SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-MARCH 2007

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000358 SIPDIS SIPDIS SECSTATE FOR PM AND ISP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MCAP KCFE XG AM SUBJECT: SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-MARCH 2007 ¶1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: ODC Armenia conducted Bilateral Country Planning Conference in Yerevan; LOA for AM-B-UAB Harris radio case for 12th Peacekeeping BN signed and returned 27 Mar; LOA for AM-B-OAA blanket training case signed and returned 27 Mar. New Budget Analyst/Admin Assistant hired. ¶2. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS ¶A. ODC Armenia conducted its first Bilateral Country Planning Conference (BCPC) in Yerevan, Armenia from 13-15 Mar. The event set plans and events for FY08 for Foreign Military Financing (FMF), International Military Education and Training (IMET),Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP),Defense Institution Building (funded by Warsaw Initiative Funds [WIF]),State Partnership Program (SPP),and also addressed potential projects, events, and funding from the Marshall Center, Humanitarian De-mining, and Counter Terrorism Fellowship Program (CTFP). In attendance was Ms Anne Gebhards (OSD-ASP),Ms Diane Lamb (DSCA),Mr Bill Turner (USASAC),LtCol Nelson (SAF-IA), Maj Hogan (ECJ5-E),Ms Sandra Shurman (ECJ5-E),Mr Terry Stenger (ECJ4-ID),COL Davis (KSNG),Maj Stevens (KSNG),LtCol Girard (MFE), and Mr Jose Gabilondo (USAFE). The US DATT to Armenia COL Grimley as well as ODC Armenia personnel attended. The Armenian MOD's delegation for the out-brief was attended by General-Majors Melkonyan and Kotanjyan, and Gen Melkonyan's staff from International Military Cooperation and Defense Programs Office, led by Col Abrahamyan. The BCPC determined that US security assistance in FY08 will be directed to supporting Defense Institution Building goals set forth in the ARM IPAP, to supporting and sustaining the ARM Expeditionary Medical Support (EMEDS) capability, and to developing ARM Peacekeeping forces from the 12th PK Bn and the new PK Brigade. Additional assistance and support will be provided to assist the ARM government as it develops its crisis response capabilities. All presentations for the BCPC were forwarded to the participants and key SA/SC offices at EUCOM, OSD, and the Joint Staff. ¶B. STATUS OF FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING (FMF): ¶1. The Letter of Agreement (LOA) for the FMF case amendment to AM-B-UAB: 12th PK Battalion Harris radios, arrived and was provided to the MOD on 15 Mar. The LOA was signed and returned to the ODC on 27 Mar. The LOA was immediately forwarded to USASAC and DSCA ¶2. The LOA for a Blanket FMF Army training case: AM-B-OAA was received and provided to the ARM MOD on 15 Mar 07. LOA was signed by the MOD and returned to the ODC on 27 Mar and immediately forwarded to DSCA and SATFA. ¶3. Equipment ordered for the 12th Peacekeeping Battalion in the small FMF AM-B-BAA case established in FY06 arrived between 9-18 Feb 07. USASAC is following-up on shortages discovered in the MOD inventory of that shipment. ¶3. ODC is awaiting the LOA for the blanket personnel equipment case for excess equipment provided by the Defense Reutilization Management Office(DRMO)sent out on 2 Feb 07. ¶F. Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP). Two JCTP events were conducted in March. The annual Bilateral Country Planning Conference (BCPC) was attended by representatives from MARFOREUR, USAFE, and the Kansas National Guard. A total of 22 Mil-to-Mil events were presented and will be submitted for approval for completion in FY ¶08. The events will focus on deployability and sustainability of EMEDS as well as familiarization for various sections of the 12th PK BN. Fifteen Armenian soldiers representing various logistics services within the Armenian Army attended Logistics Doctrine and Development (TCT). The event was conducted by a team from MARFOREUR. The event focused on tactical, operational and strategic logistic doctrine. Also discussed were tactics, techniques and procedures for logistics operations at battalion and brigade levels. A follow-on event focusing on battalion and brigade logistics during peacekeeping operations will be conducted by the Kansas Army National Guard in FY 08. ¶G. State Partnership Program (SPP). Kansas proposed two Mil-to-Civ and one Civ-to-Civ SPP events for FY 08 during the BCPC. One event will focus on helping the Armenian Rescue Service (ARS) develop their emergency response capabilities. A second event will focus on public health issues within Armenia. The final event will be follow-on to an event held in FY 06 and focus on developing vocational-technical schools within Armenia. No SPP events were conducted in March. Coordination continued between Kansas and the Armenian Rescue Service (ARS) 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). No additional HA events have been submitted. Two previously submitted projects have received approval, but not funding. The stand-alone HA event proposes to reconstruct existing water wells in two rural villages in Armenia where the current water system has deteriorated to a degree that potable water is seldom available. This proposal was coordinated with USAID and a local NGO. The second event is for medical supplies and support during an HA related Mil-to-Mil event. This event will bring a dentist and optometrist from the Kansas National Guard to Armenia to work with two Armenian Military doctors to provide services to rural areas in Armenia. 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. Approval of these two requests is pending. ¶I. International Military Education and Training (IMET): English Language testing and number of IMET students in US. ¶1. Training Snapshot Students at DLI: 14 Students at Specialty Training: 9 E-IMET: 1 ¶2. English Comprehension Level (ECL) Testing Students tested: 4 Highest Score - 80 Lowest Score - 38 Average Score - 58 ¶3. PERSONNEL/RESOURCES/LOGISTICS ¶A. GAINS: None. ¶B. LOSSES: None. ¶C. ATTACHED PERSONNEL (TDY): ¶D. APPROVED LEAVES NEXT 30 DAYS: LTC Moyer 25-29 Mar 07 ¶E. TDY NEXT 30 DAYS: LTC Peterson, Medical TDY to Landstuhl; 28-30 Mar LTC Peterson, EUCOM TPMR in Grainau, Germnay; 22- 27 Apr LTC Peterson, EUM inspection, Northern Armenia; 2-4 May (tentative) ¶F. RATING SCHEME CHANGES: None. ¶G. EXTENSIONS/CURTAILMENTS: None. ¶5. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES: ¶A. EFFICIENCY REPORT SUSPENSES: None ¶B. AWARD SUSPENSES: None. ¶C. PERSONNEL ACTIONS: Ms Annahit Hovhannissian; new Budget Analyst/Admin Assistant has been hired and will begin work the first week of Apr 07. ¶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