GORIS, SYUNIK PROVINCE, ARMENIA – On Monday, September 22, the American Armenian National Security Institute – AANSI Combat Life-Saving Training began in Goris. The training continued until September 26. This was the first time when the American Armenian National Security Institute (AANSI) training was held in Syunik Province. The training was delivered in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs Rescue Service Department. Servicemen of the Syunik Land Forces of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, led by the Commander of the Land Forces Brigade, Lt. Col. Karo Avanesyan; officers of the Rescue Service Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, led by Lt. Col. Andranik Sahakyan; students of Goris State University, led by the Rector of Goris State University, Dr. Tigran Vandunts; members of the staff of the Goris Medical Center, led by the Head of the Goris Medical Center, Dr. Davit Beniki Mashuryan; nurses of the Goris College, led by the Pres. of the Goris College, Karen Samveli Aleksanyan. In total, 91 citizens participated in the exercises, representing various institutions headquartered in the Goris Metro Area. The American Armenian National Security Institute’s AANSI Combat Life-Saving Training was led by a group of experienced AANSI specialists from the United States, led by AANSI Founding Chairman and U.S. Army Major General (Ret.) Mark MacCarley, U.S. Army Senior Colonel (Ret.) James H. Robinette,II, AANSI Humanitarian Support Brigade Training Director, Los Angeles Sheriff’s International Rescue Dept. Commander Bradley Lyon, and AANSI Founding Vice President/AANSI Humanitarian Support Brigade Deputy Commander Appo Jabarian. The Goris Region Department of the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, headed by Lieutenant Colonel Andranik Sahakyan, contributed their invaluable participation to the First-Aid training and field operations training performing a series of evacuation and rescue exercises. The AANSI Combat Life-Saving Training was led by specialist Zhora Abgaryan and Bela Gasparyan. The organizational success became reality thanks to timely support provided by numerous individuals, especially the Director of the Goris Chapter of AANSI ARMENIA, Captain Seroj Mashuryan, and the AANSI HSB Human Resources Captain Anna Mkrtchyan. The goal of the exercises is to increase the level of civil preparedness and develop effective response skills in times of regional or national emergencies. The training was hailed as an important effort to the development of a culture of civil defense and organized response in emergency situations. In response to growing demands by both future participants and local officials, the AANSI leadership pledged to make the AANSI Combat Life-Saving Training available again in the Syunik region. The first AANSI Humanitarian Support Brigade training in Armenia was held in Aragats, in August 2023, in cooperation with the RA Ministries of Defense and Internal Affairs.