SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-November 2007

UNCLAS YEREVAN 001412

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SECSTATE FOR PM AND ISP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MCAP KCFE XG AM
SUBJECT: SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-November 2007


1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Letter of Agreement (LOA) totaling $6.8M in
FMF for Peacekeeping equipment and radios signed by ARM MOD; Letter
of Agreement for Excess Defense Articles (EDA) approved; Letter of
Request (LOR) received from ARM MOD requesting additional EDA trucks
forwarded to USASAC; ARM MOD requests EDA UH-1H helicopters.


2. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS


A. On 26 Nov 07 the ARM MOD signed the Letter of Acceptance
(LOA) for $6.8M of peacekeeping equipment and communications
equipment for their new 2nd Peacekeeping Battalion and new
Peacekeeping Brigade staff. The development of these units directly
supports the EUCOM Country Campaign Plan: Objective 2, and the NATO
IPAP with Armenia: Objective 2.3.2; Establish a Peacekeeping
Brigade. The new LOA is the second amendment to the existing FMF
case: AM-B-BAA: Peacekeeping equipment.


B. The Letter of Request (LOR) submitted by the ARM MOD
requesting Excess Defense Article (EDA) trucks to support the
transport and deployment of the U.S provided Expeditionary Medical
Support (EMEDS) field hospital was approved by DoS. This directly
supports Armenian IPAP Goal 2.3.1; Action 3: Improve Combat Service
Support: Medical. A cable authorizing the acquisition of seven
trucks and four trailers through the EDA system was received on 20
Nov 08. The ODC Chief and selected Armenian technicians will conduct
a Joint Visual Inspection of the vehicles the week of 17 Dec, and
the vehicles should be shipped to Armenia soon after that to support
extensive training events planned for Feb-May 08. All training and
equipping is designed to have the EMEDS available for Coalition or
NATO deployments by Aug 08.


C. An additional Letter of Request was submitted by the ARM MOD
requesting Excess Defense Article (EDA) trucks on 26 Nov 07. These
requested trucks are intended to support the new Armenian
Peacekeeping Brigade, which will stand-up the 2nd PK Bn in the
spring. This request directly supports Armenian IPAP Goal 2.3.2;
Establish Peacekeeping Brigade. The request asks for about 10 5-ton
and fifteen 2.5-ton cargo trucks. The LOR was forwarded to USASAC on
26 Nov 07 for processing.


D. The ARM MOD also provided ODC Armenia with a tentative LOR
requesting EDA UH-1H helicopters. Given the ODC Chief's extensive
experience with the Georgia UH-1H Helicopter program, which he
managed from 2002-2004, and given Armenia's lack of understanding
and current inability to provide the extensive training and
sustainment costs that such an acquisition would require, ODC
Armenia strongly recommends against approval of the LOR should the
ARM MOD request it be sent forward. The ARM MOD is a relative
newcomer to FMF equipment acquisitions and only recently had its EDA
request for trucks approved in Nov 07, and has yet to experience the
financial burden of maintaining those simple troop platforms.
Additionally, Armenia would require extensive training of flight,
and maintenance personnel, and an extensive spare parts case.
Current FMF and IMET levels are unlikely to support all of these
needs. It is further unlikely the ARM MOD has considered the
acquisition of the new fuel required to fly these aircraft: their
existing Soviet frames use a different type of fuel. ODC Armenia
will provide estimated costs to the MOD for initial acquisition and
sustainment of a potential UH-1h program in the coming weeks with
USASAC assistance. These initial estimates will hopefully cause the
necessary "sticker-shock" to dissuade the ARM MOD from pursuing this
course of action.


E. STATUS OF FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING (FMF):

1. The final end items ordered for the 12th Peacekeeping
Battalion in the FMF AM-B-BAA, A1 case requested in Sep 06, arrived
on 23 Nov 07. Included in the shipment were various medical supplies
for the planned medic platoon, as well as field kitchens and EOD
de-mining protective suits for the 12th Peacekeeping Bn and its sub
units.

3. Equipment from AM-B-UBC: NBC Equipment also continues to
arrive, with a number of spare parts arriving prior to their end
items. ODC will continue to track and work with USASAC.


F. Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP). One JCTP event was
conducted in Armenia from 26-30 Nov 07. "NCO Program Implementation"
addressed the current Armenian officer duties and responsibilities
that should be passed to the NCOs of the Armenian 12th Peacekeeping
Battalion to make the NCOs of that unit more effective. This event
was designed to assist the Peacekeeping forces better implement
their NCO program in the 12th PK Bn. It may further provide
adequate detailed information about the respective NCO duties and
responsibilities which should in turn provide significant guidance
to the Armenian MOD, thereby allowing them to re-write their job
description booklets for specific NCO positions in the 12th Bn.


G. State Partnership Program (SPP). No SPP events were
conducted in November. One SPP event is planned for December
involving Kansas National Guard Engineers. "Mine-clearing Operation
in PKO TCT" will familiarize the Armenian De-mining unit with the
new de-mining equipment it received through its recent FMF order.
Mine detectors, EOD protective suits, and even field equipment such
as rucksacks will be demonstrated by the Kansans Engineers so that
the Armenians can get an initial understanding of how to properly
employ their new American equipment which will replace worn, older
equipment.


H. Humanitarian Assistance (HA).

1. The ODC will conduct a project initiation meeting for the
HA water project event as soon as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
representative in Tbilisi receives the HA funding from EUCOM and is
available to make the trip to Yerevan. 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.

2. The ODC submitted two Excess Property 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.


I. International Military Education and Training (IMET):
English Language testing and number of IMET students in US.


1. Training Snapshot
Students at DLI: 12
Students at Specialty Training: 12
E-IMET: 0


2. English Comprehension Level (ECL) Testing
Students tested in November: 2



3. PERSONNEL/RESOURCES/LOGISTICS


A. GAINS: None.


B. LOSSES: None


C. ATTACHED PERSONNEL (TDY): None.


D. APPROVED LEAVES NEXT 30 DAYS: None


E. TDY NEXT 30 DAYS:
Ms Hovannissian and Ms Martiosyan: 3-7 Dec to TMS training in
Stuttgart, Germany
LTC Peterson: 10-14 Dec; EMEDS training and equipping IPR in
San Antonio, TX
LTC Peterson: 17-18 Dec; EDA Joint Visual Inspection in
Kaiserslautern, Germany


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: Armenian Dram exchange rate
against the dollar has experienced a significant drop
in the past weeks from 330 to 301 Drams to the dollar.


7. POC for this message is LTC Doug Peterson.

37410-49-46-65
37410-46-47-36(fax)
petersond@state.gov

PENNINGTON