President Milanović Decorates, Promotes and Commends Members of the Croatian Armed Forces on the Occasion of the 30th Anniversary of Operation Storm
Based on his constitutional and legal powers, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović has reached a Decision on Decorations, Promotions and Commendations for members of the Croatian Armed Forces on the occasion of Victory and Homeland Gratitude Day, Croatian Defenders’ Day and the 30th anniversary of the Military and Police Operation “Storm”. He decorated a total of 297 members of the Croatian Armed Forces.
For exceptional and successful command of units of the Croatian Armed Forces and for extraordinary merit in their organization, the Order of Ban Jelačić is bestowed on Colonel Eduard Špoljarić.
For extraordinary merit for the Republic of Croatia in the war, immediate danger of war or exceptional circumstances in peace, the Order of the Croatian Trefoil is bestowed on Colonel Mario Raguž, Colonel Igor Tabulov-Truta, Colonel Dragutin Tušek, Colonel Mile Vukičević, Lieutenant Colonel Miroslav Car, Lieutenant Colonel Damir Mihalić, Lieutenant Colonel Renato Kosor, Lieutenant Colonel Berislav Radešić, Lieutenant Colonel Jozo Stanić, Major Mirko Rukavina, Major Veljko Žunić, Captain Ante Gašpar, Second Lieutenant Davor Mamić, Sergeant Major Goran Brnelić, Sergeant Major Dalibor Dumbović, Sergeant Major Hrvoje Krajačić, Sergeant Major Darko Radotović, Master Sergeant Mijo Bošnjak, Master Sergeant Zijad Čamdžić, Master Sergeant Damir Foro, Master Sergeant Mijo Šoić, Sergeant First Class Vlado Kitanović, Staff Sergeant Dražen Petrinec, Corporal military specialist Robert Lukanec and support service employee Denis Perković.
For extraordinary contribution to the development and standing of the Republic of Croatia and its citizens, the Order of the Croatian Interlace is bestowed on 56 members of the Croatian Armed Forces. The Homeland Gratitude Memorial Medal for honourable and exemplary service is bestowed on 215 members of the Croatian Armed Forces.
Six members and one unit of the Croatian Armed Forces receive commendations. For achieving above-average results in carrying out assigned tasks, Colonel Niko Jurilj, Colonel Andrija Križanić, Colonel Tomislav Vacenovski, Major Viktor Gegić, Major Mario Maslov, Sergeant Major Ante Bratović and the crew of the RTOP 42 “DUBROVNIK” missile boat receive commendations.
One hundred and thirty-two active duty officers and two officers – military specialists are given regular promotions. Nine lieutenant colonels are regularly promoted to the rank of colonel/captain (N) including two female lieutenant colonels promoted to the rank of colonel: Dolores Rečić-Vragović, Domagoj Nekić, Srđan Bilić, Zoran Dražić, Dražen Despotović, Tomislav Korenić, Hrvoje Vrdoljak, Pere Livaić and Tomislav Bosek.
Twenty-six majors/lieutenant commanders (N) are regularly promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel/commander (N) including nine women majors/lieutenant commanders (N) promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel/commander (N): Danijel Krišto, Mile Ugarković, Kristijan Bilić, Marijan Kudlik, Ivana Ćosić, Ivana Pavić, Željko Miše, Kristina Glavač Stanković, Kristijan Jakopanec, Dalibor Matijević, Zlatko Pranjić, Slaven Protulipac, Marinko Šajn, Marinko Vučina, Martina Mihić, Krešimir Njari, Lori Bašić, Damir Ivanda, Samantha Veliki, Saša Bilandžija, Đuro Đaković, Zdeslav Novalić, Damir Štimac, Ivanka Ercegovac, Nataša Malogorski and Lara Pavelić Karamatić.
Thirty-seven captains/lieutenants (N) are regularly promoted to the rank of major/lieutenant commander(N) including eight women promoted to the rank of major: Ivana Bonačić-Krešić, Ivan Barić, Berislav Držanić, Josip Furlić,Petar Krivić, Vedran Mandić, Jurica Kordić, Mario Mihić, Tomislav Barbir, Goran Petrović, Maja Cerančević, Dino Čobo, Mihael Lach, Goran Šarlija, Mario Šipoš, Josip Čulina, Antonela Zebić, Renato Mendeš, Krešimir Horvat, Magdalena Ištuk, Matija Udiković, Davor Lulić, Marijo Mršo, Tanja Dumanić, Saša Bermanec, Dalibor Gernhardt, Matija Berislavić, Dalibor Brkić, Marin Fantina, Marijana Kalebić, Darko Fuček, Marko Vlastelica, Frano Vučković, Vedran Jemrić, Stipe Lažeta, Marina Bajs Pribisalić and Suzana Prenđa.
Twenty-five first lieutenants are regularly promoted to the rank of captain/lieutenant (N) including five women first lieutenants promoted to the rank of major: Marina Popović, Vedran Bezjak, Tomislav Tomičić, Tomislav Zrno, Anamaria Ćurković Antunović, Monika Martina Sipina Halper, Antonio Huđan, Ivica Jurić-Arambašić, Marko Nizić, Antonio Čolak, Sandro Grbavac, Matija Sabađija, Filip Zečević, Suzana Krišto, Anton Zovko, Krešimir Matanov, Emanuel Baković, Olja Dakić, Ivan Kopčinović, Sven Lakotić, Marko Marčinković, Mario Ravlić, Vinko Ugarković, Ilija Mlinjarić and Valnea Cigler.
Thirty-three second lieutenants/lieutenants junior grade are regularly promoted to the rank of first lieutenant including 11 women second lieutenants promoted to the rank of first lieutenant: Karlo Brus, Marino Bukvić, Dominik Katavić, Dominik Mikolčić, Marijana Bajac, Valentina Bartulović, Antonia Galić,Ivana Galović, Sara Marušić, Edi Cader, Josip Peraić, Antonija Degiacinto, Marijana Jukić-Bračulj, Ante Novak, Josip Paulić, Ana-Marija Jelić, Krunoslav Sever, Josip Zorić, Tomislav Jurić, Luka Kusturić, Tomislav Klarić, Matija Mikulin, Marko Zdunić, Hrvoje Katušić, Josip Kust, Mihael Petranović, Ante Javorčić, Daniel Mihetić, Valentina Lešić, Ivan Moretić, Monika Ćosić, Sara Krnčević and Ivan Šimonji.
Two first lieutenants military specialists are promoted to the rank of captain military specialist: Ivan Kotarski i Šime Glavina.