SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-OCTOBER 2006

UNCLAS YEREVAN 001675 SIPDIS SIPDIS SECSTATE FOR PM AND ISP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MCAP KCFE XG AM SUBJECT: SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-OCTOBER 2006 ¶1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: ODC continues to develop the ARM Peacekeeping Brigade equipping plan for consideration in FY08. Expeditionary Medical Services (EMEDS) facility is beginning to arrive in Armenia. FMF AM-B-BAA Peacekeeping battalion equipment is also arriving. Awaiting FMF Harris radio request 12th Peacekeeping Battalion Letter of Agreement from CECOM. The third IMET English language lab was installed in Armenia. Submitted WIF seminar request for reforming Armenian military education system. Humanitarian assistance FY07 requests for HA-I and EP submitted and awaiting approval and funding. ¶2. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS ¶A. ODC Armenia is developing potential concepts for equipping and possibly providing training to the Armenian conceptualized Peacekeeping Brigade. The development of a NATO compatible PK BDE is an Armenian IPAP goal and a EUCOM 2006 Defense Assessment recommendation to the MOD. Suggested structures will be developed and requirements for the potential unit will be identified so the ODC can develop plans for FY08-FY09 to identify what areas might warrant possible US assistance for development. ¶B. Multi National Forces-Iraq (MNF-I) coordination team arrived in Yerevan to identify any issues and coordinate the next deployment to OIF in Jan 06. No significant issues were identified and the deployment is on track, but in their recommendations they suggested that the ARM 12th PK Bn acquire four to five HMMWV to use in the battalion, to train on, and maintain in order to better prepare their troops and transportation personnel for deployments to Iraq. ¶C. Expeditionary Medical Services (EMEDS) facility is beginning to arrive in Armenia. Pharmaceuticals and some medical equipment has begun to arrive, having been originally shipped from Texas. The remainder of the facility is expected to arrive in Armenia by the end of December 06. ODC is in contact via SAF/IA with the US EMEDS medical specialists in developing the EMEDS MTT, which will be conducted in Feb 07. The training event will establish the EMEDS unit in the 12th Peacekeeping Bn, and train the permanent and temporary personnel in EMEDS set-up, operations, and sustainment. Follow-on EMEDS training will be provided through IMET and through JCTP exchanges with the KSNG EMEDS units in FY07. ¶D. STATUS OF FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING (FMF): ¶1. The Letter of Agreement to the FMF case amendment to AM-B-UAA: radios is at CECOM for processing. The case will provide communications equipment and operations training to the signal platoon of the 12th Peacekeeping Bn, which currently has platoons in Iraq and Kosovo. ¶2. Equipment ordered for the 12th Peacekeeping Battalion in the small FMF FY06 case is still arriving. In FMF case AM-B-BAA, numerous tents were ordered and are now coming overland from Frankfurt, Germany, with an anticipated delivery date in Dec 06. ¶E. IMET: The third English Language lab for the Armenian MOD, which arrived in FY05, was installed by a US technical assistance team in the Armenian Aviation Institute 15-17 Nov 06. The US Charge'd' Affaires participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony on 17 Nov. This installation is in line with the plan to centralize English language training standards and curriculum for all English language study programs in the ARM Armed Forces, in the Aviation Institute. To further support this move, the ODC will work to upgrade these two labs to Level IV (video and computer upgrades) in FY07, and ensure that the two English language instructor/manager IMET slots in FY06-07 are assigned to this location. A DLI assessor will also arrive in Armenia in Mar 07 to evaluate the Aviation Institute's EL program and will leave behind detailed recommendations for improvements to make this new centralized control over ELT more effective. ¶F. Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP). Two soldiers from the Armenian Ministry of Defense attend a Facilities Construction and Management familiarization event supported by the Kansas Air and Army National Guard. The event focused on two specific areas. The first area was the facilities construction process from conception through completion. Specific briefings concentrated on fair and transparent bidding processes and inspection standards. The second area was facilities maintenance and management. Specific briefings focused on the organizational roles and responsibilities of personnel in the facilities and maintenance department. The Armenians toured several facilities including on currently under construction. This was a follow-on event to a TCT conducted in FY06. An NCO Training Instructor Program TCT event is scheduled for December. ¶G. State Partnership Program (SPP). No SPP events were conducted in November. Coordination continued between Kansas and the Armenian Rescue Service on developing follow-on events to the Crisis First Responder event held in October. Funding has been received to conduct Crisis Communications TCT. The event is currently scheduled for 4th Quarter. ¶H. Humanitarian Assistance (HA). ODC ARM submitted one HA project to EUCOM J4-HA for funding in November. The project proposes to reconstruct existing water wells in two rural villages in Armenia whose current water system has deteriorated to a degree that potable water is seldom available. This proposal was coordinated with USAID and a local NGO. Additionally, the ODC submitted two EP requests. One request is to supply two affiliated orphanages for disabled children with furniture and school equipment. The second request is to supply the same items for a boarding school for children with disabilities. ¶I. International Military Education and Training (IMET): English Language testing and number of IMET students in US. ¶1. Training Snapshot Students at DLI: 11 Students at Specialty Training: 8 ¶2. English Comprehension Level (ECL) Testing Students tested: 6 Average Score: 54.5 Highest Score: 72 Lowest Score: 45 ¶3. PERSONNEL/RESOURCES/LOGISTICS ¶A. GAINS: None. ¶B. LOSSES: None. ¶C. ATTACHED PERSONNEL (TDY): None. ¶D. APPROVED LEAVES NEXT 30 DAYS: a. Chief: LTC Peterson 22-29 Dec 06 b. BAO: LTC Moyer, 14-17 Dec 06 / 23 Dec 06-3 Jan 07 ¶E. TDY NEXT 30 DAYS: 5-8 Dec: LTC Peterson to Wash DC for Train and Equip Conference. 11-14 Dec: LTC Peterson to EUR AMB Conference, Stuttgart, Germany 18-22 Dec: LTC Moyer to KS, SPP Coordination Meetings ¶F. RATING SCHEME CHANGES: None. ¶G. EXTENSIONS/CURTAILMENTS: None. ¶5. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES: ¶A. EFFICIENCY REPORT SUSPENSES: None ¶B. AWARD SUSPENSES: None. ¶C. PERSONNEL ACTIONS: None. ¶6. ODC CHIEF'S COMMENTS: ¶A. None ¶7. POC for this message is LTC Doug Peterson. 37410-49-46-65 37410-46-47-36(fax) petersond@state.gov GODFREY