26.06.2009.

52nd class of the School of National Defense graduates

The graduation ceremony of 52nd class of attendees of GS College, The School of National Defense, which was attended by 25 Serbian MoD officers, two from BH armed forces and one from the Montenegrin army, was held today at the National Assembly Dome.

The ceremony was also attended by the President of Serbia Boris Tadic, National Assembly Spokeswoman Slavica Djukic Dejanovic, Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac and LTG Miloje Miletic, SAF GS Chief, as well as the representatives of the Serbian Government, religious communities, Belgrade University, Mod and GS organizational units, His Majesty the Regent Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, DAs accredited in our country and the relatives of the graduates.

President Tadic presented officer sabers to the commanders who successfully completed their one year specialist studies, while the diplomas were presented by Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac.

On that occasion, President Tadic said that without a well trained personnel and well equipped army Serbia has no future. He said that GS officers should always be prepared to defend Serbia and its integrity as this is their military duty.

The Government of Serbia has adopted strategic documents of the greatest importance for maintaining a stable defense system. It has defined its policy of security and defense and does not harbor any old concepts about security challenges. Even though security challenges, risks and threats are these days significantly different than they were ten or twenty years ago, Serbia demonstrated its readiness to address all these issues through diplomatic and political means without any use of force or violence. Wars are behind us.

Today Serbia is a key and unavoidable factor of stability in the South East Europe. He also stressed that SAF, modeled in a modern way, makes a crucial contribution to peace and stability in the whole region, and is a system, which will deter enemies and will guarantee the security of our country.

In the previous period, our country has demonstrated its commitment to defending its integrity through peaceful means. SAF is a guarantor of such peaceful state policy which creates partners and allies in the world. We also respect and support the integrity of any other country, UN member state. Serbia wishes to fully join PfP as this will enable it to build trust and partnership with other countries, as President said.

The role and responsibility of officers, graduating today, is extremely important for our country. Thanks to you who are performing your duty honorably, our army today has a deservedly high repute among our people. May Serbia, its people and its future always be presenting your mind.

Colonel Mladen Boskovic addressed the present on behalf of the 52nd class of School of National Defense stressing that these studies have provided them with new skills and knowledge and empowered them to counter modern challenges, both home and abroad.

You can rest assured that the system of defense has received a new quality, officers capable to continue developing and the modernization of transformed SAF and the defense system in general. Honoring our glorious tradition, and abiding by the demands of our motherland which shares European values and advocates EU standards, we are proud to be able to serve higher state cause. Let me assure You, that we will do our utmost to address all threats to the security of our country, as Colonel Boskovic said.

During their military specialization studies, officers studies military strategy, global, regional, and national security, operatics and command as well as management. They did several papers and defended their final thesis. Among the lecturers there was also the Serbian defense minister, SAF GS Chief, numerous ambassadors to Belgrade, Chief of China’s People’s Liberation Army, BH Defense Minister and the representatives of George Marshall center, of US war college and professors of Belgrade faculties.
In addition to cabinet classes, this 52nd generation had the opportunity to goon many study trips home and abroad, to visit almost all command posts in Serbia and to share experiences with US and Chinese colleagues. Furthermore, they visited the Kingdom of Belgium, the Sector for Public Diplomacy of NATO in Brussels, NATO Command HQ in Mon, and the famous filed of Waterloo battle.