SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-June 2007

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000893 SIPDIS SIPDIS SECSTATE FOR PM AND ISP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MCAP KCFE XG AM SUBJECT: SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-June 2007 ¶1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Bilateral Defense Consultations (BDC) held in Wash DC; South Caucasus and Moldova Clearing House (SCMCH) conducted in Tbilisi; U.S. Assessment of Armenian English language program concluded; ODC escorts key MOD leaders to DLI in San Antonio; Letter of Agreement for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) equipment sent to USASAC; JCTP Familiarization events sends three Armenians to see Kansas EMEDS. Initial coordination for Humanitarian Assistance project conducted. ¶2. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS ¶A. Bilateral Defense Consultations (BDC): The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) hosted the US-Armenian BDC in Old Town SIPDIS Alexandria, VA on 26-28 Jun. The OSD Principal Director for Europe and NATO: Mr Tony Aldwell hosted the proceedings and Gen-Maj Mikhael Melkonyan led the Armenian delegation. The US security cooperation program was reviewed and the way ahead identified. The Armenian delegation provided a review of the year's assistance and an update on the implementation of their NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP). Additionally a formal invitation was extended by Coalition Affairs to Armenia to increase their contingent size in OIF. The ARM and U.S. sides agreed to continue development of the ARM Peacekeeping Brigade using FMF, IMET, and JCTP; with continued US assistance with Defense Institution Building as specified by the IPAP; and with the increased U.S. support for the development of the EMEDS capability by Summer 2008. ¶B. South Caucasus and Moldova Clearing House (SCMCH). The SCMCH Conference was conducted in Tbilisi, Georgia on 6-8 Jun 07. The event generated case proposals, to OSD through their conference representative, for Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative (GPOI) funding and de-mining funding to support the development of the ARM Peacekeeping Brigade. ODC has submitted these proposals and is awaiting a response from the OSD representative. ¶C. Language Assessment. The U.S. language instructor and program manager: Mrs Laura MacKenzie, from the Defense Language Institute for English Language Center (DLIELC) completed her assessment of the existing English language program in the Armenian MOD, and is developing a recommendation paper to assist the MOD in establishing a new intensive English language training (ELT) program in the Armenian Aviation Institute. This ELT will directly support IMET preparation and Armenian officer development. Mrs McKenzie arrived 9 May and departed 9 June. During that time she evaluated the ELT at the Armenian Aviation Institute, the Military Institute, the 12th Peacekeeping Bn, the De-mining Center, and in the MOD. The DLI recommendation paper is expected to be delivered by mid-July 07. Complimenting this assessment, the ODC is conducting 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; 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. ¶D. Defense Language Institute (DLI) Visit: The ODC Chief escorted Gen-Maj Mikhael Melkonyan: Chief, Department of International Military Cooperation and Defense Programs; Colonel Murad Isakhanyan, Head, Personnel and Military Education Department; and the Armenian Defense Attach: Colonel Armen Sarkisyan, to tour DLI in San Antonio, TX. The Armenian delegation saw the facility and its intensive English language program in order to support their own plans for standing-up an Armenian intensive language program in the coming months. Such a program would directly support their current IMET program by increasing EL proficiency in IMET candidates prior to their departure for DLI. Currently about $500K of the $800K IMET budget is used to teach EL to IMET students with the remainder used to fund professional military education (PME) in the U.S. An effective Armenian intensive English program can dramatically reduce the ELT costs at DLI by increasing EL scores in Armenian IMET students before their departure from Armenia, thereby reducing required time at DLI, and allowing for freed-up IMET funding to support additional Armenian students to attend PME. ¶E. STATUS OF FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING (FMF): ¶1. The Letter of Agreement (LOA) for the $757K FMF case: AM-B-UBC; NBC Equipment, was signed in the ARM MOD and returned to USASAC and DSCA on 22 Jun 07. This equipment supports the 12th Peacekeeping Battalion by providing NBC defensive equipment to each of the 12th Battalion's soldiers and by equipping the 12th Battalion's Chemical Platoon with chemical detection equipment. This equipment will improve NATO and US interoperability for the 12th Bn and directly supports their platoon size deployments to Iraq. ¶2. ODC is awaiting the LOA for the FMF case for excess defense vehicles coordinated by the United States Army Security Assistance Command (USASAC) sent out on 11 May 07 (AM-R-FFF). It is currently being processed and will improve the deployment capability of the Armenian Expeditionary Medical Support (EMEDS) field hospital. ¶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 expected in mid to late July. ¶4. 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). It is currently being processed by DSCA. ¶F. Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP). One Out-of-Cycle JCTP event was held in June. Two members of the Armenian Rescue Service and one from the Ministry of Defense visited the site of the recent tornado disaster. In Greenberg, Kansas the group saw the Kansas National Guard EMEDS that was deployed in May and which is being jointly operated by the Kansas National Guard and civilians from the destroyed local hospital. The group also received briefings from the various organizations that responded to the natural disaster and members of the Joint Operations Cell (JOC). This FAM supports the development of the Armenian EMEDS by broadening the Armenian interagency interoperability related to crisis response. ¶G. State Partnership Program (SPP). No SPP events were conducted in June. Funding has been received to conduct a Crisis Communications TCT. The event is currently scheduled for 4th Quarter. ¶H. Humanitarian Assistance (HA). ¶1. BAO Armenia along with a USAID officer attended the EUCOM/USAID Humanitarian Assistance/Partnership Conference in Tunis, Tunisia in June. The conference clarified the status of numerous HA projects for ODC Armenia. ¶2. After the 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 BAO conducted coordination meetings in June with the NGO supporting the HA project, and the US Army Corps of Engineers who will provide contracting and oversight services throughout the execution of the water-well drilling project. The stand-alone HA event will 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. ¶3. The second approved HA event will provide 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. ¶4. Additionally the ODC submitted two EP requests that are awaiting approval and funding. 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: 16 Students at Specialty Training: 3 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: Mrs Araksya Abrahamyan will resign from Her Training Program Coordinator in the ODC and move with her husband to France in Sep 07. ODC has initiated paperwork to hire a replacement before Mrs Abrahamyan's departure date to help ensure overlap. ¶C. ATTACHED PERSONNEL (TDY): None. ¶D. APPROVED LEAVES NEXT 30 DAYS: LTC Moyer 29 Jun-6 Jul 07 ¶E. TDY NEXT 30 DAYS: None. ¶F. RATING SCHEME CHANGES: None. ¶G. EXTENSIONS/CURTAILMENTS: None. ¶5. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES: ¶A. EFFICIENCY REPORT SUSPENSES: a. LTC Peterson: COR in Jul 07 b. LTC Moyer: COR in Jul 07 ¶B. AWARD SUSPENSES: LTC Moyer in Jul 07. ¶C. PERSONNEL ACTIONS: LTC Moyer will depart Yerevan to out-process at EUCOM on 25 Jul 07. MAJ Ed Keller is scheduled to arrive in Yerevan and conduct a week-long hand-over and subsequently assume his duties as BAO following his 21 Jul 07 arrival. ¶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