SYMPOSIUM OF EAST ASIA SECURITY (SEAS),APRIL 3-26, 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000030 SIPDIS USPACOM FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR-KAREN KELLEY; CANDICE MATSUNAGA STATE FOR EAP/EX/RPM FOR MEAD; SA/PD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OEXC SCUL KPAO OEXC SUBJECT: SYMPOSIUM OF EAST ASIA SECURITY (SEAS),APRIL 3-26, 2006 ? SRI LANKAN NOMINATION REF: SEAS-2006 BULLETIN NO.2 ¶1. POST WISHES TO NOMINATE MAJOR GENERAL NISSANKA WIJESINGHE, ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE SRI LANKA ARMY FOR PARTICIPATION IN SEAS 2006 PROGRAM. ¶2. NOMINEES BIO DATA FOLLOWS: ¶A. NAME IN FULL: NISSANKA ?WIJESINGHE? ¶B. SEX: MALE. ¶C. DOB: MARCH 1, 1954, POB: KALUTHARA, SRI LANKA. ¶D. NATIONALITY: SRI LANKAN. ¶E. NOMINATION FORWARDED TO: USPACOM PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR- KAREN KELLEY/PROGRAM ASSISTANT-CANDICE MATSUNAGA. ¶F. RANK/SERVICE AND POSITION TITLE: MAJOR GENERAL; ADJUTANT GENERAL, ARMY HEADQUARTERS, SRI LANKA ARMY, DECEMBER 2005- TO DATE ¶G. RESPONSIBILITIES IN CURRENT POSITION: AS THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE SRI LANKA ARMY, MAJOR GENERAL WIJESINGHE IS RESPONSIBLE IN THE CONTROL AND IMPLEMENTING OF ALL ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS INCLUDING CIVIL ADMINISTRATION, WELFARE, REHABILITATION, HUMANITARIAN LAW AND RECRUITMENT OF STAFF TO THE SRI LANKA ARMY. ¶H. PREVIOUS RELATED POSITIONS: QUARTER MASTER GENERAL ? ARMY HEADQUARTERS, AUGUST ?NOVEMBER 2005; GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING ? 21 DIVISION, DECEMBER 2004-JULY 2005 AND JANUARY- JULY, 2003; GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING ? 56 DIVISION, AUGUST-DECEMBER 2003; GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING ? 52 DIVISION, JUNE-SEPTEMBER, 2002; DEPUTY GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING, 53 DIVISION, JANUARY 2001-MAY 2002; DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE OF OPERATION, ARMY HEADQUARTERS, JANUARY 1999- DECEMBER 2000; BRIGADE COMMANDER - ARTY BRIGADE VAVUNIYA, OCTOBER 1997-DECEMBER 1998; BRIGADE COMMANDER ? 231 BRIGADE WELIKANDA, JANUARY- SEPTEMBER 1997; BRIGADE COMMANDER -9 BRIGADE VASAVILAN, FEBRUARY-DECEMBER 1992; COLONEL GENERAL STAFF ? 51 DIVISION JAFFNA, AUGUST 1995-FEBRUARY 1996; COMMANDING OFFICER -4TH REGIMENT SRI LANKA ARTILLERY, APRIL 1994-AUGUST 1995; COMMANDANT ? SCHOOL OF ARTILLERY, OCTOBER 1992-MARCH 1994; STAFF OFFICER GRADE 1 ? GENERAL BRANCH AT SECURITY HEADQUARTERS JAFFNA, SEPTEMBER 1991-SEPTEMBER 1992 ¶I. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: YOUNG OFFICERS COURSE, SCHOOL OF ARTILLERY, INDIA, FEBRUARY-JULY, 1979; ADVANCE GUNNERY COURSE, SCHOOL OF ARTILLERY, INDIA, MAY-JULY 1982; FIELD OFFICER GUNNERY COURSE, SCHOOL OF ARTILLERY, PAKISTAN, MAY-AUGUST 1987; LONG GUNNERY STAFF COURSE, SCHOOL OF ARTILLERY, INDIA, JULY 1989-SEPTEMBER 1990; ARTILLERY ADVANCE COURSE, FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA, USA, MARCH-SEPTEMBER 1991; SENIOR COMMANDER ARTILLERY, SCHOOL OF ARTILLERY, INDIA, FEBRUARY-APRIL 1992; EXECUTIVE COURSE, ASIA-PACIFIC CENTER FOR SECURITY STUDIES (APCSS),HAWAII, SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2002; NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGE COURSE, KENYA, JANUARY- NOVEMBER, 2004 ¶J. PUBLICATIONS: NONE ¶K. SIGNIFICANT MEMBERSHIPS: NONE ¶L. PREVIOUS TRAVEL TO U.S.: 1991 ? SIX MONTHS ? FOLLOWED ARTILLERY ADVANCE COURSE ? FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA 1997 ? ONE WEEK ? CALIFORNIA ? TEAM MEMBER, ANTPQ 36 RADAR INSPECTION TEAM 2000 ? TWO WEEKS ? CALIFORNIA - TEAM MEMBER, ANTPQ 36 RADAR INSPECTION TEAM ¶M. LANGUAGES: NATIVE LANGUAGE: SINHALA - ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: VERY GOOD ¶N. POST OBJECTIVES FOR NOMINATING: A SENIOR ARMY OFFICER, WITH 32 YEARS OF SERVICE, MAJOR GENERAL NISSANKA WIJESINGHE HAS SERVED ALMOST ALL BRANCHES UNDER THE SRI LANKA ARMY. HIS DEDICATION TO DUTY HAS BEEN REWARDED BY RAPID PROMOTIONS TO MAJOR GENERAL AND THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE SRI LANKA ARMY HEADQUARTERS. POST BELIEVES THE KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED THROUGH THE SEAS PROGRAM WILL BE DIRECTLY APPLICABLE IN HIS DUTIES AND ALSO HELP THE U.S./SRI LANKA JOINT MILITARY COOPERATION PROGRAMS. ¶O. JUSTIFICATION FOR NOMINATION: MAJOR GENERAL WIJESINGHE IS AN IMPORTANT PLAYER IN THE SRI LANKAN MILITARY STRUCTURE, REPORTING AND ADVISING THE COMMANDER ON ALL AREAS THAT COMES UNDER HIS JURISDICTION. PROVIDING A SENIOR SRI LANKAN MILITARY OFFICER WITH DIRECT EXPOSURE TO U.S. MILITARY OPERATIONS AND DEFENSE POSTURE IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION WOULD DIRECTLY SUPPORT THE MPP GOAL OF IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF U.S. POLICIES AND THEIR UNDERLYING CONTEXT. ¶P. EMBASSY POINT OF CONTACT: ANGELA L. GEMZA, CULTURAL AFFAIRS OFFICER, PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION, AMERICAN CENTER 44, GALLE ROAD, COLOMBO 3, SRI LANKA. TELEPHONE: (94-11) 242-1271; E-MAIL: GEMZAAL@STATE.GOV ¶Q. MARITAL STATUS: MARRIED ¶R. MAILING ADDRESS: OFFICE ADDRESS: ADJUTANT GENERAL?S BRANCH, ARMY HEADQUARTERS, COLOMBO, SRI LANKA. TEL: (94-11) 243-4802 HOME ADDRESS: 44 ARMY HOUSING SCHEME, THUMBOWILA BOKUNDARA, PILIYANDALA, SRI LANKA. TEL: (94-11) 260-4311 ¶S. MEDICAL, PHYSICAL, DIETARY OR OTHER PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS: NONE ¶3. PLEASE ADVISE ACCEPTANCE OF THIS NOMINATION. LUNSTEAD