooting, the entire training. I thought the criteria were lower, but they have been set quite high and I really like it here. I would recommend everyone to apply for voluntary military service. The company is phenomenal. We are all as one here - points out Lance Corporal Dragić and adds that he hopes that one day he will be a professional serviceman.