21st July 2023 12:15:39 Hours
The most recently-appointed Chief of Staff (COS), Major General W.A.S.S Wanasinghe RSP VSV USP ndu of the Sri Lanka Artillery assumed office on Thursday (20) at his new office at the Army HQ during a simple ceremony.
As members of the 'Maha Sangha’ began chanting ‘Seth Pirith’, Major General W.A.S.S Wanasinghe RSP VSV USP ndu in his office signed an official document and symbolized the acceptance of the new office. Afterwards, the Chief of Staff of the Army interacted with the monks and offered ‘Pirikara’ and ‘Gilanpasa’ to the monks.
He also joins history by accepting this high profile office as the eldest son of one of the former Commanders of the Army, General Hamilton Wanasinghe (Rtd) VSV USP ndc, the 11th Commander of the Army. Prior to this new appointment, Major General W.A.S.S Wanasinghe RSP VSV USP ndu served as the Deputy Chief of Staff. Not only that, his father too had the distinction of serving as the 19th Chief of Staff of the Army several decades ago.
A representative gathering of Senior Officers, including the Deputy Chief of Staff, Officers and Staff Officers at the office of the Chief of Staff (COS) and Other Ranks joined the inauguration of the new office.
Here follows a brief profile of Major General W.A.S.S Wanasinghe RSP VSV USP ndu;
Born on 13th October 1968, as the 4th in the family he had his primary education at D S Senanayake College, Colombo 8 before he joined Galle Richmond College and Colombo Ananda College for secondary education. During his schooling, he excelled in studies and athletics earning honour and fame for his Alma Mater.
He joined the Sri Lanka Army as an Officer Cadet on 16th March 1987 in the Intake 27. Upon successful completion of the basic military training at the Sri Lanka Military Academy at Diyatalawa, he was commissioned in the rank of Second Lieutenant and was posted to the Sri Lanka Artillery (SLA) Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army on 10 December 1988. He assumed duties as the Troop Commander of the 4th Sri Lanka Artillery (SLA) Regiment on 11th December 1988.
In one of the most rare instances in the Sri Lankan military history, Major General W.A.S.S Wanasinghe RSP VSV USP ndu is perhaps the only Officer to have received the commissioning sword from his own father, Lieutenant General Hamilton Wanasinghe (Rtd) VSV USP ndc who was the then Commander of the Army at the time the new Chief of Staff passed out from the Sri Lanka Military Academy (SLMA) as a Second Lieutenant in a formal ceremony, back in the year 1988.
Throughout his military career, he has served in Command, Staff, and Instructional appointments exemplifying his extraordinary capacities in respective appointments in the Sri Lanka Army. He intensively pledged exceptional dedication to his assignments of combat duties during the humanitarian operation in the North and East of the country for over 22 years before May 2009.
His chain of appointments in the organization included Troop Commander of 4 SLA, Adjutant of Marksmanship and Sniper Training School (MSTS), General Staff Officer 3 (Operations) and Brigade Major of 26 Brigade, Sector Commander of Sector 2, Colombo, Staff Officer 2 of Directorate of Army Medical Services, Army Headquarters, Second-in-Command of 14 SLA, Officiating General Staff Officer 1 of 21 Infantry Division, Commanding Officer of MSTS, Colonel General Staff of 59 Infantry Division, Commander of 682 Infantry Brigade, Commander of 144 Infantry Brigade, Director (Administration) of Teaching Hospital Kotelawala Defence University, Director and Director General of Directorate of Overseas Operations, Army Headquarters, General Officer Commanding of the 61 Infantry Division, Adjutant General of the Sri Lanka Army, Army Headquarters, Commander, Security Forces - Mullaitivu, Colonel Commandant of the SLA, Commandant of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force and the Deputy Chief of Staff prior to his assumption as the Chief of Staff of the Army.
Major General W.A.S.S Wanasinghe RSP VSV USP ndu had the opportunity of participating in military training programmes, such as Basic Marksmanship Course, Unit Coach Course and Long Sniper Course at MSTS in Sri Lanka, Sandhurst Military Course (1989) in United Kingdom, Artillery Young Officers’ Course (1991) in Pakistan, Officers Physical Training Instructor Course (1995) in India, Artillery Mid-Career Course (2006) in Pakistan, Sniper Training Course (2008) in Bangladesh, Artillery Battalion Commander Course (2011) in China, Course on Armed Conflict Reduction in Peacekeeping Operations in Turkey and Defence and Strategic Studies Course (2018) in China in order to gather an array of foreign experiences.
He is also an alumnus of the National Defence University of Beijing in China, where he earned his Master of Science in Strategic Military Studies degree.
The Senior Officer has been adorned with gallantry awards of Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) for his distinguished conduct in the face of the enemy. He was also decorated with Vishista Seva Vibushanaya (VSV) and Utthama Seva Padakkama (USP) for his unblemished record of service. He is a recipient of Campaign Medals of East Humanitarian Operation Medal, North Humanitarian Operation Medal, Purna Bhumi Padakkama, North and East Operations Medal, and Riviresa Campaign Service Medal. Further, he received 50th Independence Anniversary Medal in 1998, Sri Lanka Army 50th Anniversary Medal in 1999, 75th Independence Day Commemoration Medal in 2023, Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal, Sewabhimani Medal, and Service Medal in recognition of his distinguished service to the organization.
The Senior Gunner, himself a very skilled sniper and a leading shooter has also received Army Colours in the .22 Rifle Shooting Tournament in 1990. In 1991, he was awarded medals by the then President for his achievements in the Rifle Shooting Tournament, held after absence of 13 years.
Major General W.A.S.S Wanasinghe RSP VSV USP ndu is married to Mrs Chama Wanasinghe and blessed with a son.
