Five hundred recruits from Jaffna who recently joined the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Forces (SLAVF) passed out in a parade after three month training on September 20 at the Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (SLEME) grounds, Kankesanthurai (KKS).

Four hundred males and one hundred females recruits were given basic military training and vocational education on various trades such as carpentry, masonry, electric welding, motor mechanism, farming, beauty culture etc.  Training commenced on June 19, 2014 at KKS. On passing out, they would be attached to the 7th Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps and other different service units located at KKS, and at Thalsevana Holiday Resort.

Deputy Chief of Staff Sri Lanka Army Major General EMM Ambanpola was the Chief Guest  and inspected the Guard of Honour.  

Young men and women in the North, were  deprived of the opportunity to join the military service due  to the situation prevailing then.. Tamil servicemen in the forces had to leave either the service or the country or both due to threats to their lives.  However, after achieving peace, the government opened the avenues so that  Northern youths also could enlist into military services.  Accordingly, on instructions of the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Daya Rathnayake, young girls and boys were recruited from the North to the Army. Under the same recruitment programme, 100 females and 400 males were recruited  as the first batch from Jaffna with the  guidance of Jaffna Commander of Security Forces  Major General Udaya Perera .

Recruit Dubakaran of the Sri Lanka Army General Service Corps, Recruit Thanish of the Sri Lanka Engineers, Recruit Rakipan  of the Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and Recruit Jeevrani of the Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps received awards from the Chief Guest for best overall performance in  their respective courses.

Prior to the passing out parade, Commander Security Force Jaffna Major General Udaya Perera handed over a parchment of appreciation conveying the  best wishes of His Excellency the President to the parents of newly passed out recruits in gratitude of their decision to send their sons and daughters to the Sri Lanka Army.       

A mini search light tattoo was performed by the Army troops from various regiments and a karate display presented by newly recruited women soldiers,  which followed the passing out parade thrilled the audience that was comprised of the clergy of different religious denominations, Commander Security Force Jaffna Major General Udaya Perera, Government Agent Jaffna Mr. S Arumainayagam, Commander Northern Naval Area Rear Admiral Sarath Dissanayake, parents and relatives of passing out soldiers, representatives from government and private sector institutes, senior  citizens of Jaffna and senior officers of the Army, Navy and Air force and a gathering of the public of Jaffna  

Pic by: M..Roshanth, N.Navaratnarasa