SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-April 2007

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000566

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SECSTATE FOR PM AND ISP

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


1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: ODC Armenia conducted visit of Defense
Reutilization Management Office and Excess Defense Article stockyard
in Kaiserslautern; FY08 Counter Terrorism Fellowship Program plan
developed at TPMR; Letter of Request for equipping Nuclear
Biological and Chemical defense platoon sent; $200K in Humanitarian
Assistance funding provided; COLA for DOD personnel in Armenia
approved for increase.


2. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS


A. ODC Armenia conducted a familiarization visit of the Defense
Reutilization and Marketing Office in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and a
brief stop by a USASAC Excess Defense Article storage facility. The
Armenian 12th Peacekeeping Battalion Commander, a representative
from the Logistics Department, and a Security Cooperation Division
representative attended the visit. The event generated an FMF Letter
of Request for the USASAC EDA program and was used to familiarize
the Armenians with the DRMO web site (an FMF case for this program
is being processed: AM-R-FFF) so they could order excess articles
from this facility for the PK forces of Armenia. The visit was
extremely useful in demonstrating the utility of both the DRMO and
USASAC EDA programs to the key Armenian recipients of excess
articles.


B. During the recent Training Program Management Review (TPMR)
conference in Germany, an appropriately sized Counter Terrorism
Fellowship Program plan for FY08 was established for Armenia.
Armenia ODC submitted a two event plan that had been coordinated
with the EXBS Program Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan.
One event that requested $50K was approved. That event will focus on
disaster planning related to responding to potential positive
readings from the various recently installed WMD portal monitors in
Armenia.


C. STATUS OF FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING (FMF):

1. The Letter of Request (LOR) for the FMF case AM-B-UBC: NBC
equipment, totaling $757K in equipment, was immediately forwarded to
USASAC and DSCA on 1 Apr 07. This equipment will outfit the Chemical
platoon of the 12th Peacekeeping Bn and provide chemical defensive
gear to the entire 12th PK Bn.

2. The LOR for an EMEDS equipment case and for a blanket
training case are still being developed by the MOD and are expected
to be forwarded to SAF/IA by early May 07.

3. The LOR for the Excess Defense Articles FMF case is being
developed to support the Armenian Peacekeeping Brigade and EMEDS.
Three heavy equipment trucks and a spare parts package will be
requested to support the deployment of EMEDS.

4. Equipment ordered for the 12th Peacekeeping Battalion in
the FMF AM-B-BAA, A1 case requested in Sep 06 began arriving with
three major shipments in Apr. Shipments are expected to continue to
arrive through May 07.

5. ODC is awaiting the LOA for the FMF blanket personnel
equipment case for excess equipment coordinated by the Defense
Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO) sent out on 2 Feb 07
(AM-R-FFF). It is currently being processed by DSCA.


D. Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP). Two JCTP events were
conducted in April. One officer and one enlisted airman from United
States Air Forces Europe (USAFE) presented Personnel Management
Systems (TCT) to 25 personnel officers from various Armenian
military organizations. The event focused on officer and enlisted
personnel issues in brigade and smaller sized elements. During the
event, the personnel director from the Ministry of Defense announced
that the Ministry had approved formation of an NCO Academy. He also
announced that reforms were being undertaken to ensure all
conscripts are assigned at random to their duty locations. Three
Armenian officers visited DRMO and EDA in Kaiserslautern, Germany
for an out-of-cycle event. The event focused on vehicles that may be
available, especially those that could be used with the recently
purchased EMEDS. Two events are scheduled for MAY. The annual TAG
visit will include the Kansas Secretary of State. The first of a
series of EMEDS events is also scheduled. This event will focus on
assembling and disassembling the EMEDS.


E. State Partnership Program (SPP). No SPP events were
conducted in April. 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 its
emergency response capabilities. A second event will focus on
public health issues within Armenia. The final event will be a
follow-on to an event held in FY 06 and focus on developing
vocational-technical schools within Armenia. 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 a Crisis
Communications TCT. The event is currently scheduled for 4th
Quarter.


F. Humanitarian Assistance (HA). ODC was notified that the
water refurbishment HA project would be funded for FY 07 and a total
of $200K would be provided to support EUCOM approved HA projects in
FY07-08. 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 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. Approval of these two requests is pending.




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


1. Training Snapshot
Students at DLI: 16
Students at Specialty Training: 7
E-IMET: 1


2. English Comprehension Level (ECL) Testing
Students tested: 1
Score - 39



3. PERSONNEL/RESOURCES/LOGISTICS


A. GAINS: None.


B. LOSSES: None.


C. ATTACHED PERSONNEL (TDY): Ms Laura MacKenzie from
the Defense Language Institute English Language Center (DLIELC) will
be in Yerevan from 9 May-10 Jun 07 conducting assessment and
providing recommendations for establishing an intensive English
Language program in the Armenian MOD.


D. APPROVED LEAVES NEXT 30 DAYS: None


E. TDY NEXT 30 DAYS:
LTC Moyer, Site reconnaissance for upcoming JCTP event in
Goris, Armenia; 28-30 Mar


F. RATING SCHEME CHANGES: None.


G. EXTENSIONS/CURTAILMENTS: None.


5. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES:


A. EFFICIENCY REPORT SUSPENSES:
a. LTC Peterson: COR in Jun 07
b. LTC Moyer: COR in Jun 07


B. AWARD SUSPENSES: None.


C. PERSONNEL ACTIONS: None.


6. ODC CHIEF'S COMMENTS: COLA index for Armenia will be raised by
DOD in May 07. The DOD COLA rate index for Armenia increased from
108 to 124 and will become effective on 16 May 07.


7. POC for this message is LTC Doug Peterson.

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

GODFREY