26.09.2025.

Oath-taking ceremony held in Leskovac

A formal ceremony was held today at the Field Marshal Petar Bojović barracks in Leskovac, where military service volunteers of the September 2025 intake and students of the 53rd class of the “1300 Corporals” Secondary Vocational Military School took their military oath.

The ceremony was attended by Acting Assistant Minister for Human Resources Siniša Radović.

Congratulating the soldiers and students, Brigadier General Dragiša Zlatković, Commander of the Training Command, emphasized that the military oath has a long tradition and holds special meaning in the Serbian heritage.

- A soldier gives his homeland a pledge of honour, his word guaranteeing his military integrity and morality. The very act of oath-taking is a symbol of honour, courage, and readiness to serve a higher cause - the security and reputation of the Republic of Serbia, said Brigadier General Zlatković, and added that we owe it to future generations to preserve these values, which is why we must remain prepared and trained to meet every challenge in a professional manner and in line with the military code of honour.

General Zlatković addressed the young men and women standing in formation, expressing his confidence that, like many generations of students and soldiers before them, they will successfully complete their training and become fully qualified to operate modern, complex combat systems and other military equipment. Addressing the soldiers, he expressed his belief that some of them will decide to pursue a career in professional military service after they complete their voluntary service.

Ilija Slović from Priboj, who took the military oath today, said he applied for voluntary military service out of love for his homeland.

- I applied for voluntary military service because I love my homeland, and I believe every young man born in this country should know how to defend it. For me, military service isn’t an obligation, it’s an honour. That’s why I believe this is the place where I should be – said Private Slović.

Jana Mladenović, also serving on voluntary basis, says she has been drawn to the military profession from a young age.

- Military service gives us an opportunity to get to know what life in the military is like, to learn about the values the military upholds, and the discipline it requires. Since I see my future in the Serbian Armed Forces, I believe today marks my first step on that path – said Private Jana Mladenović.

Kristina Portić from Kragujevac, a student of the 53rd class of the “1300 Corporals” Secondary Vocational Military School, said she enrolled because she had always wanted to “do something big” for her country.

- By enrolling in this school, I truly believe I’ll succeed in it. Putting on the uniform, I proved to myself that I was capable, and today, on this solemn day, I took the oath and fulfilled one of my greatest dreams – said Junior Sergeant Portić.

Junior Sergeant Luka Ivković, a student at the “1300 Corporals” Secondary Vocational Military School from Subotica, said that what motivated him to enrol was a deep sense of duty to his homeland.

- I wanted to repay my country for everything it has endured. We all know how much our country and our people have suffered throughout history, and I’d like to be, in some way, a pillar of this country and contribute to its strength, said Junior Sergeant Ivković. He added that he would recommend this path to his peers, describing it as an incredible experience that teaches young people the importance of friendship and unity, values that matter not just in the military, but in life as a whole.

Today’s ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, Ministry of the Interior, Serbian Orthodox Church, Jablanica Administrative District, local government officials, as well as the relatives and friends of the soldiers and students of the Secondary Vocational Military School.