06.05.2026.

Military ceremony marking Guard Day

Minister of Defence Bratislav Gašić today attended a military ceremony marking the Serbian Armed Forces Guard Day at the Dedinje barracks in Belgrade.

At the ceremony, Minister Gašić noted that the Serbian Armed Forces Guard Day is being observed today, honouring a unit that has stood as an example of excellence, honour, discipline, and the state’s dignity for nearly two centuries.

- The Guard has always been the elite unit of our armed forces, the most ceremonial face of our fatherland, a reflection of its strength and historic heritage. Wherever the Guard stands, there stands the authority of the Republic of Serbia. Throughout its rich and illustrious history, this unit has consistently fulfilled its mission, honourably and competently carrying out its assigned tasks. From combat operations, to rendering the highest state and military honours, to providing logistical support to units and institutions of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, and securing the most important facilities within the defence system, the role of the Guard is both multifaceted and indispensable – the Minister of Defence said.

Minister Gašić stressed that the nature of the Guard members’ duties has never allowed for improvisation or error, as the image of the Serbian Armed Forces is reflected in their appearance, discipline, and the skill they demonstrate before the highest domestic and foreign officials, as well as the wider public.

- For this reason, the blue Guards’ uniform, with its distinctive insignia, has long stood as a symbol of honour and prestige. Those chosen to wear it are measured according to particular moral and physical standards. Social, economic, technological, and security changes, in short - the spirit of the new age - have not affected the fundamental values or core standards of this unit - the Minister of Defence said, stressing that the Guard is expected, at all times and without comprise, to maintain the highest standards of physical, professional, and moral excellence of its members, while continuously improving their level of training and preserving a unique patriotic spirit and loyalty to the flag and the homeland.

The Minister of Defence stated that the strengthening of the Guard will continue in the period ahead, and that investments in infrastructure and the reconstruction of its facilities will further improve the living and working conditions of its personnel.

- This will be one of our priorities. You have the full support of both the state and military leaderships for the continued development and advancement of this elite unit – Minister Gašić said.

He thanked the members of the Guard for remaining committed to the highest standards of military service, those same standards established on this day in 1830 by order of Prince Miloš Obrenović.

- The words of the ruler’s order were both visionary and true: “Every father or kinsman should regard it as an honour if his son or relative is admitted to the Guard.” Through your work, dedication, and the special role you perform within the defence system, you bring honour to your families and friends, as well as to the citizens who look upon you with affection and pride – Minister Gašić said, extending his congratulations to the members of the Guard on their anniversary and expressing his conviction that they would always prove worthy of the prestigious status of the unit they belong to.

The Guard Commander, Colonel Vladimir Vukajlović, expressed his gratitude to the Minister of Defence and the Chief of the General Staff, General Milan Mojsilović, for their unreserved support, noting that this special day, the 196^th anniversary of the Guard’s establishment, provides an opportunity to pause, reflect, and assess the unit’s success in carrying out its principal tasks over the past year.

- Despite numerous challenges that have demanded extra effort from each of us, from my standpoint as the Commander of the Guard, I can say that we have successfully carried out all assigned tasks, relying on the Guard’s honourable legacy, while continuously strengthening the operational capabilities of our unit. In the execution of our daily duties, we demonstrate that we are a unit that has endured with pride for nearly two centuries, a unit in which a sense of loyalty, belonging, honour, and responsibility towards the tradition entrusted to us is continually upheld – Colonel Vukajlović said.

To mark the occasion, a ceremonial parade of Guard units was held, accompanied by a performance by the Guard’s Representative Orchestra. The results achieved over the past period were reviewed, and awards were presented to the most outstanding individuals.

The ceremony was attended by the Commandant of the Military Academy, Major General Željko Furundžić, Commander of the Training Command, Brigadier General Dragiša Zlatković, Head of the Intelligence and Reconnaissance Department (J-2), Brigadier General Dragan Arsenijević, Head of the Training and Doctrine Department (J-7), Brigadier General Siniša Stašević, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Nikola Matović, and numerous other guests.

Earlier today, members of the Guard also marked the unit’s Patron Saint’s Day – Feast of Saint George the Great Martyr (Đurđevdan).