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ARMENIANS LEARN FROM KANSAS NATIONAL GUARD
By Andy Marso
http://cjonline.com/news/2012-06-19/armenians-learn-kansas-national-guard
June 19, 2012
Sitting at a horseshoe-shaped table in a conference room at the
State Defense Building in Topeka, members of the Kansas National
Guard helped shape the future of Armenia's military Tuesday.
Two Armenian officers visited the guard's senior leaders this week
to gather information as the landlocked former-Soviet nation east
of Turkey continues its transition from conscripted, or mandatory,
military service to a force of professional, non-commissioned officers
similar to the guard.
"We're working with the Armenian military Ministry of Defense so they
don't have to reinvent the wheel," said Sgt. Maj. James Moberly of
the Kansas Army National Guard. "In the Army National Guard we've
got more than 400 years of experience reaching the point we're at
with the professional, non-commissioned officer."
Moberly noted that the U.S. Marine Corps, the RAND Corporation,
and German and British military forces are also partnering to assist
the Armenians.
Moberly and other Kansas officers met this week with two Armenian
officers: Maj. Gen. Ishkhan Matevosyan, the head of the country's
Combat Readiness Department, and Col. Gevorg Hakobyan, the chief of
the department's Noncommissioned Officer Development Branch.
The partnership between the Kansas Army and Air National Guard and the
Armenian military dates back to 2003. The two forces have exchanged
information and experience in defense, deploying medical care, and
handling emergency situations.
Matevosyan, through an interpreter, said he's not sure why Kansas was
initially chosen as the partner for his nation, but he's glad it was.
"Armenians appreciate and value the U.S. history and history of each
state," Matevosyan said. "I would not say that we had to be partners
with Kansas, I would say we're lucky that we had Kansas as our state
partner."
Stephen Larson, assistant director of public affairs for the adjutant
general's department that oversees the Kansas guard, said Kansas has
learned much from the partnership. He highlighted the history of an
Armenian nation that was established thousands of years before the
United States. The centerpiece of the coat of arms on the country's
flag is Mount Ararat of Biblical fame, with Noah's Ark resting on
its peak. It is surrounded by the symbols of four Armenian royal
dynasties that date from 190 B.C. to 1,375 A.D.
Armenia declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and since
then the nation has striven to establish a "Western-style parliamentary
democracy," according to the U.S. Department of State.
For more than 20 years it has also been at odds with neighboring
Azerbaijan over a contested strip of land called Nagorno-Karabakh
that runs along Armenia's southwest border with Iran. The U.S. State
Department says that though a cease-fire has been in place since 1994,
the conflict "has not been resolved."
Matevosyan said the purpose of his visit was not to discuss his
country's military role in the region, but he said the country,
which is slightly larger than Maryland, does not want to be only a
"user" in its global partnerships.
"Although we are a small country, we want to have our input in
enforcing stability and development in the areas we can in the world,"
he said.
Matevosyan, who was on his way to tour the Museum of the Kansas
National Guard at Forbes Field later Tuesday, said he wishes "the
people of Topeka and the United States prosperity, stability, peace
and stable development."
Andy Marso can be reached at (785) 233-7470 or [email protected].
Follow Andy on Twitter @andymarso.
By Andy Marso
http://cjonline.com/news/2012-06-19/armenians-learn-kansas-national-guard
June 19, 2012
Sitting at a horseshoe-shaped table in a conference room at the
State Defense Building in Topeka, members of the Kansas National
Guard helped shape the future of Armenia's military Tuesday.
Two Armenian officers visited the guard's senior leaders this week
to gather information as the landlocked former-Soviet nation east
of Turkey continues its transition from conscripted, or mandatory,
military service to a force of professional, non-commissioned officers
similar to the guard.
"We're working with the Armenian military Ministry of Defense so they
don't have to reinvent the wheel," said Sgt. Maj. James Moberly of
the Kansas Army National Guard. "In the Army National Guard we've
got more than 400 years of experience reaching the point we're at
with the professional, non-commissioned officer."
Moberly noted that the U.S. Marine Corps, the RAND Corporation,
and German and British military forces are also partnering to assist
the Armenians.
Moberly and other Kansas officers met this week with two Armenian
officers: Maj. Gen. Ishkhan Matevosyan, the head of the country's
Combat Readiness Department, and Col. Gevorg Hakobyan, the chief of
the department's Noncommissioned Officer Development Branch.
The partnership between the Kansas Army and Air National Guard and the
Armenian military dates back to 2003. The two forces have exchanged
information and experience in defense, deploying medical care, and
handling emergency situations.
Matevosyan, through an interpreter, said he's not sure why Kansas was
initially chosen as the partner for his nation, but he's glad it was.
"Armenians appreciate and value the U.S. history and history of each
state," Matevosyan said. "I would not say that we had to be partners
with Kansas, I would say we're lucky that we had Kansas as our state
partner."
Stephen Larson, assistant director of public affairs for the adjutant
general's department that oversees the Kansas guard, said Kansas has
learned much from the partnership. He highlighted the history of an
Armenian nation that was established thousands of years before the
United States. The centerpiece of the coat of arms on the country's
flag is Mount Ararat of Biblical fame, with Noah's Ark resting on
its peak. It is surrounded by the symbols of four Armenian royal
dynasties that date from 190 B.C. to 1,375 A.D.
Armenia declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and since
then the nation has striven to establish a "Western-style parliamentary
democracy," according to the U.S. Department of State.
For more than 20 years it has also been at odds with neighboring
Azerbaijan over a contested strip of land called Nagorno-Karabakh
that runs along Armenia's southwest border with Iran. The U.S. State
Department says that though a cease-fire has been in place since 1994,
the conflict "has not been resolved."
Matevosyan said the purpose of his visit was not to discuss his
country's military role in the region, but he said the country,
which is slightly larger than Maryland, does not want to be only a
"user" in its global partnerships.
"Although we are a small country, we want to have our input in
enforcing stability and development in the areas we can in the world,"
he said.
Matevosyan, who was on his way to tour the Museum of the Kansas
National Guard at Forbes Field later Tuesday, said he wishes "the
people of Topeka and the United States prosperity, stability, peace
and stable development."
Andy Marso can be reached at (785) 233-7470 or [email protected].
Follow Andy on Twitter @andymarso.