Forces top brass takes office today

Major General Jagath Jayasuriya will take over as Army Commander today along with Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe.
Major General Jayasuriya was the Commander of the Vavuniya Security Forces Headquarters. He is from the Sri Lanka Army’s Intake No. 10 and will be the first field commander to be promoted as Army Commander in the Sri Lanka Army’s history.
 A product of Royal College in Colombo, Major General Jayasuriya is a veteran pugilist and once captained the Royal College boxing team. Belonging to the Army’s Armoured Corps, he is the only Sri Lankan to function as a boxing referee at the Olympic Games.
 He has held the positions of Brigade Commander, Security Forces Commander Vavuniya, and the only officer to become the Sri Lanka Army Commander without holding office as Chief of Staff.
 There are two officers senior to Major General Jagath Jayasuriya currently serving the Sri Lanka Army. They are from the Common Stream, while Major General Jayasuriya is from the Main Stream, and has also played a pivotal role in the recent battles against the LTTE. If these senior officers, Majors General Niranjan Nanayakkara and Sumith Balasuriya retire, the next in line is Major General Mendaka Samarasingha who is tipped to be the Chief of Staff.