Aroutin Hartounian: Our Pledge on the 19th Anniversary of the Reorganization of the Independent Armenian Armed Forces

On the occasion of the 19th Anniversary of the reorganization of an independent Armenian Armed Forces, we congratulate the Armenian people world wide on this tremendous and monumental achievement. After seven decades of serving under the banner of the Soviet Union, the legendary Armenian Armed Forces is once again fighting under the sacred Red, Blue, and Orange. Today, the Armenian Armed Forces not only stands ready to defend Armenia against foreign aggressors, but is also an active participant of international peace keeping and humanitarian missions around the world.

While there still lies many challenges ahead of the Armenian Armed Forces, this sacred institution has been the guarantor of the security and sovereignty of the Armenian homeland and has instilled hope among its future generations. Thanks to each and every Armenian soldier, the Armenian Nation sleeps comfortably at night knowing that their brave sons guarantee their safety. It is because of their bravery that the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Republic threw off the yoke of the Azeri oppression. It is the Armenian soldiers' fearlessness that consecutive Azeri aggressions have been repelled successfully. And lastly, it is their valor that instills hope within every Armenian child for a safer, democratic and more prosperous Armenia.

One cannot forget the contributions of the families of the Armenian servicemen. It is at the expense of their families, and the expense of their unquenched yearnings and at times tormenting wait of two long years that our Nation is safe. We must honor every single serviceman's fathers who raised a true hero for his Nation and even more importantly, we must bow down to each soldier's mother who parts away from her beloved child, hoping for the safe return of their already grown and matured man.

But we also must acknowledge that the road to create the Armenian Armed Forces has not been a smooth one and challenges still lie ahead. And we, as mature and informed Armenian civil society, shall not shy away from facing these challenges. The noteworthy remnant of Soviet-era system, whereby the newer servicemen are by custom bullied by those serving longer terms, is an issue that must be eradicated. And this eradication process must start with every single soldier and officer, who not only should think about their tenure in the service, but also the service of their children and grandchildren. They must be very cautious of the precedent which is being set by them for the future generations to come. Today's actions by one soldier, can plant the seed for creed of tomorrow's entire Armed Forces. Those who have abused their powers within this sacred institution and have unjustly imposed their will on their peers shall be punished with the outmost severity as to make examples of them. And in this, the State apparatus has an important role to play. Disciplinary actions, as sanctioned by the law, and a more transparent oversight system can be helpful in solving disciplinary and other issues. While bringing change within any institution is difficult, it is noteworthy that a number of reforms have already been implemented by the Armenian Armed Forces. Such reforms are commendable; but more is needed.

Regardless, these challenges do not take away from the glory of the Armenian Armed Forces. As time and again pointed out by many non-Armenian (including Turkish) experts in the security field, and even after billions of dollars of military spending by the rogue Azerbaijani regime, the Armenian Armed Forces is still the most powerful, the most agile, and the best prepared fighting force in the region. While the road to reestablish the independent Armenian Armed Forces has been challenging, the strong will and the collective wisdom of the Armenian people, combined with the brevity and preparedness of the Armenian soldiers, has led to the establishment of a fighting force which is willing, able, and ready to defend the rights and aspirations of the Armenian Nation.

Regardless of political ideology or birth place, every Armenian in the world stands by its fighting sons. We are proud of them.

And today, as in the past, when duty calls, every single Armenian in the world, shoulder to shoulder with the Armenian Armed Forces, will stand and defend the safety and sovereignty of the Armenian Nation and the dual Armenian homelands of Armenia and Artsakh. That is our unwavering pledge.

Aroutin Hartounian

President
Unified Young Armenians (UYA)