Biography Colonel Velibor Bakrac

Colonel Velibor Bakrac

Colonel Velibor Bakrac was born on November 1, 1977 in Pluzine, Montenegro. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel in October 2020 and is currently assigned as the Acting General Director for Human Resources in the Montenegro Ministry of Defence.

Colonel Bakrac graduated from the Military Academy in Belgrade, State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, in 2000 and was commissioned as an active duty officer in the Montenegro. The first years of his career were served as Artillery Battery Commander in the 5^th Infantry Brigade.

In 2004 he graduated from Division Commander Course and then served as Podgorica Corps Support Unit Commander. In 2005. he participated in founding and trained the Honorary guard of the President of Montenegro. From 2006 – 2007, Col Bakrac served as Protocol officer in the Chief of Defence Cabinet. Later that year, he was assigned as the Head of protocol Division in the Ministry of Defence.

He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the summer 2011 and appointed as Defense, Military, Naval and Air Attaché of Montenegro to the United States of America. In 2012, he became the very first Montenegrin Defence Attaché accredited in Canada with seating in Washington D.C.. During his leadership in the USA, there were a number of important duties and task accomplished, which were the fundamental milestones for the full integration to NATO.

Having returned to the country, he assumed duty as Head of International Cooperation in the MOD. He occupied that position until November 2017 when he became Head of Human Resources Department (J-1) in the General Staff. He was the team leader who brought a new Armed Forces organization and Formation in 2019. That same year, he was chosen to attend the Army War College where he graduated as a member of the class of 2020.

His experience at strategic level includes appointments in the Montenegro General Staff as a Head of Intelligence (J2) and Verification Centre Deputy Head.   Since November 2017, Colonel Bakrac assumed the role of secretary in the National Defense and Security Council.

In 2017 Colonel Velibor Bakrac was awarded the Legion of Merit Award by the US Defense Secretary for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.

Colonel Bakrac is married and has 2 children.