Sri Lanka Army ranks and insignia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following tables present the ranks and insignia of the Sri Lanka Army. The ranks are similar to the British army officer ranks and the others.
At its formation in 1949, the Ceylon Army adopted the rank structures of the British Army.
The highest rank in the Sri Lanka Army is Field Marshal, though the rank has no appointment in the army; it was first awarded in 2015 as an honorary rank to Sarath Fonseka for his wartime service. The rank has been awarded for his whole life.[1]
The highest rank of a serving officer is Lieutenant General (three-star rank), which the Commander of the Army holds. The rank of full general (four-star rank) was given to the Chief of Defence Staff, whose post is now obsolete; it is also awarded to the Commander of the Army on the day of his retirement. Commanders of the Army since the late 1980s have held the rank of lieutenant general, three commanders Sarath Fonseka,[2] Jagath Jayasuriya and Shavendra Silva were promoted to full generals while serving as commander of the army, on the other hand, Shavendra Silva got the duty of the Chief of Defence Staff simultaneously holding the appointment of commander of the army.[3]
Commissioned officer ranks
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 Sri Lanka Army[4] |
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| Field marshal | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | ||||||||||||||
Officer cadet ranks
| Rank group | Under officers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka Army[5] |
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| Battalion under officer | Company under officer | Platoon under officer | Battalion sergeant major | Battalion Quarter master sergeant | Company sergeant major | Company quarter master sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | |
Other ranks
The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka Army[4][6] |
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No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant officer class I | Warrant officer class II | Staff sergeant[a] | Sergeant | Corporal/ Bombardier |
Lance corporal/ Lance bombardier |
Private (or equivalent) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retired officer's rank
An officer of or above the rank of captain when retired from service may retain his/her rank and indicate that he/she is a retired officer with the use of the abbreviation (Rtd) immediately after his/her name.[7]
History
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka Army (1988)[8] |
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| General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | |||||||||||||||
See also
Notes
- For artillery personnel at this rank, the emblem is replaced by towed artillery gun. For engineering personnel at this rank, the emblem is replaced by a bursting grenade.