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Awards and decorations of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces

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Medals of the Sri Lankan military displayed on a Sri Lanka Army service uniform

The Sri Lankan Armed Forces award medals and their associated ribbon bars in recognition of various levels of service, personal accomplishments and commemorative events while a regular- or volunteer serviceperson is a member of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force. Together with military badges, such awards are a means to outwardly display the highlights of a serviceperson's career.

Medals for gallantry

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An Air Force serviceman in parade uniform, with medals pinned on left breast

Sri Lanka orders

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Wound medals

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Medals for long service and good conduct

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War service medals

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All of Sri Lanka's campaign medals (as at December 2020) center around those that were part of the Sri Lankan Civil War. As such, the campaigns took place in the North and East of the island, shown here

Peacetime service medals

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Commemorative medals

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United Nations Service Medals

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A Sri Lankan UN peacekeeper in Carrefour, Haiti in 2010

The United Nations Medal for participation in UN peacekeeping operations:

Former decorations and medals

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Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, possessed a small standing armed force of its own. Here, Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake watches the Ceylon Light Infantry training at the Echelon Barracks in the 1950s

Dominion of Ceylon (1949 - 1972)

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From its formation in 1949, the Ceylon Armed Forces continued the use of British military decorations. This was discontinued in 1956 with a suspension of nominations for British honours; until Sri Lanka's republican constitution of 1972, the following awards were used:

Colonial (pre-1948)

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Imperial and local medals awarded for military service to the colony and empire.

Order of precedence

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The various decorations and medals are worn in the order stipulated for each service by its service commander.

Sri Lanka Army

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The order in which decorations and medals are to be worn have been defined in the Dress Regulation of the Sri Lanka Army.[12][13]

SLA officer displaying ribbon bars in order of precedence.
Ribbon Award Postnominals Established
Parama Weera Vibhushanaya PWV 1981
Weerodara Vibhushanaya WV 1981
Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya WWV 1981
Rana Wickrama Padakkama RWP 1981
Rana Sura Padakkama RSP 1981
Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya VSV 1981

Karyakshama Seva Vibhushanaya[a]
(Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force)
KSV
1972
Uttama Seva Padakkama USP 1981

Karyakshama Seva Padakkama[a]
(Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force)
KSP
1972
Desha Putra Sammanaya - 1972
Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal - 2010
Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal - 2010
Purna Bhumi Padakkama - 1977
North and East Operations Medal - 1983
Vadamarachchi Operation Medal - 1983
Riviresa Campaign Services Medal - 1996
Queen’s Medal for Best Shooter in the Army - 1954
Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal - 1972
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal - 1953

Sri Lanka Army 25th Anniversary Medal[a]
- 1974
50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal - 1998
75th Independence Day Commemoration Medal - 2023

Sri Lanka Army 50th Anniversary Medal[a]
- 1999
Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
(Replaced by the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal)
- 1968
Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal - 1979
President's Inauguration Medal - 1978
Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal - 1955
Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force Centenary Medal - 1981
Sewabhimani Padakkama - 2019
Sewa Padakkama - 2019
Videsha Seva Padakkama - 1981
United Nations Medals - Various

Sri Lanka Navy

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[14]

SLN officer displaying ribbon bars in order of precedence.
Ribbon Award Postnominals Established
Parama Weera Vibhushanaya PWV 1981
Weerodara Vibhushanaya WV 1981
Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya WWV 1981
Rana Wickrama Padakkama RWP 1981
Rana Sura Padakkama RSP 1981
Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya VSV 1981
Uttama Seva Padakkama USP 1981
Videsha Seva Padakkama - 1981
Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal - 1972

Sri Lanka Navy 50th Anniversary Medal[a]
- 2000

Sri Lanka Navy 25th Anniversary Medal[a]
- 1975
Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
(Replaced by the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal)
- 1968
Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal - 1979
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal - 1953
President's Inauguration Medal - 1978
50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal - 1998
75th Independence Day Commemoration Medal - 2023
Desha Putra Sammanaya - 1972
Sewabhimani Padakkama - 2019
Sewa Padakkama - 2019
Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal - 2010
Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal - 2010
Purna Bhumi Padakkama - 1977
North and East Operations Medal - 1983
Vadamarachchi Operation Medal - 1983
Riviresa Campaign Services Medal - 1996
Prashansaniya Seva Vibhushanaya[a]
(Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force)
PSV 2000
Prashansaniya Seva Padakkama[a]
(Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force)
PSP 2000
Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal - 1955

Sri Lanka Air Force

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SLAF officer displaying ribbon bars in order of precedence.
Ribbon Award Postnominals Established
Parama Weera Vibhushanaya PWV 1981
Weerodara Vibhushanaya WV 1981
Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya WWV 1981
Rana Wickrama Padakkama RWP 1981
Rana Sura Padakkama RSP 1981
Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya VSV 1981
Uttama Seva Padakkama USP 1981
Videsha Seva Padakkama - 1981
Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal - 1972
Sri Lanka Air Force 25th Anniversary Medal[a] - 1976
Sri Lanka Air Force 50th Anniversary Medal[a] - 2001
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal - 1953
Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal
(Replaced by the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal)
- 1968
Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal - 1979
President's Inauguration Medal - 1978
50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal - 1998
75th Independence Day Commemoration Medal - 2023
Desha Putra Sammanaya - 1972
Sewabhimani Padakkama - 2019
Sewa Padakkama - 2019
Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal - 2010
Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal - 2010
Purna Bhumi Padakkama - 1977
North and East Operations Medal - 1983
Vadamarachchi Operation Medal - 1983
Riviresa Campaign Services Medal - 1996
Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal - 1955
United Nations Medals - Various

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Equivalent

References

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  1. ^ "1960: Sri Lankan contribution to United Nations Peacekeeping". United Nations Sri Lanka.
  2. ^ "West New Guinea- UNSF". United Nations Peacekeeping. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  3. ^ "UN Medals: UNTSO". un.org. United Nations. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  4. ^ "UN decorates 200 Sri Lankan peacekeepers - Haiti". Defence.lk. 8 November 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-09-11.
  5. ^ "Army Contingent for UN Mission in Lebanon ready to leave". english.dailyceylon.com. Daily Ceylon. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d "UN introduces new rules for SL peace keeping troops: Army awaits HRC clearance". dailymirror.lk. Daily Mirror. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Army Chief eyes bigger deployment in Mali". island.lk. The Island. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  8. ^ "Sri Lanka Army Completes Its Commitment to UN Assignments in Mali". Sri Lanka Army. army.lk. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Troop and police contributors". United Nations Peacekeeping. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  10. ^ "TERMS OF AWARD OF THE NAVAL GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL AND THE GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL (ARMY AND ROYAL AIR FORCE)" (PDF). defence.gov.au. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  11. ^ Narbeth, Colin (1971). Collecting Military Medals: A Beginner's Guide. Cambridge: The Lutterworth Press. p. 52. ISBN 0718890094. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Medals". army.lk. Sri Lanka Army. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Dress Regulation". army.lk. Sri Lanka Army. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Medal". navy.lk. Sri Lanka Navy. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  15. ^ "Decorations & Medals". airforce.lk. Sri Lanka Air Force. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
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