The government of Armenia has recently initiated some legislative changes that it hopes will, among other measures, ensure stronger discipline in the armed forces. The move is a response to the need to curb the rise of non-combat deaths in the ranks.

Meanwhile, in order to maintain public trust towards the army the government has also been carrying out a campaign through movies and TV serials, which, however, as some experts argue, should be a more coordinated effort. The quality of such campaigns and their approach often become subjects of criticism.

The latest movie telling about army life entitled “I Am” was shown in Yerevan on January 7. Its creators said its main purpose is to try to promote the “I am my motherland’s soldier” mentality in people.

The film’s producer Armen Mazmanyan defines it as a “positive tale”, where the reality of the army is put aside and absolute values, such as the homeland, being a soldier, are propagandized.

“Negativism is widespread in society, as a result of which parents do not want to send their children to the army and boys, the potential soldiers, do not want to serve,” says Mazmanyan, who is the rector of the State Institute of Theater and Cinema.

According to Mazmanyan, art should grant positive emotions to people. “Unfortunately, hazing, as well as injustice, extreme relations between men and vulgarity, have been the biggest common problems for all armies at all times,” he says.

Criticism regarding non-combat deaths in the ranks, which has been voiced more actively in the past couple of years through public protests and online social networking often draws similar responses from army advocates: “The army is a reflection of society and causes of its problems should be sought outside the army.”

Propaganda expert Karen Vrtanesyan says he has heard conflicting views on this matter, namely: “On the one hand, it is that the problems of the army are, in fact, the problems of the society, on the other hand, from the perspective of those criticizing the army, it is that the army is an environment where everything is controlled, and, therefore, it has nothing to do with society, and everything in the army must be close to perfection.”

“I think that, yes, of course, problems of the society do have an influence on the army, but it cannot become a universal excuse for officials. If the army leadership acknowledges that problems of society affect the army’s fighting capacity, then they should also think about finding solutions instead of saying: ‘the society is to blame, so let us alone’,” says Vrtanesyan.

Nevertheless, as a country which is in a state of fragile ceasefire with its neighbor, Armenia is in a factual information war, and in this context, according to Vrtanesyan, actions and statements aimed at addressing army problems may also be construed as hostile to the Armenia side.

“Yes, there are problems and they should not only be discussed, but also solved. Problems should be discussed on a constructive and non-emotional level. If government officials shun their obligations, then, yes, there should also be protests and pressure. But before exerting such pressure and presenting another pointless and unrealizable ultimatum, a civic activist should give the matter a comprehensive view,” adds the expert.

Member of the “Army in Reality” Initiative Tsovinar Nazaryan believes that the current PR for the army does not work, because it is far too detached from reality.

“This propaganda that is being currently carried out shows the approach and the world outlook of officials: the army is presented as a gray impersonal mass that, like a machine, keeps repeating one phrase: ‘everything is fine’. Soldiers and servicemen are not presented the way they are, with their fears, concerns, joys and love,” she says.

“Obligatory military service makes every family in Armenia get a closer look at the situation in the army, and the tales that are being told on television are in stark contrast to what they see and hear in life. First there is a need for the reality to be changed rather than falsified,” says Nazaryan.

Psychologist Izabella Abgaryan, who is a senior lecturer at the Yerevan State University, says that researches gauging the moods and expectations in society as well as the images that the army has in society need to be conducted before organizing promotional campaigns.

“It is on the basis of these studies that one can build a propaganda program, which will not trigger an intolerable attitude from the society. By the way, this intolerance should also be gauged to see to what extent it is expressed. The thing is that there is practically no scientific approach in such matters, there are no initial, empirical studies, impact assessment, etc.,” says the psychologist.