28.08.2009.

Reserve officers finished their education

In barracks General Jovan Miskovic a graduation ceremony for the March generation of the School of Reserve Officers.

The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Defense Dragan Sutanovac with his colleagues, Deputy Chief of Defense LTG Mladen Cirkovic with his colleagues the management of the Military Academy, family and relatives of the newly promoted reserve second lieutenants.

The top student of this generation of reserve officers at the Military Academy is reserve second lieutenant Nikola Malisic with a GPA of 9.50 while the best student of the MMA reserve officers is Second Liutenant Gojko Obradovic with a GPA of 9.21.

Educating reserve officers in our army has a very long tradition. All the best and the most apt university educated men were admitted to our school. I believe that the period of wars is left behind and that the reserve military will focus its skills and knowledge on maintaining global peace and providing support to the citizens on all occasions, as the Minister said.

Modern Serbia bases its policy on clearly defined stances that all conflicts and disputes should be solved in a peaceful and diplomatic manner based upon the principles of the UN Charter and the principles of international law. He added that only sincere and open cooperation between states can lead to economic prosperity and that Serbia has no alternative when it comes to whether to obtain full EU membership. This is the only way that can contribute to preserving national interests, the economic growth and improved living conditions.

Reminding that the recent period had resulted in the citizens of Serbia regaining trust in SAF, he stressed that they would not stop there. Today army is one of the strongest foreign policy capacities.

The interest in attending the reserve officers school in September 2009 was three times as the number of vacancies. This could prove to be an alternative source of fresh personnel, as army could thus be manned with top quality officers.

Pointing out that an group of seven men and eight women who have gradated from the civil universities will start their practice at MA and MMA, he reminded that they would be afterwards admitted into professional service. Furthermore, as he underlined that he believes that in this youngest generation of reserve officers there are certainly those who would wish to pursue their professional career in the military.

The Minister of Defense thanked the parents and relatives for celebrating this important day with their sons and relatives while extending special commendations to the most successful students.

The Head of the Military Academy Brigadier General Mladen Vuruna, PhD reminded of the complex and demanding process of training reserve officers concluding that they have deserved to be promoted into their first rank the Head of the Military Academy said that they were facing now the opportunity either to keep their status of reserve officers or to become active military professionals and pursue the military career.

Reserve Second Lieutenant Nikola Malisisc, the top student of his class, stated that all his friends had demonstrated commitment and devotion during their studies as well as during their military duty. Malisic thanked all MA and MMA teachers and superior officers as well as to the commandeers of those units where they did their practice.

A total of 88 listeners finished this school in the Military Academy while 25 of them finished their training in the Military Medical Academy. During their 6 month studies they passed 11 exams each, completed military training on training fields, where they conducted 48 shooting practices from various weapons. The listeners of the infantry and engineering branch also took part in preparing and conducting “Diplomac 2009” demo exercise by realizing tactical exercise, and training in arms .

MMA listeners passed 23 exams each, completed military training and also gained further experience in preparing for Diplomac 2009 demo exercise and in the Summer University Olympics.

The average grade of the reserve officers in MA is 8.12 on a ten point scale, while in MMA it was 8.68.