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25th November 2025 20:41:14 Hours
Army War College recently hosted a prestigious Diners’ Club session, focusing on the intricacies of command experience, a vital aspect of military leadership. The event, held on 22 November 2025, featured Major General KVNP Premaratne RSP USP nps psc, Commandant Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, as the esteemed Guest Speaker.
A total of 151 Student Officers from the Senior Command Course 15, Junior Command Course 34, and Junior Staff Course 30, along with officers from the Sister Services and Foreign Officers from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, and Pakistan, attended the session. Representing the Commandant Army War College, Major General PS Subath Sanjeewa RSP nps psc who had concurrently been participating in the Vijayabahu Infantry Seminar as the Session Chair of its Second Session, the event was attended by Brigadier PPC Perera psc, Deputy Commandant together with Colonel DPASA Witharana psc, Chief Instructor, and all other faculty members and the permanent staff.
During his address, while encouraging the Student Officers to reflect honestly on their personal barriers that can undermine effective command and to cultivate the mindset necessary for future command responsibilities, Commandant Army Volunteer Force, emphasized that true command ability extends beyond mere rank, experience, or operational achievements, and is, in fact, shaped by an individual's behavior, mindset, and self-awareness. He stressed that effective military leadership is not simply a matter of completing courses or earning badges, but rather a deliberate effort to confront one's own limitations and convert them into strengths. The session plentifully provided a valuable platform for the Student Officers to gain insights into the complexities of command experience and to identify areas for the improvement. In addition to his valuble lecture his presence ar the Army War Collage is a privilege that insprive and motivates everyone to strive for excellence.
The Question and Answer session that followed proved to be a master-class in leadership, with Major General Nilantha Premaratne engaging the audience with his thought-provoking insights and introspective queries. In a bold and refreshing move, the Senior Officer asked the Student Officers if they were good commanders, and then posed a series of questions to gauge their understanding of leadership qualities and styles.
He probed their thoughts on the characteristics of effective leadership, and how they would differentiate between leadership and command. Furthermore, he sought their views on the importance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and adaptability in leadership, and how these traits could be cultivated.
The Guest Speaker, with his ever-charismatic approach, highlighted how traits such as feedback resistance, inflexibility, and emotional blindness could erode command effectiveness. He also drew attention to the tendency to prioritize title over responsibility, and the dangers of people pleasing, credit chasing, and stagnation, all of which can considerably undermine leadership abilities. By posing these questions, Major General Premaratne encouraged the Student Officers to reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses, and to consider the qualities necessary for effective leadership.
The exchange served as a powerful reminder that true leadership is not about projecting an image of confidence and authority, but rather about embracing one's vulnerabilities and weaknesses, and being willing to learn and grow. The Student Officers left the session with much to ponder, and it was clear that Army Volunteer Force Commander’s words would resonate with them long after the event had concluded.
The Diners' Club events at the Sri Lanka Army War College aim to provide professional development through intellectual stimulation and informal learning. These sessions feature presentations by guest speakers on Military Professionalism, Modern Warfare, and Interactive Discussions exploring into areas of Command.
After expressing the profound gratitude to Major General KVNP Premaratne RSP USP nps psc for sharing his expertise, coming all the way from Colombo amidst extremely busy schedules, the Deputy Commandant presented a memento as a token of appreciation on behalf of Commandant, Student officer and the Staff of the Army War College.
