National Guard Jubilee
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Thursday, December 26
Today, the National Guard of Georgia marks its 23rd anniversary. Related to the jubilee, Guard personnel and invited guests gathered at the drill grounds of the National Guard.
At the beginning of the solemn ceremony, Guard personnel observed a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of military servicemen who have fallen for Georgian territorial integrity and while carrying out service duty. A military band performed the Georgian national anthem as well.
The Chief of General Staff of GAF, Major-General Vakhtang Kapanadze, and Deputy Defence Minister Irakli Gegechkori, congratulated personnel of the National Guard on their anniversary and wished them every success in their future work. While delivering the speech, they focused on the importance of the National Guard in the Georgian army. “The Guard is the military unit which became the basis of the formation of the Georgian Armed Forces. 23 years have passed. This is not a great time. Thus, the Georgian National Guard could mark its anniversary earlier as there was not any conflict or combat activity in Georgia during the 20th century that Guard personnel haven’t participated in and sacrificed for our homeland. The National Guard always defended, defends and will defend our country,” said the Chief of General Staff.
Major-General Vakhtang Kapanadze awarded Master Sergeant Giorgi Kharazishvili with the “Devoted to Homeland” medal. He received the service medal for his actions in strengthening the defence capabilities of the country. The Chief of General Staff also rewarded the Head of G-1 Reservists Registration and Data Provision Division of National Guard Staff, Major Ioseb Maisuradze with the service medal. Major Maisuradze got the “General Kvinitadze” medal for achieving success in combat preparations and for the maintenance of high combat readiness of military servicemen.
The Head of the National Guard, Levan Gamkhrelidze, handed 34 military servicemen Certificates of Honor for conscientiously performing work for the 23rd anniversary ceremony.
The National Guard was established on December 20, 1990. This was the first military unit by which the Georgian Armed Forces were formed and developed. According to the “Minister’s Vision 2013-2014”, the priorities of the National Guard are to develop a reserve and mobilization system and get experience from partner countries in these directions, as well as to elaborate reserve and mobilization concepts appropriate to the existing situation.
