5 months ago, my son was recruited into the army. And finally there was the opportunity to visit his military unit. My daughter and I arrived there in the evening. We were received like family, provided a place to sleep. I was very inspired with the friendly attitude of the command to the parent of a soldier. I was delighted: so here they know the value of a soldier, respect him.

On December 7, 2015, in Spitak a monument was unveiled dedicated to the soldiers who participated in the works to eliminate the consequences of the 1988 earthquake. The monument was created in Moscow on the initiative of the Russian Union of Military History, architect: V.Frolov, sculptor: A.Mironova.

The story “Marauder” of writer, essayist and translator Hovik Vardumyan was awarded a special prize on joint awarding of 2015 of the RA Defense Ministry and the Union of Writers of Armenia.
Hovik Vardumyan, son of Saribek Vardumyan who died during the Second World War, put down his gun only in 1994, when the cease-fire agreement was signed. His path of fighting he began in Yeraskhavan, participated in the battles of self-defense in Noyemberyan, Vardenis, Shahumyan, Gegharkunick, Martakert areas. For faultless military service O.Vardumyan was awarded a number of departmental medals and diplomas of Armenia and NKR. His books have been translated into 15 languages. The book “The liberation of Shoushi”, according to the military theorists, is the best documented writing of the Artsakh war.

I am in the village Alvank (Red Temple) in Syunick region, which was called Aldara when Azerbaijanis lived there. Here there are beautiful medieval Armenian khachkars – cross-stones, churches, mills, etc.
Soldier of the Artsakh war, now – retired Lieutenant Colonel Sargis Qaryan introduced me to the Tovmasyan family – refugees from Baku. Their sons – Ararat and Masis are militarymen, serving in one of the military units of Artsakh, and their daughter Ani is a one-year student at the Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan. Since childhood, the children heard about the atrocities committed by Azerbaijanis in Sumgayit, Baku, Gandzak, the heroism of our soldiers during the Artsakh war and made this decision independently. The family decided – after Ani’s graduation, they will move to live in Artsakh.

The Artsakh war gave us heroes who today have become a way of raising the generation.
November 22 marks the 73rd anniversary of the birth of one of those heroes – Leonid Azgaldyan. Since February 1990 he led the command of “Independence Army”, organized self-defense of Vardenis, participated in the liberation battles, including – the first attack of Nyuvady.

I serve in the frontier military unit. It is a year of my service, but cross-border service, or as we say, the real service is half a year. The first six months have been easy, but on the border… On the border even wake up and going to sleep, your actions are quite different. You serve even in a dream, because here the burden of responsibility is very great. Even the army bread is delicious… You eat it – and you are happy, because this right you have worked by your honest and faithful service. On the border the service lasts 24 hours and not a minute less.

Early morning. Nature of Tavush is unimaginably beautiful. We came to a crossroad. They attached a sign where it was written by hand: “Be careful, the enemy shoots!” However, the villagers are not very serious about this sign: “If we, “be cautious “, then we have not go out of the house”, – they scoff.
To my surprise, there are many young people in the village. They accompanied us to their pantheon-memorial where are sleeping peacefully the men who died in the battles for the defense of the village.