Army Command and Staff College: Highest seat of learning

The Army Command and Staff College,the highest seat of learning in the entire armed forces of Sri Lanka will have its graduation ceremony at the BMICH at 9.30 am tomorrow, 35 senior armed forces officers will receive their `Masters's Degree in Defence Studies'(M Def S).

The 35 graduates all above the rank of Major will obtain their degrees after attending the Master of Defence Studies programme , the postgraduate course conducted by the Faculty of Graduate studies of the University of Kelaniya in collaboration with the Army Command and Staff College at Batalanda.

The Army Command and Staff College in Batalanda was inaugurated by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in August, 1998.Since then 186 middle grade officers have obtained their 'Master's Degree in Defence Studies(M Def S).

From the total number of 35 graduates ,30 from the Army,3 from the Navy and 2 from the Air Force will receive their degree from the Secretary, Minister of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order Gotabaya Rajapakse at the graduation ceremony tomorrow.

The Batalanda Army Command and Staff College enroled its first batch of officers in March 1998.Since then it has conducted seven consecutive courses with 186 graduates from Army, Navy and Airforce receiving their degrees.

The medium of instruction is English at Batalanda Army Command and Staff College which has been modeled on the same lines of British Army Staff College at Camberly. In today's military culture to meet the joint training demands, the Army Command and Staff College intendts to convert itself into a Defence Services Staff College from this year as many other super powers do.

A five year development plan is already proposed which will increase the student capacity to 50 and invite students from friendly countries too.

These exchanges are expected to enhance the degree of diplomatic relationship, Sri Lanka maintains with other countries.

Major General Shyman Kulatunga is the head of the Batalanda Army Staff and Command College and along with his staff new programmes have been worked out by him to meet the challenges of the future.

(AP)