22.04.2020.

Minister Vulin: Serbian Armed Forces take care of all their members

Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin attended a presentation today on providing psychological assistance to active and retired members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces during a state of emergency in the Section for the Development of Psychological Activity of the Personnel Department in the Sector for Human Resources of the Ministry of Defence.

The Head of the Personnel Department, Colonel Zlatko Mišić, briefed the Minister of Defence on the tasks and mission of the Section for the Development of Psychological Activity, and Nada Marković, the Head of the Section for the Development of Psychological Activity, presented the Section’s work and capacity during the state of emergency, with special reference to experience in providing psychological assistance in emergency situations so far.

Minister Vulin pointed out that the members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces are giving their maximum effort in these difficult days.

- They are doing some of the most difficult jobs, regardless of whether they are engaged in guarding certain facilities or participate in the treatment of the most seriously ill patients, but all members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces are giving their maximum. They need help with this, especially our colleagues who are infected, our colleagues who are successfully recovering. Each of them needs someone to help them, and each of them needs to know that the system cares for them - the Minister of Defence emphasized.

The Serbian Armed Forces take care of all their members, Minister Vulin said, of both active and retired members; they take care of their families, which is why psychological support is very important and valuable.

- It is important now, and will be important in the days to come. Anyone who is a part of the Serbian Armed Forces, anyone who has chosen to devote their lives to serving the Serbian Armed Forces, their people and their country, can count on the system to take care of them. The Serbian Armed Forces take care of their own people - Minister Vulin emphasized.

Speaking about the importance of psychological support, the Head of the Section for the Development of Psychological Activity, Nada Marković said that in accordance with the Instructions on the work of the Ministry of Defence during the state of emergency, this Section has provided psychological support for all active and retired members, in cooperation with all psychologists in the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces.

- We are also available to all our members who are in isolation, and they can contact us in case of need, if they feel endangered and cannot resolve some of their emotional problems, or the current state of anxiety, hopelessness or panic. We are here to provide understanding and compassion and, if necessary, to refer them for professional help - said the Head of Section Nada Marković.

The main mission of the Section for the Development of Psychological Activity of the Sector for Human Resources of the Ministry of Defence is to coordinate the work of military psychologists, to develop and improve psychological activity in accordance with the needs of the defence system, modern scientific achievements, examples of good practices, legal regulations and the professional code of ethics.