01st June 2022 12:30:09 Hours
Two Officers and thirty-nine Other Ranks commandos, embraced with prestigious Long Range Patrol (LRP) insignia on Friday (27) at LRP nest (3 CR - Vavuniya) during the insignia awarding ceremony of the sixteenth Long Range Patrol course. Major General A K G K U Gnanaratne ndc psc, Commander - 1 Corps and Colonel of the Regiment - Commando Regiment graced the LRP insignia awarding ceremony as the Chief Guest. The colourful ceremony was conducted in the evening with the awarding of LRP insignias and awarding LRP knife to the newly qualified Officers and Other Ranks.
Lieutenant Colonel W M T Wijekoon RSP USP psc CR, Commanding Officer - 3 CR along with Major H M M M B Senevirathne RWP RSP USP psc CR, Second in Command - 3 CR extended a warm welcome to the Chief Guest on arrival to the “LRP NEST”. Glamorous Guard of Honour was awarded to the Chief Guest on his arrival to parade ground by newly qualified “LRPs”.
Prestigious LRP Badges and symbolic LRP Knife was awarded by Major General Krishantha Gnanaratne to the newly qualified LRPs together with Major General KA Samarasiri RWP RSP USP psc, General Officer Commanding of 65 Infantry Division and Brigadier DNJ Fernando RSP USP, Brigadier General Staff of Security Forces Headquarters (Wanni) to those Officers and Other Ranks as symbols of their proud and prestigious identity. Brigadier BMSKK Dharmawardena RWP RSP USP, Commandant Regimental Centre Commando Regiment (RCCR) and several other senior officers of SFHQ (Wanni), Commando Regiment, invitees of SLAF base Vauniya also witness the colourful parade.
Award for the Best LRP student of the course was awarded to Captain TBTN Rupasena CR, Best 8 Men Team of the course awarded to A101 team, Best Navigator of the course award awarded to Lance Corporal Pushpakumara BJ and Best shooter award was awarded to Lance Corporal Perera KND. The Chief Guest addressed the gathering and offered his best wishes to all newly qualified LRP members.
During the speech the Chief Guest paid a special tribute to the Brigade Commander, Commandant – RCCR, Commandant - Commando Regiment Training School, Commandant - Commando Regiment Special Warfare Training School, Commanding Officer – 3 CR and all instructors for their contribution towards grooming of those special soldiers to serve the motherland with highest standards of professionalism and discipline.
The Ceremony wind up with a formal get together with the participation of all invitees and newly qualified LRP members at Corporals’ Club. During the get together, memento was awarded to Major General Krishantha Gnanaratne to appreciate the participation as the Chief Guest. Further, special mementos were awarded to Major General Anil Samarasiri and Brigadier Nilantha Fernando in appreciation of their invaluable service rendered to the 3 CR as then Commanding Officer in “LRP NEST”.
