31.10.2025.
Promotion ceremony for new SAF non-commissioned officers
A ceremony marking the induction of the Basic NCO Course participants (26th Class) into professional NCO Corps and their promotion to the rank of sergeant was held today at the Guard Club in Belgrade.
The ceremony at which a total of 151 course participants were promoted to the rank of sergeant was attended by State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Mile Jelić, Deputy Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff Lieutenant General Tiosav Janković, members of the Defence Minister’s and the Chief of the General Staff’s collegiums, representatives from the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces units, as well as families and friends of the new non-commissioned officers.State Secretary Mile Jelić congratulated the 26th class on their promotion to their first non-commissioned officer rank, noting that by enrolling in the Basic NCO Course, they had made one of the most important decisions of their lives – to embrace responsibility and take on the burden of a demanding, honourable, and noble profession.
He stressed that today is just as important for the course participants as it is for the entire Serbian Armed Forces, which are now welcoming a new generation of young NCOs – individuals who have proven their skill, dedication, and moral strength through hard work, commitment, and perseverance.— You are a generation of young leaders who will reinforce our ranks. Your senior and more experienced co-workers will share with you their knowledge, experience, and values needed to carry out highly complex, demanding, and responsible tasks. Those lessons can’t be found in any textbooks. It is your duty to demonstrate and prove, through personal example, professionalism, and discipline, what it truly means to be a worthy non-commissioned officer of the Serbian Armed Forces. You are trained, prepared, and called to serve your country in this role with full responsibility – Jelić emphasized, wishing the sergeants much success in their military careers.
Following the reading of promotion orders from the Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, General Milan Mojsilović, State Secretary Jelić presented awards to the top performers of the Basic NCO Course. Sergeant Miroslav Mrđan, ranked first in his class, received a gold-plated NCO dagger, Sergeant Stefan Tasić, ranked second, received a silver-plated dagger, and Sergeant Sofija Sremćević, ranked third, a standard NCO dagger.Speaking on behalf of the 26th class, the best in class, Sergeant Mrđan, emphasized that the journey they had all undertaken was marked by sacrifice, discipline, and fighting - sometimes against time, sometimes against their own limits, but every moment was worthwhile, as they learned that an NCO never gives up, never makes excuses, but finds solutions and stands tall, no matter the challenge.
— Our instructors and senior officers were with us every step of the way. Through their example, they showed us what it means to lead, to take responsibility, and to be honourable. Their words and actions will guide us in the years to come. Being an NCO is not just a rank – it’s a pledge. It means being a support to your unit, a voice of reason in difficult times, and a shield for those who are just starting their service. An NCO is the heart of the Serbian Armed Forces – an individual not seeking glory, but making sure that every mission is carried out properly, honourably, and fully – said Sergeant Mrđan.
The Basic NCО Course lasts six months and is attended by selected soldiers who have completed the Leadership Course and earned the chance to become non-commissioned officers through hard work and dedication shown while serving in their units. During their six-month training, the course participants were trained to lead squads, teams, and sections, gained practical experience in primary NCO duties, and learned about the tasks, responsibilities, and work organization in their units. They are now fully prepared to take on the challenges of their new roles as non-commissioned officers of the Serbian Armed Forces.