Special Operations Basic Training graduates take oath at Udbina

The traditional torchlight ceremony, held at nightfall, featured the commando prayer and the respective diplomas handout.
The ceremony was attended by the Battalion’s former members, among whom Colonel (Ret.) Werner Ilić, the wartime Commander of the former Guard’s NCO Specialist Training Centre titled «Damir Tomljanović-Gavran» at Šepurine (near Zadar), who commended the graduates’ accomplishment: «I am proud of your success, aware of the high demand placed before you. Only those who have experienced the training of the kind themselves and endured can understand it».
The graduates were also addressed by the Battalion’s present Deputy Commander, Major Damir Bošnjak, who congratulated the graduates on having passed the hard test towards the «commando family», and extended appreciation to the instructors.
Major Bošnjak, who followed and supervised the soldiers in the field, stressed that the training, conducted according to a new curriculum, met the expectations. «All training projections have been fulfilled and our expectations met throughout the curriculum; although there is always room left for improvements».
As many as 50 candidates from various units of the Armed Forces had applied for the six-month training, which was administered in five phases alternating the learning and endurance courses in a number of locations, including barracks and training ranges.