Right step taken in right direction - UN adviser

Senior Instructors from major participating countries in the going UN

sponsored Multinational Platoon Exercise (MPE-3) “Sama Gamana” at Kukuleganga Institute of Peace Support Operations Training, Sri Lanka (IPSOTSL) view Sri Lanka Army's very single-handed and dedicated commitment alone to host this training in Sri Lanka, justifies amply that they are an impressive Army, now exposed to foreign standards of training.

\"The very fact that the Sri Lanka Army was willing to host it in Sri Lanka endorses their confidence and commitment towards the cause. What troops need here is a thorough understanding of the UN environment and your Army in that respect is extremely professional,\"says Lt. Colonel John O Derick (retd).

Lt. Colonel John O Derick, Senior Training Adviser on UN assignments has been the Chief of the team of training instructors of Multinational Platoon Exercises (MPE) since the first ever MPE was launched in Nepal (2000), Bangladesh (2002) and Sri Lanka (2004) respectively. Lt. Col Derick, associated with Sri Lanka's MPE-3 since its initial planning and feasible study phases began in early 2003, has been cooperating with US Army Pacific Command (USARPAC) and the Sri Lanka Army to make the MPE-3 a reality. To his credit, Lt. Col. Derick also serves as Chief Training Advisor to Complex Solutions (Incorporated) in Hawaii.

\"On the part of the Sri Lanka Army, this is a right step taken in the right direction. This training is strategic, tactical and operational based on 31 spheres of training, which you are already aware. After this training, your Army which has had the confidence to found the IPSOTSL will be able to receive more and more future UN assignments and broaden your scope of military strategies. I am inspired the way things are being handled by the Sri Lanka Army,\" added Lt. Colonel John O Derick during a cordial meet he has had with the Army Website.

In our region, the Royal Nepalese Army, one of the largest, in terms of its troops, has to her credit more experiences in the field of UN assignments than Sri Lanka, to say the least.\"We have already deployed our troops in Sierre Leon, Congo and Liberia at present at the request of United Nations. We are in the process of sending another 850 troops to Burundi and Haiti. You see, all armies in the world have one goal, that is to restore peace safeguarding territorial interests,\" quips Colonel Dipak B. K Pande of the Royal Nepalese Army who is attending the MPE-3 with three lady officers from the Nepalese Police.

Colonel Pande, a Commanding Officer, Royal Nepalese Army is also the senior most Instructor to Nepalese troops now under training at Kukuleganga. He further maintains that in the whole of South Asian region, Nepal ranks sixth in terms of her contribution of troops for UN assignments.

Bangladesh Navy Commodore N. A. Choudhari, Military Liasion Officer for Civil and Military Relations in Dhaka and the Defence Attache for Sri Lanka and Maldives, is of the view that Sri Lanka's involvement in UN peace missions will further boost the good name of the country while strengthening relations between armed forces and respective participating nations.

\"Secondly, Sri Lanka\'s prowess will be subjected to monitoring and their morale increased. Aid to civil power or safeguard of civil logistics, as necessitated during peacetime, is more or less a defensive-type. Our troops numbering over 200,000 have committed themselves for such welfare projects,\"adds Commodore Choudhari in an interview with this website.

Sergeant First Class (SFC) Theodore Jandzio and SPC Kevin McTeanan of the US Army who have been serving as Instructors are also at IPSOTSL for this training. During a brief chat, SFC Jandzio hailed the Sri Lanka Army and said; “ Sri Lanka Army has huge wide experiences in dealing with terrorism. We learnt a lot from their experiences, which are very valuable to the troops coming here for training.” he added.

\" Sri Lanka Army is well disciplined, enthusiastic and very dedicated. No sooner than a thing is requested, it is done by your Army. I hope Sri Lankan troops would do well because founding of the IPSOTSL is the hardest part of the MPE. It's really amazing and challenging to be here,”adds Jandizo. \"Your exotic and tasty foods and wonderful accommodation will keep our troops happy, I am sure, though they took a little longer time to adjust themselves to climatic conditions.

To Croatian Major Budinsk, one of UN observers who has also been actively engaged in MPE-3 preparatory stages, Sri Lanka Army, once assigned for UN tasks, must be able to \"smile\" better. \"Your Army men are very smiling all the time and are well prepared at all times to accomplish a task. The one-time Commanding Officer of the Croatian Army during its UN assignment in Sierre Leon during 1999, Major Budinsk opines that prospects for overseas assignments for the Sri Lanka Army in UN assignments would be very bright when looked at global level,\" he underlined.