03rd January 2023 20:32:58 Hours
Troops serving across the country with the dawn of the New Year 2023 marked their first working day on Monday (2) giving priority to military formalities, reading of the state allegiance oath and the Commander’s message and other interactive arrangements.
The Security Force Headquarters-Jaffna (SFHQ-J) organized a simple occasion to commence duties in the New Year with Major General Swarna Bothota, Commander, Security Forces-Jaffna as the Chief Guest. The National Flag and the Army Flag were hoisted before the national anthem and the Army song were recited.
The two-minute silence in memory of fallen war heroes, reading of the state allegiance oath and the Commander’s message brought the day’s brief ceremony to an end.
To coincide with the Commander’s project for donation of dry ration packs to civil employees, the SFHQ-J also gifted dry ration packs to 30 civil employees serving the SFHQ-J on the same occasion.
Meanwhile, the Security Force Headquarters - Wanni (SFHQ-W) welcomed the New Year-2023 giving pride of place to religious observances by offering alms to members of the Maha Sangha at the SFHQ-W premises on Sunday (1).
During the offerings, Buddhist monks of ‘Gunasinghe Aranya Senasanaya at Kebithigollewa transferred merits on fallen War Heroes and invoked blessings on the Army and the country at large.
Major General Champaka Ranasinghe, Commander, SF-Wanni, together with Senior Officers, Officers and Other Rank attended the New Year event.
Likewise, a similar New Year blessing ceremony, organized by the 55 Infantry Division and the 553 Infantry Brigade took place at the ancient Nagarkovil, Hindu Kovil in the Vadamarachchi East DS Division.
Organized as per directions given by Major General Prasanna Gunaratne, General Officer Commanding, 55 Infantry Division, 553 Infantry Brigade troops requested the conduct of this blessing ceremony where 30 deserving families were donated dry ration packs, each worth Rs: 10,000.00 approximately following the sponsorship, extended to the Army by the US-based Ms Anaya Koswatta.
The General Officer Commanding of 55 Infantry Division, Major General Prasanna Gunaratne, Commander 553 Infantry Brigade, Colonel Janak Prematilake, Divisional Secretary Vadamarachchi East, Mr. Kumaraswamy Pirabhakaranmurthy, Senior Officers, Other Ranks and villagers took part in the event.
On the same day (1), the Security Force Headquarters- West (SFHQ-West) contributed to the first working day of the New Year-2023 by hoisting the National Flag by Major General Deepal Pussella, Commander, SF-West and the Army Flag by Brigadier Asela Amarasekara, Brigadier Admin and Quartering before troops recited both National anthem and the Army Song.
Moments later, a two-minute silence was observed remembering fallen War Heroes before the state allegiance oath was read out. Afterwards, all listened to the Commander’s New Year message before the West Commander addressed the troops.
As the last leg of the programme, the SFHQ-West following the Army Commander’s initiative at the Army Headquarters gave away 39 gift parcels of dry rations to civil employees working at the SFHQ-West.
In the meantime, 66 Infantry Division troops of the Security Force Headquarters-Mullaittivu (SFHQ-MLT) on account of the New Year launched a tree-planting project around the Arasapurakulam tank bund by planting about 100 water-friendly saplings on Sunday (1).
50 saplings of Mahogany and 50 saplings of Kumbuk were planted during this simple project attended by the GOC, 66 Infantry Division as the Chief Guest.
The project was initiated on a proposal made by Brigadier Nalin Jayawardena, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 66 Infantry Division. The project was attended by Brigadier Nalin Senevirathne, Commander, 661 Infantry Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel D.G.J.B.P Dematagahawatta, Commanding Officer (CO), 5 (V) Sri Lanka Mechanized Infantry (MIR), Mr K Dilakshan, Chairman, Farmers’ Society at Arasapurakulam, Officers and troops.
In the meanwhile, 1 Corps HQ at Kilinochchi greeted the New Year in accordance with guidelines, provided by the AHQ. Major General Nishantha Manage, Commander 1 Corps joined the first working day (2 January) hoisting flags and reciting both National anthem and the Army song.
The day's formalities, headed by the Commander, 1 Corps also included the observance of a two-minute silence in remembrance of fallen War Heroes, oath-taking, reading of the Commander's New Year message, troop address of the 1 Corps Commander and a common tea arrangement at the 1 Corps HQ premises.
Moreover, civil employees serving in all formations of the 1 Corps HQ received special gift packs from Brigadier Admin and Quartering, Brigadier Sudath Kithulgoda on the same occasion.
Meanwhile, the Security Force HQ-East heralding the dawn of the New Year-2023 began its first working day (2 January) in accordance with formalities as instructed by the Army HQ.
Customary formalities, headed by Major General Sujeewa Hettiarachchi, Commander, Security Forces-East included flag-hoisting, recital of the national anthem and the Army song, observance of two-minute silence in remembrance of fallen War Heroes, oath-taking, reading of the Commander's New Year message, troop address of the East Commander and a common tea arrangement at the SFHQ-East premises.
Similarly, 61 Infantry Division of the Security Force HQ-West commenced duties in the New Year in the presence of Major General Udaya Herath, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 61 Infantry Division on Monday (2). The itinerary began with the hoisting of national and army flags and reciting both national anthem and the Army song.
Afterwards, the GOC, Officers and Other Ranks of the 61 Infantry Division sponsored the distribution of 20 dry ration packs, each worth Rs. 5000 among civil employees in line with the Commander's project at the Army HQ.
In the meanwhile, 28 Civil Employees, serving at the Security Force HQ - Mullaittivu received dry ration packs, each worth Rs. 5000.00 during a simple event held at the office of Major General Darshana Wijesekera, Commander, SFHQ - MLT.
Several Senior Officers, Officers and Other Ranks were present at the event.
Likewise, the first working day of 2023 was greeted in accordance with formalities, troops of the Army Training School (ATS) at Maduruoya took steps to plant 100 coconut saplings inside the ATS premises.
Major General Senaka Kasthurimudali, Commandant, ATS gave necessary instructions to this effect and joined the occasion.
Similarly, the Commandant - ATS, Senior Officers, Officers and Other Ranks together with the members of the Civil Staff on the New Year day (01 Jan) boiled a milk pot and heralded the dawn of the New Year. Afterwards, as per directions of the Army Commander, 55 civil employees serving under the ATS were awarded gift parcels, each worth nearly Rs. 3000.00.
On account of the dawn of the New Year, 142 Brigade troops of the 14 Division under the Security Force Headquarters-West as directed by Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage, Commander of the Army gave away dry ration packs to 16 civil employees working at the 142 Brigade and its under command battalions on Monday (2 January).
Brigadier Ravindra Jayasinghe, Commander 142 Brigade graced the occasion as the chief guest. Each dry ration pack included Rice, Dhal, Potatoes, Chili Powder, Onions, etc.
Meanwhile, in parallel to the same New Year project, 2 Sri Lanka Army Pioneer Corps under the 144 Infantry Brigade also distributed 19 dry ration packs to the civil employees who are serving at the 2 Battalion Sri Lanka Army Pioneer Corps.
