The first formal visit of the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake to the Security Force Headquarters - Jaffna (SFHQ-J) after he took over office as 20th Army Commander, occurred on Monday (14).
Elaborate arrangements at the SFHQ-J and its 55, 52 and 51 Division Headquarters separately received the Commander in accordance with military traditions, giving pride of place to his address.
Soon after military formalities, comprising a Guard Turn Out and a Guard of Honour saluted the visiting Commander of the Army, Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Commander, SFHQ-J made a presentation on SFHQ-J current roles and tasks as well as other matters of security concern before the visiting Army Chief.
Afterwards, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake addressed a gathering of about 450 SFHQ-J officers and other ranks where the Commander, spelt out his vision and future objectives from both officers and other ranks serving the SFHQ-J.
He emphasized the need, as in any other Army in peacetime, to keep the momentum of continued training, although there does not exist terrorist violence any longer in any part of the island. Training is an integral routine of a soldier and it should be kept in mind all the time, he said.
In his address, he underlined the significance of maintaining strict discipline among all members all the time, to emerge as a community of people-friendly members for Jaffna at a time the country as well as the North is fast moving towards speedy development with full democracy now in place. He told the gathering how they should provide their services as a community-oriented members of the security forces.
Towards the end of the formal troop address, the gathering posed for a group photo with their visiting Chief who several years ago served the SFHQ-J as a well-experienced senior Commander for the Forward Maintenance Area.
The visit was made more memorable, just minutes after it by inviting the Commander of the Army to inaugurate the newly-erected air-conditioned Mess Hall for other ranks in the premises.
The next stop for the Commander was Vettalakerni where the 55 Division Headquarters is situated. On arrival, the Commander was warmly welcomed by Brigadier B.H.M.A Wijesinghe, General Officer Commanding, 55 Division, together with a few more senior officers, including Director Operations who had arrived there.
A drive-past saluted the visiting Commander before the General Officer Commanding - 55 Division placed a comprehensive picture of current projects in his area of responsibility and 55 Division roles for the information of the visiting Army Chief. Later on, the Commander was invited to plant a mango tree sapling in the premises as a token of memory of his visit to the venue. Afterwards, the Commander shared a few thoughts with the troops serving there and urged them to work wisely for best interests of the nation-building.
The day’s agenda also included a visit by the Commander to the 52 Division Headquarters where he declared opened a new Army Training Centre for battalion training in Viddattapalai. The new centre consists of a Lecture Hall and several residential quarters for the troops.
His arrival afterwards to address 51 Division troops, assembled at Jaffna, Pannai-based 23 Gajaba Regiment Headquarters was greeted with a drive-past. The customary troop address followed afterwards. Later on, the visiting Army Chief mingled with the troops, present there and took time off to talk to them wherever possible before his exit from the place. General Officer Commanding - 51 Division as is the practice elsewhere in Jaffna, gave a briefing to the Commander on 51 Division roles and tasks.
Elaborate arrangements at the SFHQ-J and its 55, 52 and 51 Division Headquarters separately received the Commander in accordance with military traditions, giving pride of place to his address.
Soon after military formalities, comprising a Guard Turn Out and a Guard of Honour saluted the visiting Commander of the Army, Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Commander, SFHQ-J made a presentation on SFHQ-J current roles and tasks as well as other matters of security concern before the visiting Army Chief.
Afterwards, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake addressed a gathering of about 450 SFHQ-J officers and other ranks where the Commander, spelt out his vision and future objectives from both officers and other ranks serving the SFHQ-J.
He emphasized the need, as in any other Army in peacetime, to keep the momentum of continued training, although there does not exist terrorist violence any longer in any part of the island. Training is an integral routine of a soldier and it should be kept in mind all the time, he said.
In his address, he underlined the significance of maintaining strict discipline among all members all the time, to emerge as a community of people-friendly members for Jaffna at a time the country as well as the North is fast moving towards speedy development with full democracy now in place. He told the gathering how they should provide their services as a community-oriented members of the security forces.
Towards the end of the formal troop address, the gathering posed for a group photo with their visiting Chief who several years ago served the SFHQ-J as a well-experienced senior Commander for the Forward Maintenance Area.
The visit was made more memorable, just minutes after it by inviting the Commander of the Army to inaugurate the newly-erected air-conditioned Mess Hall for other ranks in the premises.
The next stop for the Commander was Vettalakerni where the 55 Division Headquarters is situated. On arrival, the Commander was warmly welcomed by Brigadier B.H.M.A Wijesinghe, General Officer Commanding, 55 Division, together with a few more senior officers, including Director Operations who had arrived there.
A drive-past saluted the visiting Commander before the General Officer Commanding - 55 Division placed a comprehensive picture of current projects in his area of responsibility and 55 Division roles for the information of the visiting Army Chief. Later on, the Commander was invited to plant a mango tree sapling in the premises as a token of memory of his visit to the venue. Afterwards, the Commander shared a few thoughts with the troops serving there and urged them to work wisely for best interests of the nation-building.
The day’s agenda also included a visit by the Commander to the 52 Division Headquarters where he declared opened a new Army Training Centre for battalion training in Viddattapalai. The new centre consists of a Lecture Hall and several residential quarters for the troops.
His arrival afterwards to address 51 Division troops, assembled at Jaffna, Pannai-based 23 Gajaba Regiment Headquarters was greeted with a drive-past. The customary troop address followed afterwards. Later on, the visiting Army Chief mingled with the troops, present there and took time off to talk to them wherever possible before his exit from the place. General Officer Commanding - 51 Division as is the practice elsewhere in Jaffna, gave a briefing to the Commander on 51 Division roles and tasks.
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