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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

Published on - 1/4/2005

New Chief of Staff Maj. Gen G. S. C Fonseka assumes duties

Major General G.S.C Fonseka RWP RSP rcds psc, Deputy Chief of Staff, Sri Lanka Army and Colonel of the Regiment, Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment assumed duties as Chief of Staff, Sri Lanka Army after a brief ceremony held in his office this morning (03 January 2005).

Subsequent to paying homage to Buddha, he placed his signature on an official document symbolically to signify his assumption of duties in the office. Military Secretary Major General D.U. Munasinghe, Assistant Military Secretary, Brigadier N. R Witharanage and Additional Assistant Military Secretary, Colonel Rajitha Silva, were among those Senior Army Officers present on the occasion.

Major Gen G.S.C Fonseka was appointed Chief of Staff on 09 December 2004 while he was away on overseas leave.

During his military career spanning over 34 years, Major Gen Fonseka before he was appointed to this Office of Chief of Staff, held a number of key and prestigious appointments to his credit, including those of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Sri Lanka Army, Commandant, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, Commander, Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna (twice), Commandant, Army Command and Staff College, Commander, Security Forces Headquarters, Wanni, Inspector of Infantry, Quarter Master General, Director General, General Staff, General Officer Commanding 22 Div. Trincomalee, officiating General Officer Commanding 55 Div. Mirusuvil, Officiating General Officer Commanding Headquarters Task Force 2, Vavuniya, Deputy General Officer Commanding Task Force 2, Vavuniya, Commander 23 Brigade Polonnaruwa, Deputy General Officer Commanding 51 Div. Jaffna, Coordinating Officer for Kayts and Mandativu, Commander 27 Brigade Kilinochchi, Coordinating Officer for Batticaloa, Commander, 3 Brigade Batticaloa, Director, Directorate of Operations, Centre Commandant, Regiment- Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment, Deputy Commandant, 5 Brigade Group, Mannar, Brigade Commander, Operation Balavegaya, Commanding Officer, 1st Bn Sri

Lanka Sinha Regiment, General Staff Officer 1 (Operations) HQ 2 Div, Anuradhapura, Officer Commanding/Chief Instructor, Infantry Training Centre, Minneriya and a few other junior appointments.

Enlisted to the Army on 05th February 1970, he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant and subsequently posted to the 1st Bn Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment on 01st June 1971. To his recognition, he has followed the UK based Royal College of Defence Studies course, Infantry Officers Advanced Course (USA), Staff College Course (Bangladesh), Company Commanders Course (Pakistan), Battalion Support Weapons Course (India), Counter Insurgency Jungle Warfare Course (India), Commando Officers Course (India) and attended a number of international seminars and conferences, including the Pacific Armies Management Seminar (Japan), Conference on fourth International Exhibition of Defence (UK) and an overseas seminar in Geneva. Furthermore, he left for Iran in 1992 on an inspection assignment.

Major Gen Fonseka, held in high esteem as an experienced infantryman, was conferred Rana Wickrema Padakkama (RWP) and Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) on him in appreciation of his commitment to the service. He is married and has two daughters.