SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-May 2007

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000785

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SECSTATE FOR PM AND ISP

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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: U.S. Assessment of Armenian MOD English language
program being conducted; End-Use Monitoring (EUM) inspection of
radios postponed; Letters of Request for additional Expeditionary
Medical Support (EMEDS) equipment and training sent; Kansas
Secretary of State and representative of KS TAG visit Armenia.

SIPDIS


2. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS


A. A U.S. language instructor and program manager from the
Defense Language Institute for English Language Center (DLIELC) has
been conducting an assessment of the existing English language
program in the Armenian MOD, and has been exploring the opportunity
for the MOD to establish a new intensive English language program,
which will directly support IMET preparation and Armenian officer
development. Mrs Laura McKenzie arrived 9 May and since that time
has evaluated the ELT at the Armenian Aviation Institute, the
Military Institute, the 12th Peacekeeping Bn, the De-mining Center,
and the MOD. She has provided assistance to the various instructors
as well as to the Armenian English language program manager.
Additionally, she is preparing a document that will provide detailed
recommendations for improvement and enhancement of the existing
non-intensive ELT program as well as detailed recommendations and
instructions for establishing an intensive ELT program at the
Aviation institute. Complimenting her visit the ODC will conduct a
number of actions to support the establishment of the Armenian
intensive ELT program: upgrade an existing EL lab at the Aviation
institute to support intensive EL study; escort the EL program
developer (the Personnel Department Chief) and the Chief Armenian
Security Assistance Coordinator to see the DLI facilities in San
Antonio in order to provide first-hand experience at an existing
intensive language center; and request an MTT of two instructors
from DLI who will help establish the new intensive ELT program, once
the Armenian MOD meets the preconditions established by the DLI
Assessment report prepared by Mrs McKenzie. Mrs McKenzie will return
to DLI on 9 June.


B. The End-Use Monitoring (EUM) inspection of Harris radios in
Armenia originally scheduled for early May was postponed due to the
Armenian escort officer breaking his leg. The inspection will be
rescheduled for later this summer.


C. STATUS OF FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING (FMF):

1. The Letters of Request (LOR) for two FMF cases designed to
enhance the Armenian EMEDS were forwarded to DSCA and SAF/IA on 23
May. One case is an amendment to the existing AM-D-EAA equipment
case. This amendment will acquire additional medical and deployment
equipment that will improve the capabilities of the EMEDS by adding
improved trauma care and easing set-up and storage. The second case
is a new training case to support two additional mobile training
team events schedule for Sep 07 and Feb 08. Total FMF obligation of
both cases is estimated at $1.1M.

2. The LOR for the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) FMF case was
forwarded to DSCA and USASAC on 11 May 07. This new case requested a
number of heavy equipment trucks and forklifts that are intended to
deploy the EMEDS facility as well and assist in loading and storing
the unit. Additionally, a five-year spare parts packages was also
requested to allow proper sustainment of these vehicles. Once the
vehicles arrive, the Armenian MOD will be capable of deploying EMEDS
rapidly domestically or of transporting the hospital to the local
airport for immediate deployment internationally.

3. Additional equipment ordered for the 12th Peacekeeping
Battalion in the FMF AM-B-BAA, A1 case requested in Sep 06 will
continue arriving with the delivery of a third large shipment of
personal equipment, logistics equipment, and mission essential
equipment expected in mid to late June.

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


D. Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP). The annual Kansas TAG
Visit was conducted in May. Maj Gen Todd Bunting, the Kansas
Adjutant General, was unable to attend due to the tornado that
destroyed the town of Greensburg, Kansas. COL Joe Wheeler, Joint
Force Headquarters Chief of Staff and Mr. Ron Thornburgh, the Kansas
Secretary of State, did visit Armenia for the event. Office calls

SIPDIS
were held with the Armenian Prime Minister and the Armenian Minister
of Defense. In addition, visits to several military bases and civic
organizations were held. Planning visits were held in the villages
of Tatev, Darbas, and Shamb. These will be the sites of ARM 74,
which is a Medical Organization and HCA linked event. ARM 55 EMEDS
(TCT),scheduled for MAY, was postponed due to equipment shortages.
The event will be rescheduled for AUG or SEPT. One Out-of-Cycle JCTP
event will be held in JUNE. Two members of the Armenian Rescue
Service and one from the Ministry of Defense will visit Greensburg,
Kansas, to see first hand the Kansas EMEDS set-up and being jointly
operated by the Kansas National Guard and civilians from the
destroyed local hospital. The group will also receive briefings
from the various organizations that responded to the natural
disaster and members of the Joint Operations Cell (JOC).


E. State Partnership Program (SPP). No SPP events were
conducted in May. 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). BAO Armenia along with a
USAID officer will attend the EUCOM/USAID Humanitarian
Assistance/Partnership Conference in Tunis, Tunisia in June. 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: 17
Students at Specialty Training: 2
E-IMET: 0


2. English Comprehension Level (ECL) Testing
Students tested: 4
Highest score - 87
Lowest Score - 33
Average score - 53.75


3. PERSONNEL/RESOURCES/LOGISTICS


A. GAINS: None.


B. LOSSES: None.


C. ATTACHED PERSONNEL (TDY): Mrs Laura MacKenzie from
the Defense Language Institute English Language Center (DLIELC) will
be in Yerevan 9 May-9 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 Peterson, South Caucasus and Moldova Clearing House
(SCMCH) Conference in Tbilisi, Georgia; 6-8 Jun
LTC Moyer, EUCOM Humanitarian Assistance Conference in
Tunis, Tunisia; 10-16 Jun.
LTC Peterson, Defense Language Institute in San Antonio
TX; 24-26 Jun
LTC Peterson and Moyer, OSD Bilateral Defense
Consultations, Wash DC; 26-30 Jun
Ms Anahit Hovhannissian; EUCOM Budget Conference in
Dayton, OH; 24-30 Jun

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: LTC Moyer in Jul 07.


C. PERSONNEL ACTIONS: LTC Moyer will depart Yerevan on 25 Jul
07 to out-process at EUCOM.


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

GODFREY