29th December 2025
Major General W.M.A.B. Wijekoon USP ndc, General Officer Commanding of the 55 Infantry Division, was invited to the office of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo RSP ctf-ndu psc IG, on 29 December 2025, prior to his retirement from the Sri Lanka Army following a distinguished military career spanning over 33 years.
Brief profile of the retiring senior officer:
Major General W.M.A.B. Wijekoon USP ndc enlisted in the Regular Force of the Sri Lanka Army as an Officer Cadet of Intake 37 (PMA) on 10 February 1992. Upon the successful completion of his military training at the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) and the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa, he was commissioned in the rank of Second Lieutenant and posted to the Gajaba Regiment on 19 December 1992.
After being steadily elevated through subsequent ranks during his service in the Army, he was promoted to the rank of Major General on 05 May 2025. The senior officer will retire from the Regular Force of the Sri Lanka Army with effect from 03 January 2026 upon reaching 55 years of age. At the time of his retirement, he was holding the appointment of General Officer Commanding, 55 Infantry Division.
Throughout his illustrious military career, the senior officer held numerous key appointments. He served as Platoon Commander of the 08th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment, Platoon Commander of the 04th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment, Platoon Commander of the 16th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment, Adjutant of the 16th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment, Officer Commanding of the 16th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment, Officer Commanding of the 10th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment, Officer Instructor at the Non-Commissioned Officers’ Training School, Officer Commanding of the Guard Company at Headquarters 213 Infantry Brigade, Officer Commanding of the 09th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment, General Staff Officer Grade III (Intelligence and Security) at Headquarters 11 Infantry Division, Staff Officer of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Brigade Major of Headquarters 516 Infantry Brigade, Brigade Major of Headquarters 552 Infantry Brigade, General Staff Officer Grade II (Operations and Training) at the Regimental Centre the Gajaba Regiment, General Staff Officer Grade II (Operations) at Headquarters 21 Infantry Division, Staff Officer Grade II (Administration) at the Regimental Centre the Gajaba Regiment, Second-in-Command of the 16th Battalion the Gajaba Regiment, Second-in-Command of the 22nd Battalion the Gajaba Regiment, General Staff Officer Grade I (Coordinating) at Headquarters 59 Infantry Division, and Commanding Officer of the 23rd Battalion the Gajaba Regiment.
He also served as Sector Commander of Sector 02, Operations Command Colombo, General Staff Officer Grade I (Operations and Training) at the Regimental Centre Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps, Commandant of Abhimansala II, Staff Officer Grade I of the Sri Lanka Army Seva Vanitha Unit, Colonel (Administration) of the Sri Lanka Army Seva Vanitha Unit, Commander of the 515 Infantry Brigade, Centre Commandant of the Regimental Centre the Gajaba Regiment, Director of the Directorate of Welfare at Army Headquarters, Deputy General Officer Commanding of Headquarters 14 Infantry Division and General Officer Commanding of the 55 Infantry Division.
In recognition of his dedicated and exemplary service, he was awarded the Utthama Seva Padakkama.
The senior officer successfully completed several professional military courses. These included the Battalion Support Weapons Officers’ Course, Artillery Observation Course, Unit Accounts Officers’ Course, Unit Administration Course, Junior Staff Course, Potential Observers and Staff Officers’ Course, Short-Term Course for Defence Media and Communication conducted by the Department of Mass Media Studies, Sripalee Campus, University of Colombo and the National Security and Strategic Studies Course.
He also attended a number of overseas courses. These included the Officer Cadet Training Course in Pakistan, Young Officers (Infantry) Course in Bangladesh, Junior Command Course in India, Basic Parachute Course in India and the Higher Defence Orientation Course in India.
In addition to his military qualifications, the senior officer obtained a Diploma in Management from the Institute of Human Resource Advancement at the University of Colombo, a Master of Arts in Sociology from the University of Ruhuna and a Master of Science in National Security and Strategic Studies from the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University.
