Armenian Deputy Defense Minister Gabriel Balayan presided over celebrations marking the 62nd birthday of Monte Melkonian, a national hero of Armenia and Artsakh, on November 24 at the Monte Melkonian Military College in Dilijan.

According to tradition, students newly admitted to the college took an oath of loyalty to the school.

The event was attended by representatives of the Defense Ministry, members of the Board of Trustees of the Monte Melkonian Military Training Foundation, and relatives of Melkonian.