Two female SLAF officers commissioned as pilots for first time in SL

• Pilot Officer Weerawardana created history when she was awarded the “Sword of Honour” 
• The sword of honour is awarded to the officer cadet who has achieved the  highest results in both academic and professional studies

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya  

Two female officers were commissioned as pilots for the first time in the history of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) at the Air Force Academy, China Bay yesterday.  

The commissioning of Officer Cadets of the SLAF was held under the patronage of Secretary of Defence Major General (Rtd) Kamal Gunaratne and Commander of the Air Force Air Marshall Sudarshana Pathirana.  
SLAF said that for the first time in the history of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Pilot Officer A.D.P.L Gunarathe and Pilot Officer R.T Weerawardana became the first female officers to be awarded the prestigious Flying Brevet and be the pioneering female military aviators of Sri Lanka.   

Pilot Officer Weerawardana created history when she was awarded the “Sword of Honour”.  
The sword of honour is awarded to the officer cadet who has achieved the highest results in both academic and professional studies, and who has shown the best all-round performance throughout the course.   This is the first occasion in the history of the Sri Lanka Air Force when a lady officer has been awarded the “Sword of Honour”.  
SLAF said that the commissioned officers begun initial training at the Combat Training School in Diyatalawa for 21 weeks and at the Kotelawala Defence University for almost three years respectively. They subsequently followed their Basic Administrative Courses and respective branch trainings at the Flying and Ground Training Wings in China Bay and the Combat Training School at Diyatalawa.