A New Cohort, A Shared Commitment
The Sri Lanka Air Force welcomes 160 new civilian recruits, including members of the Tamil and Muslim communities, in a move to strengthen its workforce and advance a more inclusive, merit-based and professional public service.
A formal ceremony to present appointment letters to the latest intake of civilian staff for the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) was held on September 2 at SLAF Headquarters, with Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) attending as the Chief Guest.
During the ceremony, 160 new civilian recruits officially joined the SLAF cadre. Notably, the intake includes 25 individuals from the Tamil and Muslim communities, reflecting the SLAF’s commitment to inclusive representation within its workforce.
Addressing the new appointees, Deputy Minister Jayasekara described their recruitment as an important step towards addressing long-standing staff shortages across the public sector, challenges that had been further intensified by the suspension of state recruitment.
He commended the recruits for successfully completing a selection process founded on fairness, transparency and merit.
In his keynote address, Major General Jayasekara urged the new employees to uphold the core values of discipline, integrity and efficiency throughout their careers. He also encouraged them to adapt to the rapidly evolving technological landscape, emphasising the importance of professionalism in an increasingly digital defence environment.
The Deputy Minister highlighted the Government’s strategic focus on addressing vacancy-related challenges, particularly within the defence sector, under the directives of His Excellency the President.
He noted that the Government has prioritised a systematic approach to filling existing vacancies and reaffirmed the important role the new recruits will play in advancing a national vision of a transparent, efficient and people-centred public service free from corruption.
The latest intake therefore represents more than the filling of vacant positions. It reflects an effort to build a capable and diverse civilian workforce while ensuring that essential functions within the defence establishment are supported by people selected on merit and prepared to meet the demands of a changing environment.
For the new appointees, the presentation of appointment letters marks the beginning of a new professional journey—one defined by responsibility, discipline and a shared commitment to serving a national institution.
The ceremony was attended by Air Force Commander Air Marshal Bandu Edirisinghe, members of the SLAF Board of Management, the Director of SLAF Civil Administration, and senior officials from both the Ministry of Defence and the Sri Lanka Air Force.
