Honour Guard Company (Armenia)

The Honour Guard Company of the Ministry of Defence of Armenia (

In order to serve in the unit recruits must have a height of between 180 centimeters (5 ft 9 in) to 187 centimeters (6 ft 1 in). They are also required to maintain good health and have to have a college education (either from the Vazgen Sargsyan Military University or one of the country's universities).

Organizational structure

The unit has the following sub-units:^[3]

• Welcoming Group – Consists of 27 soldiers which includes one commander, one
  color guard
  , and 24 personnel.
• Wreath Laying Group – Consists of 2-3 personnel. It is usually active at solemn ceremonies at Tsitsernakaberd and Mother Armenia.
• Drill Team Group

The unit performed exhibition drill for the first time in 2009 during the celebrations dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the Military Institute. It also performed during an event dedicated to Army Day in the main hall of the Yerevan Opera Theatre.

Weapons

The unit currently utilizes the SKS rifle during drill, having adopted it in 2006.^[1] It previously used the AK-47 from 1991–2006. Drill with both of these weapons is completely different, with the biggest difference being seen in how both look when they are in the present arms position (the SKS is kept straight while in this position while the bottom of the AK-47 is kept facing to the left).

Commanders

The unit has had the following commanders:^[3]

• Colonel Ashot Hakobyan (1993–2005)
• Lieutenant Colonel Vardan Khanferyants (2005–2009)
• Lieutenant Colonel
  Sokrat Vardanyan (2009–Present)

After leading the drill routine during the 2011 military parade, President

• 
  Members of the Wreath laying group.
• 
  Members of the Honours group.
• 
  Members of the unit during the 2010 Moscow Victory Day Parade.
• 
  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev inspecting the company in August 2010.
• 
  The company in front of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
• 
  Lieutenant Colonel Sokrat Vardanyan

See also

• Presidential Guard Regiment (Turkey)
• 154th Preobrazhensky Independent Commandant's Regiment
• Honor Guard of the Armed Forces of Belarus
• Band of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Honour guards from Armenia.

• «Պատիվ ունեմ» փոխգնդապետ Սոկրատ Վարդանյան
• The battalion performing during an Armenian independence day parade in 2016
• The battalion performing an Exhibition drill in 2011
• TIGRAN BAGDASARYAN PPV