Jaffna recruits join National Service

Saturday, 27 September 2014 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The first batch of recruits from Jaffna who were recently enrolled to the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Forces (SLAVF) joined National Service during a passing out ceremony held at the Sri Lanka Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (SLEME) Corps grounds in Kankesanthurai last week.

The batch of 500 – 400 males and 100 female – recruits passed out after completing a three-month long basic military and vocational training program. Training began on 19 June. The recruits were provided with vocational training in carpentry, masonry, electrical welding, motor mechanics, farming, beauty culture, etc. They will now be attached to 7th Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps and other service units located at Kankesanthurai, and to the Army run Thalsevana Holiday Resort. Deputy Chief of Staff the Sri Lanka Army Major General EMM Ambanpola attended the Passing Out ceremony as the Chief Guest. Recruit Dubakaran D of Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps, Recruit Thanish T of Sri Lanka Engineers, Recruit Rakipan K of Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and Recruit Jeevrani A of Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps received awards from the Chief Guest for best overall performance during the training course.

Prior to the passing out parade, Commander Security Force Jaffna Major General Udaya Perera handed over parchments of appreciation with best wishes of the President to the parents of the newly-passed-out recruits in gratitude of their decision to send their children to the Sri Lanka Army. Troops presented a mini searchlight tattoo and the new woman recruits showcased their newly acquired skills during a karate show at the ceremony. Religious dignitaries, Commander Security Forces – Jaffna Major General Udaya Perera, Government Agent-Jaffna S. Arumainayagam, Commander of the Northern Naval Area Rear Admiral Sarath Dissanayake, senior military officers and parents and next of kin of the new soldiers were also present during the occasion.

Mullaitivu Tamil recruits tour south

A team of 46 Tamil recruits now under training at six Sri Lanka Army Service Corps (SLASC) camp under the Security Force Headquarters – Mullaitivu (SFHQ-MLT), were taken on a four-day (16-19 September) familiarisation tour with a view to imparting knowledge on places of historic and tourist importance in the south. The touring group with a translator visited Sri Lanka Parliament, the highway, Independence Square, Army Hospital, Bambalapitiya Hindu Vidyalaya, Museum, Galle Face and Floating Market, Army Workshops for Motor Vehicles, Lake House, Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Nelum Pokuna, St. Annie’s Church at Kochchikade, Modera Kovil, Gangaramaya, Colombo Harbour, Modera Ponnambalam Kovil, Colombo Fort and a few other places in and around the capital. The tour was made a reality by Major General Jagath Dias, Commander, SFHQ – MLT who maintains that such familiarisation tours would help those Tamil recruits to learn more about different cultures as well as fostering of gestures of goodwill between Tamil and Sinhala ethnic groups.