Air Marshal  Kapila Jayampathi  assumed office as the 16th Commander of the Air Force this morning.

In his inaugural address to the Air Force, the Commander emphasized that even though he considered his appointment as an honor and a privilege, that it was not one that came easily or by chance.  He asserted that the journey he started as an officer cadet on the 5th of March 1982 and culminated in his appointment as the Commander  was not one on a luxurious bed of roses.

He thanked the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka, President, and expressed his belief that his appointment was a great responsibility placed on him and vowed to earn and to justify the trust placed in him by the Commander in Chief and the Secretary Ministry of Defence.

He also spoke of the responsibility of the Air Force to help the nation progress forward under a single flag, fostering brotherhood, reconciliation and peace as one nation.