13th September 2024 22:31:42 Hours
Major General P.A.M. Peiris RSP USP psc, General Officer Commanding of the 22 Infantry Division, was invited to the office of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage RWP RSP ndu, on 13 September 2024, along with his family, prior to his retirement from the Sri Lanka Army.
During the meeting, the Army Chief commended the Senior Officer for his unwavering dedication and exemplary performance in various challenging roles throughout his career, both during the war and the post-war era. The Commander of the Army also acknowledged the pivotal role played by his family in supporting him throughout his career. In response, Major General P.A.M. Peiris RSP USP psc expressed profound gratitude for the steadfast guidance and support provided by the Army Chief. At the conclusion of the interaction, the Commander of the Army presented a special memento to the retiring Senior Officer as a symbol of appreciation and commendation, along with gifts for his family.
Here is a brief profile of the retiring Senior Officer:
Major General P.A.M. Peiris RSP USP psc enlisted in the Regular Force of the Sri Lanka Army as an Officer Cadet in Intake PMA 02 on 07 September 1990. Upon successful completion of military training at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) and the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and posted to the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps on 13 March 1991. After being steadily elevated to subsequent ranks over the course of his service in the Army, he was promoted to the rank of Major General on 31 October 2023. The Senior Officer will retire from the Regular Force of the Sri Lanka Army with effect from 15 September 2024, upon reaching 55 years of age.
Throughout his career, he held various key appointments, including Troop Leader of the 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment Sri Lanka Armoured Corps, Troop Leader of the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment Sri Lanka Armoured Corps, Adjutant of the Armoured Corps Training Centre, Officer Instructor of the Officer Cadet Wing - Sri Lanka Military Academy, Adjutant of the Officer Cadet Wing - Sri Lanka Military Academy, Officer Commanding of the Sabre Squadron - 5th Reconnaissance Regiment Sri Lanka Armoured Corps, Officer Commanding of the Headquarter Squadron - 4th Armoured Regiment Sri Lanka Armoured Corps, Staff Officer 2 of the Directorate of Media - Army Headquarters, Second-in-Command of the 9th Reinforcement (RFT) Regiment Sri Lanka Armoured Corps, Officiating General Staff Officer 1 (Operations) of the Headquarters 55 Infantry Division, Senior Security Coordinating Officer to the Commander of the Army and In-charge of Security - Army Headquarters, Military Observer of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), Commanding Officer of the 8th Reinforcement (RFT) Regiment Sri Lanka Armoured Corps, Commanding Officer of the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment Sri Lanka Armoured Corps, Commandant of the Armoured Corps Training Centre, Staff Officer 1 (Volunteer) of the Military Secretary’s Branch - Army Headquarters, Colonel (General Staff) of the Security Force Headquarters (Wanni), Commander of the 212 Infantry Brigade, Deputy Commandant of the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Commander of the Armoured Brigade, Director of the Directorate of Research Concept and Doctrine - Army Headquarters, Deputy Commandant of the Defence Services Command and Staff College, Director General of the Directorate of Sports - Army Headquarters, and General Officer Commanding of the 22 Infantry Division.
He has been awarded the Rana Sura Padakkama for his bravery on the battlefield. Throughout his service, the Senior Officer has been instrumental in coordinating the construction of 50 houses for underprivileged families. Of these, 47 have been completed and handed over to the beneficiaries, with the remaining three still under construction. In recognition of his exceptional contributions, the Commander of the Army awarded him the Commendation Medal.
The Senior Officer has completed numerous local and foreign courses during his military career, including the Young Officers Course, Unit Administration Course, Unit Security Officers Course, Instructors Course on Male Participation in Reproductive Health (organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) - Sri Lanka), Potential Unit Commanders Course, Fundamentals of Information Technology Course, Human Rights Law Course, Law of Armed Conflict Instructors Training Course, United Nations Civil-Military Coordination (UN-CIMIC) Officers Course, Potential Observers and Staff Officers Course, Army Command and Staff Course, Officer Cadet Training Course (Pakistan), Young Officers (Armour) Course (India), Armour Officers Advanced Technical Course (Pakistan), Combat Team Commanders Course (India), United Nations Protection of Civilians Capsule Course (Congo), Tank Battalion Commander Course (China), and Mainstreaming Gender into Community-Based Disaster Risk Management Training Course (Kenya).
In addition, the Senior Officer has pursued non-military courses such as the National Diploma in Counseling at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resource Management at the University of Kelaniya, Diploma in Diplomacy and World Affairs at the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI), and a Diploma in Chinese Language and Culture Education at Huaqiao University in China.
