18.12.2015.

Taking the military oath

Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic and State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Zoran Djordjevic have attended the ceremony of taking the military oath at the "Airport" barracks in Sombor today. Besides families and friends of the youngest generation of soldiers on voluntary military service, the ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, local self-government, Ministry of Interior, the religious communities.

Congratulating the December class of soldiers on the taken oath, General Dikovic pointed out that stepping into the military line and taking an oath to the homeland in a powerful voice, and being determined, before the commanding officers of their Armed Forces and their families, is the most beautiful expression of patriotism and lofty sense of responsibility for the future and security of the state.

- Let the military oath fill you with pride and dignity and further strengthen your love for the homeland for which you signed up for voluntary military service. It is not easy to be a soldier, but it is the honour and dignity – the Chief of General Staff said indicating that a well-trained soldier in good unit is the best guarantor of security of his country.

As pointed out by the Chief of General Staff, the Serbian Armed Forces is committed to carrying out all the tasks entrusted to it by the state, fostering military traditions and the preservation of strong relationship between the army and the people.

- Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces closely monitor developments in the region that could in any way endanger the security of the citizens of Serbia. We are willing to protect the interests of preserving the security of all citizens of the Republic of Serbia and our homeland – General Dikovic said.

Addressing the crowd of soldiers, General Dikovic indicated that they became part of the Serbian Armed Forces, the institution to which our citizens now trust the most, and that trust is the result of continuous work of the members of the Armed Forces.

- You are to face an arduous military training, and your commanding officers will help you to successfully complete this training, to become excellent soldiers and come out from these barracks stronger, more mature, more stable people, but also bolder than you were when you arrived at the barracks – Chief of General Staff Dikovic said at the end of his speech.

The ceremony of taking the oath in the Second Training Centre in Valjevo was attended by State Secretary Nenad Neric, Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Jovica Draganic, representatives of the Ministry of Defence, the Serbian Armed Forces, local communities, relatives and friends of soldiers.

Deputy Chief of General Staff said that the Serbian Armed Forces is staunchly committed to maintaining and strengthening its operational capabilities.

- We are walking along the path traced by our glorious ancestors and we are looking to the future ready, holding our heads high – General Draganic said adding that Serbia today is proud of its Armed Forces and its members are proud of its long and glorious military tradition.

The soldier's oath today was taken today by the young men and women in voluntary military service in the Third Training Centre in Leskovac, as well, and the ceremony was attended by the Commander of the Training Command Lieutenant General Djokica Petrovic.