Officers of KDU Intake XX celebrate brotherhood
View(s):The date was 12 years ago- to be precise – September 1, 2002. The main lobby of the academic building of the Kotelawala Defence Academy (now Kotelawala Defence University) was filled with a group of young boys, aged 20 to 23 numbering a hundred plus, who had an expression that could be termed as a mix of anxiety and hope. They were asked to go into a building with their belongings, shown a bed space, and alas! Within minutes, the freedom, the norms of society ….everything that they knew ceased to exist. A new set of ethics, rules and more rules were imposed.
Suddenly the whole world turned black. For example, walking became simply “BANNED”. One had to move in a military style harmonised jog a.k.a. “on the double”. This was mandatory despite the agonising cuts the new leather boots were giving to the soft and tender ankles of the young lads, now dubbed “service cadets”. To add insult to injury a number was placed before the name and was prefixed with a title, known in the military world as “rank”. One could not simply say “Hi, I am Saman”. It had to be “Good morning sir, 2746 (junior) Service Cadet De Silva ABC sir”. Life had just begun at the Kotelawala Defence Academy for the entrants of the 20th intake.
Slowly the group settled and began to feed into the system. New friendships were formed. The morning and evening cup of tea became a prized possession. Money issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka nearly lost its place to packets of Samaposha, Chocolate biscuits, polish tins, etc which almost emerged as alternative currencies. Steadily, things started falling into routine. The morning PT parade, the daily dress inspection (a.k.a. the “Muster Parade”) and drill in the parade square, lectures, lectures and more lectures, evening PT parade, and dinner followed by the roll call. Interspersed within this from time to time were the two mile runs, pack drills, log PT, and other forms of “fitness activities” which were granted by the kind courtesy of the instructors.
Nevertheless, one thing was happening subconsciously. The batch, which by now were labelled simply as “20”, were bonding. Relationships were good with some and bad with some but as a whole, they all saw eye to eye. It was truly felt the day when they bid adieu to the Academy and went on for further training in the tri services of Sri Lanka.
The journey since has been full of milestones. With utmost pride, the trained and committed cadets of the batch earned their Presidential Commission in 2005/2006. When the nation woke up to terrorism, officers from the 20th intake KDA (now KDU) were amongst the most junior to face the wrath of evil. Six officers from the SL Army and one officer from the SL Navy never came back to their loved ones having paid the supreme sacrifice.
Yet, life has moved on. This year, the batch of officers, now holding middle grade ranks in the tri services, gather once again, to reminisce on the long and difficult road they traversed. The potholes that seemed to cause bumps in the ride have now evolved to be golden lessons from the past. Officers of the intake have gone on to hold distinguished appointments in the field, sea and skies of the country earning plenty of admiration from many superiors.
The 12th anniversary of the 20th intake will bring together all the memories of the long past of the batch as the group gathers in the “Navy Clubhouse, Uswetakeiyawa” today, August 31.
-Sqd. Leader Asela Vithana