More Officers & Other Ranks Qualify in Engineer Division's CBRNe Course

The closing and certificate-awarding ceremony of the fifth batch of the Chemical, Biological, Radiology, Nuclear Response and Electronic (CBRNe) Course took place at the Sri Lanka Army Engineer Division HQ at Mattegoda on Thursday (25), headed by Major General A.H.L.G Amarapala RWP RSP ndc psc, General Officer Commanding, Engineer Division as the Chief Guest..

The Course, held from May 04 to May 25 was followed by 07 Officers and 65 Other Ranks. In an attempt to maintain gender balance, 2 Lady Officers and 15 women soldiers were also facilitated to follow the Course. To this date, the Engineer Division has produced 33 Officers and 197 Other Ranks as CBRNe first responders and a total of 95 Officers and 602 Other Ranks as CBRNe general responders.

Major P.G.A Samaraweera of 12 SLE in the Course, just concluded was the 1st in order of merit among Officers and Lance Corporal B.G.J.S Senarathna of 12 SLE was the 1st in order of merit among Other Ranks.

In November 2022, Major General A.H.L.G Amarapala RWP RSP ndc psc considering CBRNe developments took the initiative to launch CBRNe Courses in an attempt to prepare all ranks for any eventual nuclear or related threat in view of current global CBRNe scenario and local security landscape as well as to ensure national security requirements of Sri Lanka. Course participants were selected from each Engineer unit serving under respective Security Force HQs of the Army as per guidelines given by the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage RWP RSP ndu.

In his address to the course attendees, he highlighted the responsibilities of the responders and the importance of protection of individuals while on duty and the continuation of training in this nuclear sphere as the chemical threats in the globe are multiple.

The course participants were given a spectrum of opportunities, combined with theoretical and practical knowledge; exposure to subject matter experts from National Authority for Implementation of Chemical Weapon Convention, Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council (SLAERC), Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (SLAEB), Ministry of Health and specially-arranged field visits to Board of Investment (BOI) Gamma Center, Biyagama.