The Parama Weera Vibhushanaya is the highest decoration awarded by the Sri Lankan military, equivalent to the British Victoria Cross and the United States Medal of Honor. The medal is awarded to all ranks of the tri services, to both regular- and volunteer forces, in recognition of:
...individual acts of gallantry and conspicuous bravery of a non-military nature of the most exceptional order performed voluntarily with no regard to his own life and security with the objective of saving or safeguarding the life or lives of a person or personnel imperiled by death or for a meritorious act or a series of acts of a humane nature of an exceptional order displayed in saving life from drowning, fire and rescue operations in mines, floods and similar calamities under circumstances of grave bodily injury or great danger to the life of the rescuer...
For the purposes of parading, the regular army & the volunteer force of the Sri Lanka Army is listed according to an order of precedence.
The Gemunu Watch (GW) is a line infantry regiment of the Sri Lanka Army, formed with troops from the Ceylon Light Infantry and the Ceylon Sinha Regiment in 1962. It has been deployed in many major operations against the LTTE. It is made up of 14 regular units and 9 volunteer units. Headquartered at Kuruwita Army Camp, Ratnapura. It is named after one of the most famous Lankan Kings, King Dutugemunu.
The Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force (SLAVF) is the principal and volunteer reserve force component of the Sri Lanka Army. It is a collective name for the reserve units and the Sri Lanka National Guard. The SLAVF is made up of part-time officers and soldiers. They are paid at a similar rate, while engaged on military activities, as their regular equivalents. This is in contrast to the Regular Army Reserve, which comprises people who have a mobilization obligation following their service in the regular army. Administration and recruitment of reserve personal is carried out by the Volunteer Force Headquarters in Battaramulla. The commandant is Major General Piyal de Zoysa Wickramaratne.
Operation Liberation or the Vadamarachchi Operation was the military offensive carried out by the Sri Lankan military in May and June 1987 to recapture the territory of Vadamarachchi in the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE. It was the first conventional warfare engagement on Sri Lankan soil after the end of British colonial rule.
Diyatalawa is a former garrison town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka, in the Badulla District of Uva Province. It is situated at an altitude of 1,499 m (4,918 ft) and has become a popular destination for local holiday makers. It is home to the Diyatalawa Garrison of the Sri Lanka Army, which includes the Sri Lanka Military Academy, officer training center of the army; SLAF Diyatalawa, the Sri Lanka Air Force's ground combat training centre; and facilities of the Sri Lanka Police.
General Tissa Indraka "Bull" Weeratunga, VSV, ndc, psc, GW was a Commander of the Sri Lankan Army and first General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Joint Operations Headquarters (JOH), he was later Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Canada.
The 59 Division is an infantry division of the Sri Lanka Army formed in 2007. A principal offensive division it is currently deployed for combat operations in the Mullaitivu region.
The Air Mobile Brigade is a formation of the Sri Lanka Army. It is a rapid deployment force, creating a highly mobile brigade of parachute units and airmobile units which employ helicopters. Air mobility is provided by the Mil Mi-17s of the No. 6 Squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The Ruhunu Regiment was a former Military reserve force of the Ceylon Army. The regiment was raised in 1954 in Galle with a detachment in Matara. It was disbanded in 1956 when S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike became prime minister as he considered the unit to be loyal to the opposition. Its personnel made up volunteer units of the Gemunu Watch when it was formed in 1962. Raised along with the Rajarata Rifles, it was one of only three geographically based regiments in the Sri Lanka Army.
The Diyatalawa Garrison is a common name used for collection of military bases of the Sri Lanka Army located in and around the garrison town Diyatalawa in the Uva Province. Sometimes it is referred to as the Diyatalawa Cantonment. It is one of the oldest military garrisons in Sri Lanka. It is home to the several training centers of the army, including the Sri Lanka Military Academy and has a detachment of the Gemunu Watch. The Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps maintains a base hospital in Diyatalawa. SLAF Diyatalawa is situated in close proximity.
The 54 Division is a division of the Sri Lanka Army. Established on 10 September 2010, the division is currently based in Thallady in the Northern Province. The division is a part of Security Forces Headquarters – Wanni and has three brigades and six battalions. Major General G.J.A.W Galagamage has been commander of the division since 28 August 2017. The division is responsible for 1,417 square kilometres (547 sq mi) of territory.
The 62 Division is a division of the Sri Lanka Army. Established on 10 October 2010, the division is currently based in Galkulama in the Northern Province. The division is a part of Security Forces Headquarters – Wanni and has three brigades and six battalions. Major General D H M A Wijesighe USP NDC psc has been commander of the division since 18 October 2016. The division is responsible for 1,620 square kilometres (625 sq mi) of territory.
General Gerry H. De Silva, RWP, VSV, USP, is a Sri Lankan general. He was the 13th Commander of the Sri Lankan Army and Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan.
Colonel Candauda Arachchige Dharmapala OBE, ED was a former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industries, Housing and Social Services and Member of Parliament for Hakmana. He also served as the permanent secretary to the Ministry of Defence, and as Security Adviser to President J. R. Jayewardene.
Brigadier Rohitha Neil Akmeemana RSP, USP was an officer in the Sri Lanka Army attached to the Gemunu Watch Regiment. The last command held by him was as a Brigade Commander attached to the 54 Division during the SL army withdrawal from Elephant Pass in April 2000.
Brigadier Ariyaratne "Ariya" Ariyapperuma, psc, GW was a Sri Lankan Army officer, who was the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Northern Command.
Maj. General Dampath Fernando was a Sri Lankan army officer and the 52nd Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army. He was also the Colonel of the Regiment of the Gemunu Watch prior to service retirement.
