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A cordial and frank exchange of views on disable entitlements for members of the Army and their discharge from service on medical grounds, took place on Monday (25) morning at the Army Headquarters between Major General N.A.J.C Dias, Adjutant General, representing the Commander of the Army and a group of 292 disabled and retired Army personnel, said to have been affected. The meeting was also attended by Army Director Legal, Director Pay and Records, Director Personnel Administration and senior representatives from the Directorate of Medical Services.
It was revealed that the Adjutant General Branch of the Army has already recommended the compensation payment, based on disable percentage for, both still in service or those who have gone on premature retirement and those retired from service after completion of 12 or 22 years in service.
During this meeting, the Adjutant General explained that those who are not contended with the medical category percentage that has already been received by each or those who did not go before any medical board as such, could appear once again before a new medical board for determination of the category percentage, if they so desire.
The whole issue of payment of compensations to the affected is highly complex and time-consuming, for which the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake after his assumption of office in August this year, has taken necessary steps to expedite the process. In fact, each War Hero’s medical category percentage has to be determined on case by case basis, depending on the impact of battle-related injuries in order to grant the highest benefits to them, in addition to their pension, which itself consumes a great deal of time, starting from their own regiments.
All tangible steps to provide those disable War Heroes, who have sacrificed in numerous ways for defence of the country with maximum possible benefits, including disable pension, allowances, housing grants, financial grants, donation of new houses, etc, have been in place on personal directions given by the President, the Commander-in-Chief himself and the Secretary Defence and Urban Development.
Since peace has returned to the country, all regiments in the Army, considering inconveniences that could befall the disable, still being kept in service willfully, have also been advised accordingly to discharge those disables from service as per the provisions in the Cabinet paper, if they so desire.
Monday’s discussions on grievances, difficulties and constraints, being faced with those disable War Heroes who voiced their concerns, resolved that the Sri Lanka Army, for which those War Heroes, have sweated throughout, risking their precious lives, would in no way is prepared to subject those War Heroes to any irregularity or injustice since it was their sacred role which brought peace to this country, and nobody else, to mention the least. (Ends)
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