Nikol Pashinyan attended the 2017-2018 academic year final graduation ceremony of military education institutions at RA Ministry of Defense. The Head of Government congratulated the graduates on completing the educational institutions and receiving the rank of officer. The Premier handed out graduation diplomas to a group of graduates.

Addressing those present, Nikol Pashinyan stated in part, “What does it mean to be an Armenian Army officer? It means selfless service for Homeland’s protection and security; it means ensuring peaceful life for our compatriots. But by enabling peaceful life for others, our servicemen, our officers actually sacrifice that of their mothers, wives and relatives.

They often sacrifice and spare the time they could well spend with their families, children, and friends on the protection of their homeland. And as a result of all this, a question may arise: what makes a young man shoulder that honorable strap and comply with such a high calling? I want to believe that each one of you is driven by the sense of completing a mission in assuming the rank of army officer.

Tomorrow the Armenian army will no longer be the same as it was yesterday, because tomorrow the Armenian army will be proud by many of you, the lieutenants, as servicemen, commanders. Tomorrow the senior officers will get new appointments in a higher status, while yesterday the situation was quite different in the army.

And, I hope, moreover, I am convinced that every one of you realizes that his presence in the army, his new status and activities will change the situation in the army, and it is crucial for each of you to clearly understand and realize that mission of yours: what changes are badly needed in the army, and in what direction?

I hope and believe that each of you perceives the new assignment with the consciousness that the future of the Armenian army and the defense of the homeland may depend on a single officer, on just one individual. Each one of you can change a lot within the limits of your competence, and I hope that each of you strives for a perfect service and believes that he can ensure a perfect service not only for himself but for others.

Being a commander means to be responsible before others and be responsible for others. Being a commander means to have the will and determination to sacrifice one’s life at the most important moment, and this is a tremendous burden and great responsibility inherent in truly courageous people strong with an unshakable will. I can see in your eyes that you have the will to not only serve, but also to win, bring new victories to our people, to our State and our homeland.

I can see our future victories in your eyes, I can see your future victories in your posture and therefore I wish you glorious service in Armenia’s Armed Forces just because we have common goals and a shared future.

The Armenian people triumphed in the war, in building statehood and in enforcing its power and authority in the country, and nobody can dare to take away that victory. You are the number one, the most important defender of that victory. And therefore, long live the Republic of Armenia; long live the Armenian army; long live Armenia’s Armed Forces and the glorious Armenian soldiers and officers!”

Nikol Pashinyan highlighted the fact that this year for the first time there were women among the graduates of the Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan.