SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-August 2007

UNCLAS YEREVAN 001134 SIPDIS SIPDIS SECSTATE FOR PM AND ISP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MCAP KCFE XG AM SUBJECT: SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-August 2007 ¶1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Harris Radio End-Use-Monitoring inspections conducted with 100% verification; Crisis Response Survey Conducted; Developing FMF FY08 Letters of Request with Armenian MOD ; Three JCTP events conducted in Aug; Awaiting Letter of Agreement for Excess Defense Articles (EDA) to be approved. ¶2. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS ¶A. From 29 to 31 Aug the Office of Defense Cooperation assisted by the US Defense Attach conducted an End-Use-Monitoring (EUM) inspection of Harris radios in the north of Armenia. After visiting seven locations over a three-day period, 264 radios were seen and verified through serial number. One hundred percent verification was confirmed. Further, all Armenian units expressed great satisfaction with their radios, wanted more, and expressed positive comments regarding the reliability of the equipment. It was also interesting to note that the Armenian MOD has assigned Harris radios to their two military academies where Armenian cadets are trained on Harris radio operations in order to prepare them to use this equipment in regular Armenian units after graduation. About one hundred and sixty more Harris radio sets will be delivered to the 12th Peacekeeping Bn in Nov or Dec of this year, through an additional FMF purchase requested in Sep 06. ¶B. Crisis Response Assessment. Mr Jeffrey Lewis, who was contracted through the Center for Civil-Military Relations (CCMR), conducted a week-long assessment, from 17-20 Aug, of Armenia's current interagency cooperation related to existing crisis plans and their potential response to national crises. During the assessment he met with the Armenian Rescue Service, the Ministry of Defense and Health, with Police and Fire leadership, seismology experts, water rescue units, and with foreign assistance organizations (OSCE, IRC, SDC, USAID). His initial findings indicated a need for intra-ministerial table top exercises, a development of an Armenian national specialty (most likely seismology),and potential development of a clearinghouse mechanism to assist in deconflicting foreign assistance and for standardizing various equipment donations. Mr Lewis' final report will be provided to OSD and EUCOM. ODC will further share its results with the local Armenian ministries, foreign assistors, and the US Embassy. ¶C. FMF FY08. ODC Armenia is currently working with the ARM MOD to develop Letters of Request (LOR) to obligate the $2.8M remaining from FY06 FMF. Additionally, plans are being developed to obligate the $3.4M in FY07 FMF that will be delivered in Sep 07. LORs will address equipping requirements for the new second peacekeeping battalion and the new Peacekeeping Brigade staff, to include communications gear. Additional requirements are also being identified for the Armenian De-mining Center. It would be preferred if Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) funding could be used to address de-mining requirements, and the ODC is working with EUCOM to explore these opportunities. The goal of the MOD and ODC is to obligate all remaining FMF funds and then request the delivery of FY08 FMF as soon as possible so those funds will be obligated before the end of FY08. ¶D. STATUS OF FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING (FMF): ¶1. The US Embassy provided a copy of the 505 Foreign Assistance Act agreement between the U.S. and Armenia to State Department (PM/RSAT) and the ODC is waiting to receive the LOA for the excess defense vehicles FMF case, which is being coordinated by the United States Army Security Assistance Command (USASAC),sent out on 11 May 07 (AM-R-FFF). ODC will continue to track the progress of these cases with all future EMEDS training specifically depending on the delivery of EDA vehicles. ¶2. Additional equipment ordered for the 12th Peacekeeping Battalion in the FMF AM-B-BAA, A1 case requested in Sep 06 continued arriving in late Aug. ¶3. ODC is awaiting the LOA for the FMF blanket case for excess personnel equipment, coordinated by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO) sent out on 2 Feb 07 (AM-R-FFF). This case is proceeding forward after the US Embassy provided a copy of the 505 Foreign Assistance Act agreement between the U.S. and Armenia to State Department PM/RSAT). ¶E. Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP). Three JCTP events were conducted in August. ¶1. On 6-10 Aug two USAFE financial personnel conducted a Financial Management event with the Ministry of Defense Financial Department. This event will prepare the ARM MOD personnel for an upcoming Defense Institution Building (DIB) workshop in FY08 in which financial requirements for a Strategic Defense Review (SDR) and Unit Costing will be developed. ¶2. The second JCTP event was the C2 Communications Architecture seminar conducted by MFE with representatives from the 12th Peacekeeping Bn from 14-17 Aug. This event prepared key 12th PK personnel for receipt of their field command post ordered through FMF, with establishing battalion communications structures tied to the $3.3M delivery of Harris radios in Nov/Dec 07, and reviewed radio procedures. ¶3. The last JCTP event in Aug was a FAM conducted at FT Leonard Wood, MO at the US Army Chemical School. Two Armenian Chemical Officers, one the NBC Platoon Leader from the 12th PK Bn, the other the Deputy Chief of NBC forces in Armenia, reviewed US equipment and training first hand at the US Chemical School. This event is tied to the upcoming delivery of $757K of NBC detection and defense equipment that should be delivered in the coming months through USASAC FMF case. ¶F. State Partnership Program (SPP). No SPP events were conducted in August. However, a Crisis Communications TCT will be conducted in September with the Armenian Rescue Service and the Ministry of Defense. That event is currently scheduled for 26-28 Sep. Additionally, three Armenian officers from the 12th Peacekeeping Battalion will observe staff elements of the 35th Division of the KSNG participate in an Mobilization Readiness Exercise (MRE) in Hoehenfels, Germany from 26-29 Sep. ¶G. Humanitarian Assistance (HA). The ODC will conduct a project initiation meeting for the HA water project event as soon as the US Army Corps of Engineers representatives in Tbilisi are available to make the trip. Leave and other COE business matters have not allowed for a meeting as of yet, but this should occur in September. The stand-alone HA event will reconstruct existing water wells in three rural villages in Armenia where the current water system has deteriorated to a degree that potable water is seldom available. ¶3. The second approved HA event will provide medical supplies and support during an HA related Mil-to-Mil event from 17-20 Sep. Eyeglasses will be dispensed and simple medical and dental care will be provided by Armenian physicians, assisted buy US medical personnel to include a dentist and optometrist from the Kansas National Guard. A final coordination site visit will be conducted on 6-7 Sep. ¶4. Additionally the ODC submitted two EP requests that are awaiting funding from EUCOM-J4-ID-HA. One request is to supply furniture and school equipment to two affiliated orphanages for disabled children. The second request is to supply the same items for a boarding school for children with disabilities. ¶H. International Military Education and Training (IMET): English Language testing and number of IMET students in US. ¶1. Training Snapshot Students at DLI: 13 Students at Specialty Training: 7 E-IMET: 0 ¶2. English Comprehension Level (ECL) Testing Students tested in August: 0 ¶3. PERSONNEL/RESOURCES/LOGISTICS ¶A. GAINS: None ¶B. LOSSES: None ¶C. ATTACHED PERSONNEL (TDY): None. ¶D. APPROVED LEAVES NEXT 30 DAYS: LTC Peterson; 23-29 Sep 07 ¶E. TDY NEXT 30 DAYS: MAJ Keller, 6-7 Sep 07; Site recon for HA event MAJ Keller, 17-20 Sep 07; HA event in Goris, AM ¶F. RATING SCHEME CHANGES: LTC Peterson becomes rater for MAJ Keller with a start date of 24 Aug 07. ¶G. EXTENSIONS/CURTAILMENTS: None. ¶5. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES: ¶A. EFFICIENCY REPORT SUSPENSES: None ¶B. AWARD SUSPENSES: Mrs Araksya Abrahamyan: 27 Sep ¶07. ¶C. PERSONNEL ACTIONS: In hiring process for new Training Program Manager due to impending departure of Mrs Araksya Abrahamyan. ¶6. ODC CHIEF'S COMMENTS: None. ¶7. POC for this message is LTC Doug Peterson. 37410-49-46-65 37410-46-47-36(fax) petersond@state.gov PERINA