Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage awarded the Uththama Seva Medals to 253 naval personnel at a ceremony held at SLNS Parakrama on 15th October 2012. Senior naval officers attached to NHQ and Commanding Officer of SLNS Parakrama were also present on the occasion.
The ceremony commenced with two-minute silence being observed in honour of those who have made the supreme sacrifice in the defence of the motherland. Thereafter, the Gazette Notification on the award of the Uththama Seva Medal was read out stating the significance of awarding the medal.
The Uttama Seva Padakkama is granted to all ranks/rates of the Regular Force of the Sri Lanka Navy for valuable service and devotion to duty marked by exceptional ability, merit and exemplary conduct provided they count not less than 15 years of continuous and uninterrupted service and possess an unblemished record of moral and military conduct. Every recipient of the medal shall be entitled to use the symbol USP after his name.
Twenty six (26) naval officers and two hundred and twenty seven (227) sailors received the Uththama Seva Medal at the ceremony.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, October 16, 2012; Image: Sri Lanka Navy