337 Officers & 8,226 Other Ranks of Sri Lanka Army promoted

Colombo (News 1st); President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, attaching a special significance to the 73rd National Independence Day promoted a total of 337 Officers of the Sri Lanka Army (Regular and Volunteer force) and a record 8,226 Other Ranks of the Army to their respective next ranks on the recommendation of the Ministry of Defence and General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army.

Accordingly, 14 Brigadiers to the rank of Major General, 23 Colonels to the rank of Brigadier, 35 Lieutenant Colonels to the rank of Colonel, 34 Majors to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, 206 Captains to the rank of Major, 22 Lieutenants to the rank of Captain and 3 Second Lieutenants to the rank of Lieutenant (Regular Force & Volunteer Force) have been thus promoted in the Officers category. In the category of Other Ranks, a total of 212 Warrant Officers-11 to the rank of Warrant Officer-1, 795 Staff Sergeants to the rank of Warrant Officer-11, 1351 Sergeants to the rank of Staff Sergeant, 1422 Corporals to the rank of Sergeant, 2070 Lance Corporals to the rank of Corporal and 2415 Privates to the rank of Lance Corporal have accordingly been promoted effective from Thursday (4th Feb 2021). In what could be considered as an exceptional milestone in the annals of Army history after General Shavendra Silva took office as Commander of the Army in August 2019, a record 2476 officers of the Army and 50,860 Other Ranks have to-date received promotions to their next rank. Of them, 95 Brigadiers were promoted to the rank of Major General, 181 Colonels to the rank of Brigadier, 286 Lieutenant Colonels to the rank of Colonel, 390 Majors to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, 929 Captains to the rank of Major, 434 Lieutenants to the rank of Captain and 161 Second Lieutenants to the rank of Lieutenant (Regular Force & Volunteer Force). The record 50, 860 promotions that have been hitherto granted to Other Rankers in the Army after General Shavendra Silva assumed office of the Commander included 1540 Warrant Officers-II to the rank of Warrant Officer-I, 4462 Staff Sergeants to the rank of Warrant Officer-11, 6410 Sergeants to the rank of Staff Sergeant, 9766 Corporals to the rank of Sergeant, 13,480 Lance Corporals to the rank of Corporal and 15,202 Privates to the rank of Lance Corporal. General Shavendra Silva appreciatively acknowledging the President's approval for those deserving and overdue promotions in the country's most sought service provider for speedy constructions/renovations cum defender of the nation maintains that such inspiring promotions would inevitably serve a catalyst to their continuing arduous roles for national security, development of the land and sports infrastructure, and more notably, the fight against COVID-19 transmission in the most recent past. He also attributes grant of these promotions were done largely due to merits and specific performances, and not on seniority alone.