Major General H.C.P Goonetilleke has been appointed the new Chief of Staff of the Army. He has been serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff since 04 November 2016.

He succeeds Major General U. A. B Medawela who retired from the Army a few days ago.

The profile of Major General H.C.P Goonetilleke is as follows;

Major General H.C.P Goonetilleke enlisted in the Sri Lanka Army on 31 August 1981, having completed his primary and secondary education at St Benedict’s College Colombo 13 and Royal College Colombo 7. He followed the Basic Officer Cadet Course at the Sri Lanka Military Academy Diyatalawa passing out as the Best All Round Officer Cadet winning the Sword of Honour. He was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers as a Second Lieutenant on 17 July 1982.

Major General Goonetilleke has been decorated with the Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) for gallantry and awarded the Vishishta Seva Vibushanaya for unblemished service and Uththamaseva Padakkma for distinguished service.