BADGE AWARDING CEREMONY OF LONG RANG PATROL COURSE NO 16

Two Officers and thirty-nine Other Ranks Commandos, embraced with prestigious Long Range Patrol (LRP) insignia on Friday (27) at LRP Nest Commando Regiment Vavuniya during the Badge Awarding Ceremony of the sixteenth Long Range Patrol course. Major General Crishantha Gnanaratne, Commander - 1 Corps and Colonel of the Regiment - Commando Regiment graced the LRP Badge Awarding ceremony as the Chief Guest. The dusk ceremony coloured with awarding of LRP badges and awarding LRP knife to the newly graduated Officers and Other Ranks.

Lieutenant Colonel WMT Wijekoon RSP USP psc, Commanding Officer, 3 CR along with Major HMMMB Senevirathne RWP RSP USP psc, Second in Command 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”.

The LRP badges and symbolic LRP Knives were awarded by Major General Crishantha Gnanaratne to the qualified personnel together with Major General Anil Samarasiri, General Officer Commanding of 65 Infantry Division and Brigadier Nilantha Fernando, Brigadier General Staff of Security Forces Headquarters (Wanni) to those Officers and Other Ranks as symbols of their proud and prestigious identity. Brigadier Kamal Dharmawardena, Centre Commandant and several other senior Officers of SFHQ (Wanni), Commando Regiment, invitees of SLAF base Vauniya also witnessed 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 extended his best wishes to all newly qualified LRP members.

During the speech the Chief Guest paid a special tribute to the Brigade Commander, Centre Commandant, 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 specialised soldiers to serve the motherland with highest standards of professionalism and discipline.

The Dusk Badge Awarding Ceremony wind up with get together with all invitees and newly qualified students at Corporals’ Club. During the get together, a memento was awarded to Major General Crishantha 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 Commanding Officers in “LRP NEST”.