After the end of the relevant courses of the Military Aviation Institute after Marshal Armenak Khanperyants, I and my classmate Dzyunik Aveyan enlisted in the air-defense forces.
The most important one was the first day, and it began wonderfully, the command staff received us warmly. At that moment, I was the happiest person in the world. Our arrival at the military unit coincided with the trainings, and, as they say, without foreplay we entered the military life. We were all equal, but representatives of the “weaker sex” were always under scrutiny of the officers. With their guidance and advice commander of the military unit, Colonel M.Sahakyan, his deputy, Lt. Colonel G.Nazaretyan, Colonels G.Zeynalyan, Kh.Torosyan helped us a lot.

Brothers Thovmas and Petros were saved from Vardanyan big family and settled in the village of Davitashen of Talin region. Tumo and Peto were famous storytellers. In the long winter evenings the villagers gathered around them and listened to their tales, stories. Sometimes they fell silent and faintly uttered, “Oh, my beloved country,” and everyone knew that they again remembered village Akhund of Sasun and the holy relics which were left there.

When I returned from the army, it was 1988. The movement for the liberation of Artsakh just began. I was very interested in what happens. In all this there was something fantastic, was a powerful energy. My classmate had a camera. And I started to shoot. It was very interesting: like you’re in a crowd, but at the same time you look to everything from aside. I thought: “Maybe now something I do not understand, but after 10 years maybe I’ll understand.” Then I started to send these tapes to Moscow, America, Germany, France, so many would know what is going on here, I began to collaborate with CBS News and the BBC as an independent journalist. This is how was my entrance into the documentary.

It was the 22nd, or 23rd January, 1993. Two Azerbaijani helicopters opened fire in the direction of the church “Yerits mankunq”, they thought we have hidden there. From the dome the huge cross fell down and broke. The commander of our Special forces group Shahen Meghryan said that we need to restore the cross. And there we all gave word that we’ll set up the cross on its place. Before departure I photographed all of them, and the war took us to different roads.

At the Height the things are different. At the Height you talk with Eternity, and everyday worries seem so small! I like to climb to the positions with my soldiers. There is nothing better than a midnight conversation of commander and soldier on the Height, from where the boundary of the Homeland starts – ahead is the enemy, in the back – the breath of the country. At the Height you are stronger, you’re stronger than death…

We should consider everything, we have no right not to pay attention to any detail, yet it is not the situation that we can sit quietly. The enemy is punished, but we expect it’ll take new steps. Today is also an important time and the responsibility rests on our shoulders. We are ready. We have gained combat experience. Our soldiers only need to give the right direction, it is necessary to inspire, to be with him, and he will become a hero. The last shot must always be ours!

According to the joint order of the Ministers of Defense and Health of 2014, pre-vaccination of recruits is carried out in outpatient clinics. Vaccinations are done immediately after the attachment of 15-year olds in the military enlistment offices and completed in 16 years, providing 1 dose vaccination of hepatitis A, meningococcal, pneumococcal, ADP-M, tularemia.
Preservative inoculations of the called-up for compulsory military service are carried out a few months before being called in clinics attached to the military commissariats of Armenia.