President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed the present Army Chief General Jagath Jayasuriya as the new Chief of Defence Staff with effect from August 01, Presidential Spokesman Mohan Samaranayake, said.
General Jayasuriya joined the Sri Lanka Military Academy as a cadet officer in 1978. He passed out first in order of merit of the Intake-10 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on January 23, 1980.
General Jayasuriya is a recipient of several awards and military decorations, including the Vishishta Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV) and Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP).