Independent Honor Guard Battalion (Turkmenistan)

Independent Honor Guard Battalion of the Ministry of Defence of Turkmenistan Türkmenistanyň Goranmak Ministrligi Hormat Garawuly Batalyony
Active	1992 (1992)
Country	Turkmenistan
Branch	Armed Forces of Turkmenistan
Type	Infantry, cavalry
Role	public duties
Size	100
Part of	Ministry of Defense of Turkmenistan
Garrison/HQ	Ashgabat
Colors	Green
March	Niyazov's Honour March
Rifle	SKS
Commanders
Notable commanders	Pygy Baýramdurdyýew
Insignia
Flag of the Turkmen Ground Forces

The Independent Honor Guard Battalion of the Ministry of Defence of Turkmenistan (Turkmen: Türkmenistanyň Goranmak Ministrligi Hormat Garawuly Batalyony; Russian: Отдельный батальон Почетного караула Министерства обороны Туркменистан) is the official ceremonial unit of the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan that serves as a Guard of honour unit. The battalion guards the Independence Monument, the National Museum of Turkmenistan and the Presidential Palace in Ashgabat. The battalion was formed in 1992 as one of the first purely ceremonial units of the Turkmen Armed Forces. The battalion is composed of two infantry companies and also maintains Cavalry company. The Turkmen Internal Troops, Turkmen Border Troops, and Turkmen National Guard are excluded from the battalion.

History of Activities

The battalion in the 2010 Moscow Victory Day Parade.

Dmitry Medvedev inspecting the battalion with his Turkmen counterpart in Ashgabat in 2008.

One of the first events the battalion took part in was the independence day military parade on Makhtumkuli Avenue in October 1992, serving as linemen for the parading troops. The battalion took part in the annual Victory Day Parade in Moscow in May 2010, and with the Russian Government's permission, the commander of the battalion, Major General Pygy Baýramdurdyýew, led the contingent on horseback, with the white Akhal-Teke horse being a descendant of the horse Marshal Georgy Zhukov rode on during the Moscow Victory Parade of 1945.

Mission

External videos
The Changing of the Guard in Ashgabat

The battalion on parade.

• Ceremonial duties are usually served by the battalion.

• The battalion is the first division on Independence Square in the annual Independence Day Parade.

• They also greet foreign leaders visiting Turkmenistan

• Guarding the National Museum of Turkmenistan and the Independence Monument in Ashgabat.

Photos of the Batalion

Infantry unit

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  The battalion inside the Oguzkhan Presidential Palace.

Cavalry unit

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  The ceremonial cavalry in during the Independence Day parade in Ashgabat in 2011.
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  Major General Pygy Bayramdurdyevym, the former commander of the unit, on horseback in 2011.

Links

• Turkmen Changing of the Guard

• Members of the battalion during the 2010 Moscow Victory Day Parade

• The battalion training at their barracks