Patriotism isn’t just a word uttered with your lips, it should be tangible, its concept and essence should be in your consciousness. Homeland shouldn’t be loved only when you’re full and be left behind when you’re hungry. An Armenian son, who is of this opinion, doesn’t think about withdrawal even at the battlefield, doesn’t lose his courage and always values his Homeland more than his own life.
Robert Mkrtchyan, a sophomore student of NUACA Faculty of Urban Economy and Ecology, returned from military service on January 14th. The day the war broke out he was in a hospital in Yerevan, had been recently operated, however the postsurgical pain wasn’t, in fact, as much painful as the horrifying reality in Artsakh. He returned to Askeran to continue his service already at war.
“I wouldn’t forgive myself if there was no signal and no one to fix it either at the frontline, where my friends were fighting,” says signaller Robert and humbly confesses, “It’s true, I haven’t killed even a single Turk, but I’ve always been at hotspots at war and made sure that the soldiers and commanders didn’t lose connection with each other.”
And at the end… “The war ended unexpectedly, we were already used to broken ceasefires and now we realized that time was really the end and with such an outcome.”
However, faith is the only thing that is not killed or wounded, especially the faith in the Homeland. If needed, Robert will fight again, he won’t be worried about his life, he will again remember the deafening sound of mine blasts without fear and he won’t speak again about getting a concussion just to stay on the battlefield.
Our student’s devotion and kindness to his Homeland and comrades-in-arms didn’t go unanswered. Robert Mkrtchyan was nominated for “The Medal for Combat Service.”