A special session of a newly formed organization, the Union of Shoushi Special Battalion Freedom Fighters, convened on December 15to elect its new board and to officially sign up new members.

Jirayr Sefilyan was elected the Union’s president and Pavlik Manoukyan, its vice-president.

In a public statement, the Union listed its primary aims:

• Providing financial and moral assistance to the families of those who died during military service, to war veterans and those with service related disabilities.
• To organize unions for war vets.
• To protect the rights and freedoms enshrined in the RA Constitution
• To disseminate/instruct military skills to young people through competitions, excursions and camping getaways.