Army ‘Leadership Training’ Module Attracts New Samurdhi Officers

The Army-designed well recognized ‘Leadership Training’ Course, which has been sought by the Ministry of Social Empowerment, Welfare and Kandyan Heritage for the benefit of newly-appointed Samurdhi Officers is now underway at several island-wide locations in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence and the Sri Lanka Army.

Hon S.B Dissanayake, Minister for Social Empowerment, Welfare and Kandyan Heritage, together with Major General Vijitha Ravipriya, Director General Army Training at the Army Headquarters on Tuesday (28) visited the Centre for Army Vocational Training (CAVT) at Saliyawewa, Kalaoya where one such programme was underway with a view to receiving a firsthand experience.

The 19-day long workshop, organized by the Army for 1904 newly-appointed Samurdhi Officers, including 1521 female Officers covers the theme, ‘Leadership, Positive Attitudes & Moral Development’ commenced last Tuesday (21) concurrently at seventeen Army-run island-wide training establishments with the guidelines given by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake.

To be in line with the Commander’s visionary concept that the Army should always set apart one third of its contribution for nation-building, the Army Headquarters in response to the request made to the Ministry of Social Empowerment, Welfare and Kandyan Heritage in this regard through the Ministry of Defence has accordingly instructed the Army Director General Training, Major General Vijitha Ravipriya to coordinate and facilitate the request.

The leadership training programme is now underway at Volunteer Force Training School (VFTS), Diyatalawa, Infantry Training Centre (ITC), Minneriya, Combat Training School (CTS), Ampara, Marksmanship Training School (MSTS), Diyatalawa, Centre for Army Vocational Training (CAVT), Kala Oya, Armoured Corps Training Centre (ACTC), Kalaththewa, 6 Sri Lanka Artillery (SLA), Panagoda, School of Artillery, Minneriya, School of Engineers, Embilipitiya, School of Signals, Buwelikada, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment, Ambepussa, Sri Lanka Army Ordnance Corps Training School, Dombagoda, Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps Training School, Kuttigala Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment Training School, Puttalam, 4 (V) Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps, Medawachchiya, 3 (V) Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps, Dehiaththakandiya and the National Cadets Corps (NCC) Training School, Rantambe under the direct supervision of the Director General Training at the Army Headquarters.

Ministry seeks Army professionals to enhance the knowledge of those new Samurdhi officers on personality, leadership and proper conduct since all of them are to be sent to different areas across the country where multi ethnic communities live. A team of instructors of the Army would continue with lectures until 9 December 2017 before the final closing ceremony gets underway.

Hon Minister together with Major General Vijitha Ravipriya during their visit to Saliyawewa spent some time with those Samurdhi Officers and exchanged a few views with them regarding administrative issues.

Brigadier Randula Hathnagoda, Commandant, CAVT, Lieutenant Colonel Shashika Perera, Commanding Officer, CAVT, Senior Officers and several Senior Samurdhi Officers including Mr Sunil Gunawardane, Coordinating Secretary to Hon Minister, were also present during the visit.