MORE OFFICERS FROM SLMA PASS OUT

The Sri Lanka Military Academy (SLMA) at Diyatalawa, the most renowned Army training establishment in the island on 25th June 2004, saw another batch of sixty six Officer Cadets of Regular Intake 55, five Officer Cadets of KDA 18 (Kotalawala Defence Academy) and thirty nine Officer Cadets of Volunteer Intake 39 passed out at the SLMA Parade Ground. \r\n\r\nThey were subsequently to join different regiments and battalions of the Sri Lanka Army Regular Force and Volunteer Force. In addition, two Officer Cadets from Bangladesh, who also received their training at the SLMA also passed out on the same occasion while their High Commissioner for Sri Lanka looked on. They are to leave for their motherland to join Bangladesh Security Forces after this graduation.\r\n\r\nThe SLMA affiliated to the University of Sabaragamuwa is now recognized as a Degree Awarding Institute and the outgoing Intake 55 is the fifth degree batch, who are awarded a degree for their competence. Those Officers after completion of thirty month-long training at the SLMA become professionally qualified to conduct their service in the Army. Five Officer Cadets of KDA 18, before their entry into the SLMA for military training, followed a two-year long academic course at the Sir John Kotalawala Defence Academy, Ratmalana. However, volunteer Officer Cadets passed out after one year-training at the SLMA. \r\n\r\nChief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army Lt Gen L.P. Balagalle, Chief Guest at the Commissioning Parade, gave away prizes to newly graduated Officers who excelled during training. Members of clergy, Senior Officers of three Armed Forces and the Police, Military Attaches from diplomatic corps, parents of those graduated Officers and many invitees witnessed the event.