The President of Georgia addressed students of the National Defense Academy, military servants, and families of the persons killed during the war in August 2008. Mikheil Saakashvili honored the memory of the deceased during the war with a moment of silence, and extended condolences to their families. The Head of State spoke about heroism and the devotion of the Georgian soldiers and noted that despite a lot of unhealed wounds left by the war, Georgia will definitely unify.

“We will remember their names forever...their murderers will not be able to celebrate victory. The dream of their murderers about making Georgia kneel will never come true…We will take the fight of these guys to victory! Today is the day of support and backing for each refugee; the day of remembering that we will never leave any of them in harm’s way” – noted Mikheil Saakashvili.

Mikheil Saakashvili also focused attention on the goals of Russia as a conqueror. According to him, despite many attempts, Russia has not been able to handle Georgia and interfere with its Euro-Atlantic goals. The Head of State later touched on the issue of the support of America and the West. As he noted, this factor has affected the failure of Russia’s plans.

Mikheil Saakashvili also spoke about future plans, and stated that regardless of what kinds of plans Russia has in terms of Georgia, our country will continue advancing towards development independently. The President also touched on the issue of future relations with Russia. According to him, the situation will soon change and Georgian-Russian relations will normalize. The Head of State stressed the fact that it will never happen as a result of sacrificing the national interests of Georgia.

The National Defense Academy is a successor of the “School of Junkers” which was founded in 1919 and abolished in 1921 as a result of Soviet Occupation. The academy was restored in 1993 and modernized in 2005. Officers are trained there for 18 months.

In 2010, a whole series of new reforms began at the academy, also altering the entire education system in Georgia. There are currently bachelor programs, general training courses for officers, aviation and air defense schools functioning at the academy as well as schools of training of medical sphere officers, a career school for captains, a commander and staff school, the highest school of defense and a school of languages.

In the case of being accepted at the academy, the students sign a 10 year contract with the Ministry of Defense, which envisions 4 years of education and a 6 year military service. After graduation the students will receive the rank of lieutenant.