US trained Colonel Janjgava named First Deputy Army Chief

Today Georgia’s newly appointed Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces (GAF), Brigadier General Vladimer Chachibaia, named his three deputies. 

Colonel Nikoloz Janjgava, who has served in the Georgian Army since 1992 and was one of the first Georgian officers trained in the United States, has been named as First Deputy Chief of General Staff of the GAF.

Janjgava had three times collided with Georgian authorities over the country's defence policy and was allegedly involved in corruption in the military, which led to his dismissals from the Army in 1998, 2002, and 2012, all under the previous state leaderships of Georgia. 

Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces (second from right) presented his new deputies today. Photo by the Ministry of Defence press office. 

Janjgava  received his military training at the Joint Military Academy of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia in 1993 and continued his education in Germany in 1994 and the US in 1995, eventually graduating from the US Army Command and General Staff College in 2002.

Colonel Janjgava will be tasked to coordinate relations with our partners and deepen our partnership with them,” said Chachibaia while presenting his deputies.

The remaining two deputy posts were offered to Colonels Shalva Jabakhidze and Zaza Chkhaidze. 

Colonel Chkhaidze, who has served in the Georgian Army since 1994, will be responsible for coordinating activities within the General Staff. 

Meanwhile Colonel Jabakhidze, who has served in the Army since 1998, will be in charge of maneuvering, combat and support elements of the General Staff.