Elite SF Underwater Combat Warriors Pass Out in Colourful Ceremony

The newly-established state-of-the-art Special Force Combat Diving Training School (SFCDTS) of the Army at Nayaru, Mullaittivu presented badges of proficiency to a batch of 38 trained divers on Tuesday (18) during a colourful passing out ceremony at the SFCDTS premises by the side of the Nayaru lagoon.

Major General Ralph Nugera, Colonel of the Regiment, Commando Regiment and General Officer Commanding (GOC), 14 Division as the Chief Guest in the ceremony received the salute and awarded badges of proficiency to those all rankers who followed the strenuous 12 week-long 4th Combat Diving Course at the SFCDTS.

The passing out parade commenced soon after the day’s Chief Guest was welcomed by the Center Commandant of the Special Forces, Brigadier Harendra Ranasinghe at the entrance on arrival and conducted to the main dais, flanked by the Chief Diving Officer at the SFCDTS Major S.D.L.A Kumara, to witness the parade, comprised of demonstrations of Physical Training Drills and Combat Diving sessions before all were awarded badges of proficiency, certificates of skills and trophies to the best three in the batch.

Combat Diving Course of the SFCDTS saw its birth after Major General Gamini Hettiarachchi (retd) who raised the Special Force (SF) Regiment, founded the SF Diving Squad as a visionary project after he himself with fellow-soldiers experienced a challenging expedition, amid flooding waters of the ‘Kandikudichchiaru’ while they were proceeding for an operation across Ampara, Thoppigala and Batticaloa areas in 1991.

The day’s ceremony consisted of a tree-planting arrangement, taking of group photos and the dispersal of the parade after the day’s Chief Guest addressed the troops as a formality.

Lance Corporal L.S.A.S Wijenaike of 2 SF was adjudged the Best in Physical Drills while Corporal R.K.K Rajapaksa of 2 SF emerged as the Best Swimmer in the course. Captain A.M.L.K Attanayake of 2 SF carried away the trophy as the Best Course Attendee. They all were awarded special trophies.

To-date, 65 Officers and 1006 Other Rankers, including several Air Force personnel have qualified in the SFCDTS under four such training sessions, conducted earlier at the Trincomalee Naval Military Academy and also in India.

The colourful passing out parade of the trainees was commanded by Major M.A.J Manikachchi, Senior Diving Officer and Captain V.P.D.P Vithana was the Second in Command of the parade.

SFCDTS is a force multiplier of elite combat divers and has capacity to train underwater warriors of the Army. The course includes physical training, knowledge on dangerous sea creatures and diving history, floating techniques, swimming and combat strokes, breath-holding diving, diving physics, medicine, operations, signal, waterborne infiltration methods etc.

Senior Officers, Warrant Officer II S. Amarasinghe, Diving Supervisor and several other invitees were associated with the passing out parade.