The Sri Lanka Army is the oldest and largest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. Established as the Ceylon Army in 1949, it was renamed when Sri Lanka became a republic in 1972. In 2010, the Army had approximately 200,000 regular personnel, between 20,000 and 40,000 reserve (volunteer) personnel and 18,000 National Guardsmen and comprises 13 divisions, one air-mobile brigade, one commando brigade, one special forces brigade, one independent armored brigade, three mechanized infantry brigades and over 40 infantry brigades.
The Parama Weera Vibhushanaya (PWV) is Sri Lanka's highest military decoration, awarded for acts of exceptional valour in wartime. Parama Weera Vibhushanaya translates as the ""Decoration of Supreme Heroism", and the award is granted for "individual acts of gallantry and conspicuous bravery of the most exceptional order in the face of the enemy". Corporal Gamini Kularatne, was the first recipient. As of January 2021, the medal has been awarded 31 times, of which all were posthumous and arose from actions in the Sri Lankan Civil War. Of the 31 awardees, 28 have been from the Sri Lanka Army, two have been from the Sri Lanka Navy and one has been from the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya is awarded to senior officers of the Military of Sri Lanka in recognition of:
...exceptional, distinguished and loyal service provided they count not less than twenty-five years of service and possess an unblemished record of moral and military conduct...
The Videsha Seva Padakkama is awarded for:
...active service outside the territorial limits of the Island provided such service is connected with active service in a Foreign Military Mission or Campaign or in the defence of Sri Lanka or for service connected with military or peace keeping operations conducted under the auspices of the United Nations Organization...
The Karyakshama Seva Vibhushanaya is a service medal awarded by the Military of Sri Lanka to commissioned officers of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, in recognition of "...long, meritorious, loyal and valuable service of proven capacity". Established on 7 January 1986, it does not confer any individual precedence.
The Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force (SLVNF) is the active-duty volunteer reserve force of the Sri Lanka Navy. The SLVNF, which consists of the volunteer force and the volunteer reserve is separate from the Regular Naval Force, which consists of the Regular Force consisting of professional naval officers and sailors, and its Regular Reserve, which comprises personal who have a mobilization obligation following their service in the regular force.
The Sri Lanka Signals Corps (SLSC) is a combat support corps of the Sri Lanka Army, responsible for providing military communications, information technology and electronic warfare support. The corps is made up of a signals brigade, ten regular regiments and one volunteer regiment. It is responsible for installing, maintaining and operating all types of telecommunications equipment and information systems. It is headquartered at the Panagoda Cantonment.
The current decorations and medals of the Sri Lanka Police were adapted from those of the Dominion of Ceylon in 1972 when Sri Lanka became a republic.
General Ganegoda Appuhamelage Don Granville Nalin Seneviratne, VSV was a Sri Lankan Army general. He was the Commander of the Sri Lankan Army from 1985 to 1988 and first Governor of the North East Province.
The Sri Lanka Armed Forces is the overall unified military of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka encompassing the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Navy, and the Sri Lanka Air Force; they are governed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The three services have around 346,700 active personnel; conscription has never been imposed in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Coast Guard is also under the purview of the Ministry of Defence and its members are all from the Sri Lanka Navy.
General Shantha H.S. Kottegoda, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP is a retired senior Sri Lanka Army general. He was the seventeenth Commander of the Sri Lankan Army from 1 July 2004 – 5 December 2005. He had served as the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Brazil and Thailand. In April 2019, following the Easter Sunday bombings he was appointed as the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Defence.
Major General Sumith Balasuriya, VSV, USP is a retired Sri Lankan army general, who was the former Commandant of the Volunteer Force; Vice Chancellor, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University and GOC, 23 Division.
General Rohan De Silva Daluwatte, WWV, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP was a general officer of the Sri Lanka Army. He served as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Chief of the Defence Staff. Following his retirement from the army, he served as Sri Lankan Ambassador to Brazil among other appointments.
General Lionel Piyananda Balagalle RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, VSP was a senior Sri Lankan army general. He served as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Chief of the Defence Staff.
General Gerard Hector "Gerry" de Silva, RWP, VSV, USP was a general officer of the Sri Lanka Army. He is the 5th Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University since 20 January 2020. He was the 13th Commander of the Sri Lankan Army and Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Pakistan.
Air Chief Marshal Oliver Matthew Ranasinghe, RWP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc was the 9th Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force.
The 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal was a military decoration awarded by the Military of Sri Lanka to servicepersons of all actively serving ranks in both the regular and volunteer forces in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Sri Lanka's Independence from the United Kingdom, on the 4 February 1998. A formal recommendation from service commanders was required for the award of the medal.
Major General Priyanka Fernando, RWP, USP, is a former senior Sri Lanka Army general. He has served as the Director General of General Staff (DGGS); General officer commanding (GOC), 58 Division; Commandant of the Ranaviru (veterans) Resource Centre; Director of Rehabilitation; and the Director of Real Estate and Quartering. He served as the Colonel of the Regiment of the Mechanized Infantry Regiment and was the Sri Lankan Minister Counsellor (Defence) in London.
Major General Galwaduge Janaka Laksiri Waduge, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, ndu is a retired Sri Lankan army general. He was the 10th Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Central and the former Colonel commandant of Military Intelligence Corps. He retired from active service in 2020 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 55 for Sri Lankan Armed Forces Personnel.
Major General Hikkaduwage Gratian Silva, VSV, FBIM was a Sri Lankan military leader, he served as the Military Secretary.
