Interview with Deputy Commander of the NKR Defense Army on work with staff, Major General Vardan Balayan

– Is there research on the causes of perverse manners?

– 10% of crimes because of perverse manners occur within the first six months of service. After 1,5 years of service the most undisciplined soldier already adapts to the situation, becomes more mature.

– What contributes to our society in the development of these phenomena?

– Not yet has been eradicated the phenomenon that parents are trying to find a warm place for their children. But now we are working with parents, conduct work with them. In this may be also some fault of officers. That the officer was entirely devoted to the work, he should have sufficient social security. Unfortunately, we are still not able to solve all their problems of everyday life.

– And whether it is right to allow the use of mobile phones in the army, especially in military units on the front line?

– It is necessary to give the correct solution to this issue. If I was a company commander, after the learning process, I would single out one hour for telephone conversations, then gather the phones until the next day. I am opposed to the soldiers to carry a phone on alert.

Analyzing emergency incidents, we concluded that we must rely on the assistance of parents, their support. Meetings are organized, on which not only parents come, but also relatives, friends, girlfriends of soldiers. Stiffness passes when the commander gives the necessary explanations, encourages soldiers, gives proper assessment of work, rewards. And you feel like people are starting to look at their sons with pride and delight. At these meetings, I have not heard a single negative word about the army. On the contrary, they sound warm wishes, appeals of readiness to join the army.

– Are there any followers of various sects among the soldiers? If so, how do you feel about it, whether to include them in combat duty?

– There are such, but we can lead them through individual work and, why not, to lead them on alert. There were cases when they see, assess the achievements of the army, dedicated service of our soldiers and realized that the people should be united in protecting the homeland and faith, refuse this religious direction and join us.

– There are doubts that the army is made too transparent. Isn’t it too open to the public?

– There was a time when a lot of false information about the army was published, especially on the Internet. Now the number of false information is very much reduced, and that is the result of this transparency. Each year, the commander of Army of Defense invites journalists to military units to the front line and says – write what you see! Journalist in the first place is a citizen of our country, and deserves the moral right to criticize the army only in case of fair and respectful attitude for the army or if he has contributed to the construction of the army. In such cases, we are even grateful if they point to some omissions, but conduct of dirty talk against the army is not just ethical and not worthy of person who loves his homeland.

Interview by Lt. Colonel ARAM NERSISYAN and Major SAMVEL HARUTYUNYAN