The President visited the military hospital of Bethesda, Maryland. He decorated the Georgian soldier, Lieutenant Colonel Alexandre Tugushi with the first degree Order of Vakhtang Gorgasali for his honest service, high professionalism, bravery, and fulfilling his knightly obligation during a peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan. He also gave awards in the name of General Kvinitadze to two American soldiers - Bulreson Marcus and Brown Christian, who were fighting beside Georgians in Helmand. The President of Georgia also made a comment for journalists.

“I visited the head of the battalion, Colonel Alexandre Tugushi, who was severely wounded in Afghanistan. He is from Ozurgeti. His mother is teaching Geography in the secondary school of Ozurgeti. By the way, Alexandre told me that he was a close friend of our national hero – Zaza Damenia, who covered the soldiers with his body when a mine exploded, saving 4 of them in 2004. He told me that he has a fighting attitude. He has an opportunity to go through a full rehabilitation course here and get back to his real life despite everything that happened, but he cannot wait to go home. He wants to wear a uniform again. Before coming here, I saw General Patraeus, who was formerly the head of the American operation in Iraq and Afghanistan. He told me that it was his honor to lead Georgian soldiers and fight with them on two fronts. He verified what President Bush was telling us before: Patraeus wrote a letter to President Bush saying that Georgians are incredibly brave, professional, and reliable soldiers, sergeants and officers. David Patraeus is a very serious and interesting person and he never says anything in vain. He noted that the Georgian contingent is one of the best groups of soldiers he has ever fought beside. We should understand that this is an invaluable experience for Georgian armed forces. The Georgian army is becoming stronger by serving in Afghanistan. We should understand that a new decision has been made and military cooperation will move to a new level and we will really start taking care of defense. This will be a continuation of what was previously happening in Afghanistan. Nothing happened in vain. Georgia is our main object of defense and of course we are taking care of our guys in Afghanistan for the sake of Georgia. Alexandre Tugushi understands this very well, as does our fighters and their families. I am proud that we have compatriots like that. This is what will save Georgia and make it one of the most successful and strongest countries in the future” – stated Mikheil Saakashvili.

The head of the hospital - Vice Admiral Alton Stocks assessed the visit of the President of Georgia with the soldiers as a visit with a curing effect.