Training and Doctrine Command

Mission:

Organization, coordination and realization of individual training of soldiers, cadets, non-commissioned officers and officers from the active and reserve personnel, support of the collective training of the commands and units of the Army and development of Doctrines and lessons learned in the Army.

Tasks:

• Preparation and development of Plans and Programmes for individual training of soldiers, cadets, non-commissioned officers and officers from the active and reserve personnel of the Army;
• Realization of the basic military training of soldiers serving voluntarily in the Army, cadets and candidates for officers in the servicess in the Army;
• Realisation of the training of the professional soldiers and non-commissioned officers and their continuous professional development;
• Realization of  language training for the needs of the Ministry of Defence and the Army;
  Raising and training official dogs and training of official dogs leaders;
• Support of the collective forms of training and exercises of the units of the Army;
• Support of the water training and winter conditions training;
• Development of doctrines, regulations, instructions, manuals and lessons learned in the Army.

Colonel Vasko Kokolanski

Colonel Vasko Kokolanski was born on December 12, 1974 in Strumica, where he finished primary and secondary education. After serving in the military in 1994 in Veles, he continued his education at the “General Mihajlo Apostolski” Military Academy. He began his military career in 1999 as an infantry officer from the first generation of officer graduates at the “General Mihajlo Apostolski” Military Academy in Skopje. After being promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, he was assigned to his first duty as a platoon commander in the Military Police battalion in Skopje. In his career so far, he has performed several command and staff duties: company commander, chief of section of the Special Operations Regiment, deputy commander and commander of the Military Police battalion, public relations officer in the Joint Operations Command, deputy commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade, and as of August 2022, he has been appointed commander of the Training and Doctrine Command.

He upgraded his military education on specialist studies for command and staff duties at the “United States Army Command and General Staff College” in Fort Leavenworth in the USA and in 2019 he completed his studies at the “National Defense University” in Washington DC, the USA where he obtained his master’s degree.

He has enhanced his professional development by participating and completing several courses in the country and abroad: Advanced Course for Military Police Officers in Missouri, the USA; Alpinist Course in Andermatt, Switzerland; NATO Orientation Course for Officers, NATO School in Oberammergau; Course on NATO Operational Planning Process; Course on Combating Terrorism, Human Trafficking, Drugs and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Ankara, Turkey; Course for NATO CREVAL Evaluators in Oberammergau, Germany; Course on Combating Irregular Migration at the Marshall Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

During his career, he made his contribution by taking part in peace support operations: in 2006, he participated in the “Iraqi Freedom” mission in Iraq, for which he received an ARCOM medal, and in 2010, he participated in the “Phoenix” mission within the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. He also actively participated in several exercises in the country: “Macedonian Flash” (2,3,4,5,6), Krivolak; “REGEX19”, Veles. As a certified evaluator he took part in Self-Assessment and NATO Assessment level 1 and 2 of the declared units from the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia in the NATO pool of forces, from 2007 – 2013.

For his commitment, demonstrated and achieved results in the process of combat training, education and building of the Army, colonel Kokolanski has been awarded several times and has received decorations and awards from the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the General Staff of the Army and superior commanders.

He is proficient in English, and in his free time he likes to read and research.

Colonel Lulzim Nuredini
Colonel Lulzim Nuredini was born on November 5, 1977 in Kichevo, where he finished primary and secondary education. He continued his education at the Military Academy “General Mihajlo Apostolski” in Skopje and in 2000 he was promoted to Second Lieutenant in the branch of infantry. After the promotion, he started his officer’s career in the infantry battalion in Kichevo. In his career so far, he has performed several command and staff duties: Company Commander, Training and Exercise officer in the Logistics Battalion, Operations officer in S-3/7 in the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Head of S-7 training section in the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade, Commander of a Mechanized Infantry Battalion, Chief of the Training Department in J-7 in the Operations Command, Chief of Staff in the Training and Doctrine Command. As of November 1, 2022, he has been appointed Deputy Commander of the Training and Doctrines Command.

He continued his military education with specialist studies for Command and Staff duties at the Military Academy “General Mihajlo Apostolski” in Skopje in 2006, and he completed the National Defence School at the Military Academy “G. S. Rakovski” in Sofia-Bulgaria and obtained a master’s degree in “Strategic Leadership in Defense and Armed Forces” in 2019.

He has enhanced his professional development by participating and completing several courses in the country and abroad: Platoon Commanders Pilot Course in TC “Pepelishte”; Instructor Training Course in Vyskov-Czech Republic; United Nations Military Observer Course in Amersforoot-Netherlands; OCC E&F Course for evaluators – TC “Pepelishte”; Course on Analysis, Design and Evaluation of Peace Support Training in Vyskov-Czech Republic; Course on English Language Briefings.

During his career, he made his contribution by participating in peace operations led by NATO: in the period from 2009-2010, 2012-2013 and 2014-2015 as Commander and Deputy Commander of a contingent for securing the main base of the ISAF forces in Kabul Afghanistan when he received the NATO medal for participation in the ISAF operation and the “Afghanistan Campaign” medal.

He actively participated in several exercises carried out in the country and abroad: Exercise at the command post of the Mediterranean dialogue “Cooperative Associate 2005” in Skopje; “Energy Flame 2011” in Bulgaria; “See Breeze-2008” in Ukraine; “Macedonian Flash 9 and 10” at ATA Krivolak; “Fast Lynx-14” at the barracks in Kichevo, and the NATO/PfP/MD/ICI exercise “Cooperative Longbow/Lancer 12” at ATA Krivolak.

For his commitment and achieved results in the process of combat training, education, building the capacities of the Army, participation in peace operations, he has been awarded and decorated several times by his superior commanders, the Chief of General Staff and the Minister of Defence, and has received: NATO medal for participation in an ISAF peacekeeping operation; Army Gold, Silver and Bronze Badge; Silver and Bronze Partnership, Coordination and Cooperation Badge and the Army Plaque of Merit.

He speaks Albanian (native language), English, Turkish and Bulgarian. He is married and father of two teenagers, Alban and Visar.

Sergeant Major Ljupcho Stojkov

Sergeant Major Ljupco Stojkov was born on July 15, 1973 in the settlement Chaska, Veles, Republic of Macedonia. He completed his secondary education in Sarajevo and Banja Luka Military High Schools, branch OME.

After completing his military education, he began his military career as a Watchtower Commander, Bitola (1993-2000). During his military career he carried out many command duties and participated in numerous courses and international missions such as “Resolute Support” in Kabul, Afghanistan 2017/2018, thus enriching his military experience. He has completed several military courses including a Counter Terrorism Instructor Course, Observation and Surveillance Course, Guardian Angel Course, Afghanistan 2018, Life Saver Course – Kabul, Afghanistan 2018.

He graduated from NCO School in Zagreb, R. Croatia, from 2008 to 2009.

Awards and Decorations: 

• Army commendation medal, Kabul, Afghanistan 2018;
• The Non-Article 5 NATO medal, Kabul, Afghanistan.

Previous Duties:

• First Sergeant in Armoured Company, Shtip (2000-2002);
• NCO for Logistic Support and Procurement on a national level, Shtip (2002-2006);
• NCO for Training in 1st LogBn, Shtip (2006-2007);
• Sergeant Major in the Centre for Individual Training, Veles (2007-2013);
• Command Sergeant Major in the Training and Doctrine Command, Veles (2013-2015);
• Command Sergeant Major in the Joint Operations Command (2015-2018);
• Operations NCO in J3 JOC (2018-2019);
• Command Sergeant Major in the Training and Doctrine Command, Veles (2019).

Promotions:

• Sergeant 1993-1996;
• Sergeant 1st class 1996-2000;
• Staff Sergeant 2000-2001;
• Staff sergeant 1st class 2001-2007;
• Master Sergeant 2007-2012;
• Sergeant Major 2012.

Foreign languages: 

• English;
• Croatian.

Captain Cvetanka Velkovska

Captain Cvetanka Velkovska was born on 7, December 1991 in Veles. She completed her secondary education  in ‘Kocho Racin’ grammar school – natural sciences and mathematics. She continued her education at the Military Academy ‘General Mihajlo Apostolski’ in Skopje.

After completing her military education she started her military career as Platoon commander for maintenance at the 3^rd Logistics Support Company in Veles. In her career she has performed many command duties and has participated in different courses and military exercises, like the regional military exercise 2019 ‘REGEX 19’ in Veles, which contributed to her military experience.

She has attended many courses and seminars, for example, the Biological Weapon and Toxicology Basic Training in Krushevac, Serbia; International course for NBC Trainers for first contact with NBC incidents, Bulgaria; a seminar and a visit to the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, to the Mission of the Republic of North Macedonia to the NATO and to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) located in Mons, Belgium and others which also added to her military experience.

Previous appointments:

• Platoon Commander for maintenance in the 3^rd Logistics Support Company in Veles, 2014-2015;
• Platoon Commander for decontamination in the NBC Company in Skopje, 2015-2016;
• Platoon Commander for supplies and transport in the 3^rd Logistics Support Company in Veles and Company Deputy Commander, 2016-2019;
• Commander of the 1^st team for training of professional soldiers, 2019;
• Public relations officer since 31.12.2019.

Promotions:

• Second Lieutenant 2014-2016;
• Lieutenant 2016-2019;
• Captain 2019.

Foreign languages:

• English.