US State Department analyst publishes article about Georgia
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, February 12
Security assistance program analyst Rennie A. Silva, who works in the Office of Security Assistance within the Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, published an article about Georgian soldiers in the US State Department’s blog.
According to the author, Georgia consistently supports global security and is the second-largest troop contributor in Afghanistan, after the United States.
“Whenever the United States has asked nations to contribute to international security, Georgia has answered the call. Whether in Afghanistan or Iraq, this small country at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia has stepped up to support global security,” the article reads.
Silva says that Georgian soldiers serve in Afghanistan without caveats, which means that they can be assigned to any mission, including direct combat.
Moreover, she notes that Georgia’s commitment to deploying its armed forces has resulted in real sacrifices: 31 Georgians have lost their lives in Afghanistan, and 282 Georgians have been wounded in action.
The article underlines that US security assistance helps Georgia to take care of its soldiers at home after they return from operational deployments.
“We are working with Georgia to strengthen their military medical facilities into institutions able to adequately treat and care for its wounded military personnel. I recently had the opportunity to visit the Gori Military Hospital in Georgia, and see firsthand our assistance programs at work,” writes Rennie A. Silva.
The article also mentions that since 1998, Georgia has received a total of over $220 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF), including equipment, training, and advisory support to strengthen Georgia’s ability to care of its wounded warriors.
“Assistance such as FMF is helping Georgia make significant strides towards achieving its goal of providing critical long-term medical care to its wounded warriors, and is advancing U.S. national security by supporting Georgia’s armed services as a strong partner and an emerging model for other countries,” says the article.
