It was founded in late 1989 by members of the Union for National Self-Determination, including Ashot Navasardyan, Movses Gorgisyan, Azat Arshakyan [hy], and Razmik Markosyan.
[1] Soon after the group's founding, one of its founders, Movses Gorgisyan, was killed during a battle with Azerbaijani forces near Yeraskh.
Several leaders of the Army of Independence joined the ranks of the Republican Party of Armenia, which was founded by Ashot Navasardyan on 2 April 1990.
[1] By December 1989, the group had units in Yerevan, Etchmiadzin, Artashat, Armavir, Ararat, Masis, Charentsavan, Kamo, Vardenis, Vanadzor, Ijevan, Tashir, and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Most of its members went on to fight in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War and participate in Armenia's political life.