The Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Damian Fernando, held an official meeting with Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo, at Naval Headquarters on Thursday (30), ahead of the Army Commander’s retirement.
Lieutenant General Rodrigo was accorded a traditional ceremonial guard of honour on his arrival before being formally received, in a display Ada Derana described as reflecting the pride and traditions of the Sri Lanka Navy.
During the meeting, the Navy Commander commended the retiring Army chief for his distinguished service, singling out his leadership in strengthening cooperation between the Army and the Navy. The two commanders exchanged commemorative mementoes to mark the occasion.
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Farewell calls of this kind are a fixed part of the protocol surrounding a service chief’s departure, with the outgoing commander visiting the other services and the Ministry of Defence in the closing days of his tenure. Rodrigo made his farewell calls on the defence establishment earlier this week.
Vice Admiral Damian Fernando is himself a recent appointee, having taken over as Navy Commander in July.
Inter-service coordination has carried added weight over the past year, with the Army and Navy operating together on disaster response following Cyclone Ditwah, on maritime security patrols and on anti-narcotics operations in Sri Lankan waters. The government has not yet announced Rodrigo’s successor.
