FOURTH SAPPER COMMANDER OF THE ARMY ASSUMED OFFICE
Lt Gen N U M M W Senanayake RWP RSP USP psc, the newly appointed, Commander of the Army assumed office as 22nd Commander of the Army in the auspicious time at Army Headquarters today morning. He signed an official document symbolizing the assumption of office after religious observances. Lt Gen N U M M W Senanayake RWP RSP USP psc, goes in to the history as the fourth sapper officer to earn this prestigious designation.
Lt Gen N U M M W Senanayake RWP RSP USP psc was enlisted to the Sri Lanka Army on 16 October 1981 into Officer Cadet Intake 16 (Long Course), and on successful completion of his training he was commissioned as a second Lieutenant and passed out as 1st in order of merit and won the sword of honour. Then he was posted to the 1 Plant Engineer Regiment on 23 June 1983.
He as a Senior Officer has held the appointment of Troop Commander/Squadron Commander in the Sri Lanka Army Plant Engineer Regiment and also held appointments on extra regimental employment as Officer Instructor at the Sri Lanka Military Academy Diyatalawa. Subsequently, he was volunteered for inter unit transfer to the Regiment of Special Forces in 1989. Lt Gen N U M M W Senanayake had actively participated in all the major military operations conducted in the North and East of Sri Lanka. In the Special Forces Regiment he has held the appointment of Squadron Commander of 1st Special Forces Regiment and commanded the 3rd Special Forces Regiment which introduced the LRRP/LRP concept to the Sri Lanka Army.
He also has held the appointment of Regimental Center Commandant of the Special Forces Regiment, Commander 211 Infantry Brigade (Vavuniya), Commander Special Forces Brigade and the General Officer Commanding 52 Division (Varani, Jaffna). He has also held the staff appointment of Colonel General Staff 52 Division and Brigadier General Staff of the Security Force Headquarters Jaffna during most difficult time of the war. Lt Gen N U M M W Senanayake has also held the appointment of Directing Staff at the Army Command and Staff College. Further, he was selected to hold the appointment of Director Plans, during the Humanitarian Operations at that critical hour of the history and later held the appointment of Military Secretary at Army Headquarters.
Lt Gen N U M M W Senanayake is a graduate of the prestigious United States Army Command and General Staff College and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. For his bravery acts in the operations, he has been awarded the Rana WickramaPadakkama (RWP), Rana SooraPadakkama (RSP) many times and the UththamaSevaPadakkma (USP) for his unblemished service in the Army.
Lt Gen N U M M W Senanayake RWP RSP USP pscas the Chief of Staff of the Army before he appointed as the Commander of the Army. Maj Gen N U M M W Senanayake is married and blessed with two daughters and a son.
