SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-July 2007

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000998 SIPDIS SIPDIS SECSTATE FOR PM AND ISP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MCAP KCFE XG AM SUBJECT: SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES REPORT-ODC ARMENIA-July 2007 ¶1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Large FMF equipment shipment for 12th Peacekeeping Battalion arrives; Received Defense Language Institute assessment of Armenian English language training programs; Armenian OIF contingent deploys; Awaiting Letter of Agreement for Excess Defense Articles (EDA) to be approved by DoS; New BAO: MAJ Keller arrives in Yerevan. ¶2. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS ¶A. On 27 July and 1 Aug, approximately $3 million of US interoperable military equipment for the Armenian 12th Peacekeeping Battalion was delivered to the Armenian Ministry of Defense. The U.S. field equipment was provided as part of an $8 million plan by the ODC, using Foreign Military Financing, to assist the Armenian government achieve its IPAP goal of developing a NATO interoperable Peacekeeping Battalion by 2009. With the arrival of additional shipments in coming weeks, the battalion should be fully equipped with U.S. and NATO interoperable equipment before the end of the year, thereby easing its logistical requirements regarding equipment re-supply during deployment. This event marked the largest shipment of U.S. military equipment for the Peacekeeping Battalion to date. Included in the shipment were desert uniforms and clothing, boots, backpacks, protective masks, field equipment, de-mining equipment, medical supplies, cold weather clothing, and maintenance equipment. ¶B. OIF Deployment. Forty-six Armenian military personnel deployed on the sixth Armenian rotation, since Jan 2005, to OIF on 24 July. The contingent consisted of truck drivers, some doctors, and mine clearing and bomb disposal engineers. The Armenian contingent will deploy for six months, and this deployment marks the first time that the Armenian contingent will fall directly under the command of a U.S. Brigade. Previously the Armenians served with the Polish Brigade at Camp Echo. The previous contingent arrived back in Armenia on 4 Aug 07, after conducting a hand-over with the incoming Armenian unit. ¶C. Language Assessment. On 28 July the ODC received the final report from the Defense Language Institute, English Language Center (DLIELC) regarding their assessment of the current English language program in the Armenian military, as well as their recommendations for establishing an intensive English language training program. The DLI report provided input to the Armenian MOD for improving the existing ELT that is conducted at the two local military academies, which included the recommendation for regular testing of cadets and use of the ALCPT to regularly evaluate the cadets' progress. The report also established preconditions for the MOD before they request a U.S. Mobile Training Team to assist in establishing an Armenian intensive ELT program at their Aviation Institute. These requirements stipulated that: a number of IMET candidates to be assigned to the course; for the identified students to reach a score of 40 before attending the intensive course; and for the MOD to coordinate billeting and messing for the students prior to the establishment of the intensive course and the arrival of the U.S. MTT. The report was forwarded onto the MOD, and the ODC is coordinating a follow-up meeting with the MOD to discuss implementation of the DLI recommendations and establishment of the intensive EL course in FY08. ¶D. STATUS OF FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING (FMF): ¶1. ODC is waiting to receive 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 delayed in State Department (PM/RSAT) until the 505 Foreign Assistance Act agreement between the U.S. and Armenia, which was signed in 2002, can be located and verified. The ODC and Embassy Pol/Econ section are working to assist as required. This FMF case will improve the capability of the Armenian Expeditionary Medical Support (EMEDS) field hospital by providing trucks for deploying this system as required. ¶2. 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 fourth shipment expected in late Aug or early Sep. ¶3. 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). This case is also currently delayed in State Department (PM/RSAT) until the 505 Foreign Assistance Act agreement between the U.S. and Armenia, which was signed in 2002, can be located and verified. ¶E. Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP). No JCTP events were conducted in July. ¶F. State Partnership Program (SPP). No SPP events were conducted in July. Funding has been received to conduct a Crisis Communications TCT. The event is currently scheduled for 4th Quarter. ¶G. Humanitarian Assistance (HA). 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. A follow-on coordination meeting tied to the BAO turnover was conducted on 27 Jul, and the ODC will conduct a project initiation meeting as soon as the US Army Corps of Engineers can provide their contracting and oversight agent to initiate the water-well drilling project. This should occur in the coming weeks. 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. ¶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. This event is scheduled to be executed 17-21 Sep following a final coordination site visit on 6-7 Sep. ¶4. Additionally the ODC submitted two EP 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. ¶H. International Military Education and Training (IMET): English Language testing and number of IMET students in US. ¶1. Training Snapshot Students at DLI: 13 Students at Specialty Training: 5 E-IMET: 2 ¶2. English Comprehension Level (ECL) Testing Students tested in July: 0 ¶3. PERSONNEL/RESOURCES/LOGISTICS ¶A. GAINS: Major Edward Keller. New Bilateral Affairs Officer from KSNG arrived in Yerevan 22 Jul 07 ¶B. LOSSES: LTC Moyer departed the ODC as BAO on 25 Jul 07. He returns to the KSNG in the US ¶C. ATTACHED PERSONNEL (TDY): None. ¶D. APPROVED LEAVES NEXT 30 DAYS: None ¶E. TDY NEXT 30 DAYS: MAJ Keller, 16-27 Aug 07; Permissive TDY to move HHG, POV, and consumables from Kansas to Yerevan. ¶F. RATING SCHEME CHANGES: LTC Peterson becomes rater for MAJ Keller with a start date of 24 Aug 07. ¶G. EXTENSIONS/CURTAILMENTS: None. ¶5. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES: ¶A. EFFICIENCY REPORT SUSPENSES: None ¶B. AWARD SUSPENSES: Mrs Araksya Abrahamyan: 27 Sep ¶07. ¶C. PERSONNEL ACTIONS: MAJ Ed Keller of the KSNG arrived in Yerevan on 22 July and conducted a handover with LTC Moyer before his departure. MAJ Keller is on an unaccompanied 18 month tour as the BAO. ¶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