ARMENIAN ARMY REMANNED WITH CONTRACTUAL SEVICEMEN IN CONNECTION WITH DECLINE IN NUMBER OF DRAFTEES IN NEAR FUTURE

Noyan Tapan
Nov 12 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. As every year, the recruitment plan
will be fulfilled and even overfulfilled this year. The head of the
RA Armed Forces General Staff, the first deputy minister of defence
Seyran Ohanian expressed this opinion at the Charbakh assembly place
on November 12. In his words, during this recruitment, they will
pay special attention to issues of fair call up, as well as health
and medical examination of draftees. In particular, the number of
vaccinations against the most widespread diseases have been increased.

In response to the question about whether it will be possible to man
the Armenian army with the necessary number of servicemen for a fixed
period of military service in the future too, S. Ohanian said that
a decline in the number of young men liable for military service is
expected in 2010-2012 in connection with the fall in birth rate in
Armenia in 1992-1994. For this reason, in addition to servicemen for
a fixed period, those on a contract basis will be recruited into the
army. There are already military units and subunits fully composed
of servicemen an a contract basis.

According to S. Ohanian, cases of desertion are few in the Armenian
army: about 15 cases happen at present. The head of the General Staff
said that the number of emergency cases has also declined as compared
with last year.

Not giving the exact number, he only stated that each loss is
regrettable for the army.