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ශ්‍රී ලංකා යුද්ධ හමුදාව

ජාතියේ ආරක්ෂකයා

Volunteer Force to Have More Teeth with Professionals

Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force (SLAVF) with its reputed history of more than 118 years, is to be teethed with more and more professionals from both public and private sectors after revitalizing its voluntary reserve in the SLAVF under the awareness programme, called “Api Army” (We are Army).

This was formally announced on Tuesday (11) during a media briefing, held at Nelum Pokuka Mahinda Rajapaksa theatre, attended by military personnel and two state officials, awaiting to be enlisted shortly to the SLAVF voluntary reserve.

The revitalization of the enlistment of professionals once again to the SLAVF is to be effected on the instructions of Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary Defence and Urban Development under the guidance of Major General Prasad Samarasinghe, Commandant, SLAVF.

Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya, Military Spokesman during the briefing, spelt out professionals in the field of medicine, engineering, accountancy, agriculture, languages, hospitality, event management, technology, etc, are to be absorbed into the volunteer reserve with the objective of reversing the SLAVF to the times before 1980s.

Professionals under the age of 55 can now join the SLAVF depending on requirements and specific qualifications while simultaneously receiving enlistment and commissioning as Lieutenant Colonels, Colonels, etc in the SLAVF. The project was necessitated with the Army, now expanding its wings into many areas of public service with its active participation in mega development projects, which are underway.

Those professionals, unlike others enlisting to the SLAVF, can continue to serve until they turn 55 years, wearing a rank. Such enlisted personnel are entitled to receive benefits in the field of medicine, welfare, transport, insurance, salary, etc applicable to the relevant rank.

Similarly, a volunteering professional thus commissioned or non commissioned has to obtain approval from his employee for enlistment to the SLAVF and he will be summoned to active service when necessary, for example, in the event of national disasters, catastrophes, emergency situations, mega development work, etc.

The SLAVF with its inexplicable contribution to the development of the nation, ever since its early beginnings as a small force in 1896, has today grown to 103 Battalions with 2322 officers and 61088 other ranks serving across the country.

Likewise, 3869 officers and other ranks have laid their lives for the sake of the nation during 1983-2009. 2961 SLAVF soldiers sustained injuries during the same period.

Personages, like late Hon D.S Senanayake, General Sir John Kotelawala, General Ranjan Wijeratne, Major Montague Jayawickrema, General Anuruddha Ratwatte, et al brought the SLAVF to greater heights after their enlistment as senior officers whose memories would never fade away.

Late Lieutenant S.U Aladeniya of the 3 (V) Battalion of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment was the first recipient of the Sri Lanka Army’s highest gallantry award, ‘Parama Weera Vibhushanaya’ (PWV).

Tuesday’s press conference saw Major General Prasad Samarasinghe, Commandant, SLAVF, Major General W.D.L.N Wickremasinghe, Deputy Commandant, SLAVF and a few others attending as observers.

Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera, Director Media at Army Headquarters, Senior SLAVF officers and a gathering of media personnel attended the event.