SENIOR COMMAND COURSE CONCLUDED COLOMBO STUDY TOUR

The Student Officers of Senior Command Course (SCC) No 12 who are to become the potential commanding officers of the Sri Lanka Army very recently concluded their study tour to Colombo as scheduled from 03 December to 07 December 2024. This visit was facilitated Student Officers to witness the key defence and economic related institutions in the country.

The Army War College delegation which was headed by the Senior Instructor, on 3rd December 2024 visited the headquarters of Sri Lanka Costal Guard (SLCG), the premier maritime law enforcement force located in Mirissa. Student Officers were able to know the SLCG entrusted role, task and duties of a ‘Peace Officer’. Further, witnessed a demonstration of a rescue mission.

On 4 December, the delegation headed by the Major General HHKSS Hewage RWP RSP USP rcds psc the Commandant, visited the nerve centre of the Sri Lanka Army: the Army Headquarters. Upon the group photograph which was posed with Principal Staff Officers and Senior Officers along with Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, delegation was privileged to listen to a comprehensive lecture delivered by the Director General General Staff on the topic of ‘The Role of Contemporary Battalion Commander’. The informative lecture followed by the question and answer secession gave the opportunity for Student Officers to interact with Principal Staff Officers of the helm of the organization. Subsequently, Student Officers got an opportunity to interact with the DG Ops and his staff at the Directorate of Operation to take fresh updates on modern Ops room and its functions. Thereafter, delegation visited to Directorate of Personal administration and attend the briefing conducted by the Director followed by an interactive session with his staff.

In the same day afternoon, delegation reached to the MOD and attended the briefing conducted by the assistance military liaison officer at ministry of defence, where he briefed about the national security, role and task of stakeholders and military diplomacy. The delegation was fortunate to meet the Hon secretary to the defence with interactive session and clarify their doubts on national security aspects.

Having commenced the third day of the visit, Student Officers reached to Directorate of pay and records located at the Army Cantonment, Panagoda and enlightened with an informative presentation on function and responsibilities towards battalion and battalion commanders. As the second segment of the day three, War College delegation reached to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC). There, a brief but comprehensive briefing was conducted by the duty officer about role and tasks of DMC and educated the visiting delegation on the functions of the institution. Following the DMC visit, Student Officers visited one of main emerging economic hubs of the country: the Port City Complex at the heart of Colombo. The managing director of the Port City delivered a very informative briefing with respect to the sustainable values and future economic and financial potentials of the Port City to boost the economy of Sri Lanka towards the key maritime hubs of the Indian Ocean.

The last day of the study tour commenced visiting the highest training establishment of the defence forces in Sri Lanka Army, National Defence College (NDC). The delegation was impressed while seeing function, learning objectives, other academic and administrative aspects of this esteemed military education institute. Thereafter the delegation ushered to the Naval Headquarters and witness the informative briefing on role and tasks of Sri Lanka Navy, operational deployment and most importantly their untiring effort to keep our territorial waters safe as the first line of defence.

As the final segment of the Study Tour, delegation reached to the Sri Lanka Air Force base at Katunayake and attended the briefing conducted by the Commanding Officer C130 flying Squadron where he briefed about the operational deployment and details about flying formations. The delegation was facilitate to visit the Air craft available at the base and explained about the comprehensive knowledge of their functions.

The highly productive Study Tour to Colombo by student officers of SCC 12 was given as an opportunity to witness and gain knowledge on key military and non-military outfits of the country.