Sri Lanka National Guard

The Sri Lanka National Guard (SLNG) is the largest regiment in the Sri Lanka Army. It is a Volunteer Regiment made up of 32 battalions coming under the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force.
History.
On 1 November 1989, all the prominent battalions, who deployed for the VIP guard, were combined. The first guard was upgraded as a new battalion of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer force and was placed in Male Street, Colombo under the Command of the senior officer then Major S Weragama-SLAPC.
The number of battalions were gradually increased to 16 and named 'The Sri Lanka National Guard'. They were under the command of then Lt. Col. D. W. Hapuarachchi (now Major General) SLSR as Commandant SLNG thus becoming the largest Regiment in the Sri Lanka Army at the time. Forming this large military outfit provided security and protected the captured areas from falling back to the hands of the enemy. The purpose of forming gave reasoning for naming it as the Sri Lanka National Guard.
On 12 November 1991, the senior officer then Colonel SBG De Silva KSV (now Brigadier) SLLI assumed duties as the first Colonel of the Regiment of Sri Lanka National Guard. By this time the numbers of battalions were further increasing. The Regimental Headquarters of Sri Lanka National Guard which had been temporarily set up in Male Street Colombo shifted to the headquarters of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force BATTARAMULLA on 14 December 1991.
In this period of time Sri Lanka National Guard Regimental Centre which had been placed in the building of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force Headquarters under the guidance the GOC of the 3DIVwas shifted to the "Punani" Army Camp on 5 May 1993, Colonel SD Lankadewa KSV was appointed as the new Colonel of the Regiment.
Lot of difficulties had to be incurred due to the inability of doing any essential construction of the Regimental Headquarters and its maintenance to a proper plan as it had to be shifted to different places time to time. The referee to overcome these difficulties the regimental headquarters of Sri Lanka National Guard was in need to be established in its own premises. As a result, the Regimental Headquarters was able to acquire a two-acre land at Weherawatta in Kurunegala. Accordingly, inspirit of a lot of hindrance and difficulties, on 4 March 1994, the Regimental Headquarters was shifted to the place where it is beautifully located today.
The staff assumed duties here at the begging had to carry out their duties under low facilities at that time there was only one permanent building as well as a temporary building in this land. On 29 December 1994, Brigadier SV Panabokke KSV was appointed as the 3rd Colonel of the Regiment. He commanded the Regiment until it was assigned over to the Senior Officer Brigadier MJ Alwis KSV on 16 August 1996. New Battalions (From 17th Battalions to the 22nd Battalions) were then formed and attached to the Regiment expanding it further.
It was Brigadier MJ Alwis who laid the foundation of stability for the Regimental Headquarters amidst great difficulties. As its first stage, the foundation stone for the office building laid and commenced its construction on 31 July 1997. The Volunteer Force Deputy Commandant Major General SV Panabokke KSV at the request of the Colonel of the Regiment.
During this period, construction of another building adjoining this office building was started with a view to use it for the staff officers and for the office of the Colonel of the Regiment. The construction of that building was expedited with the labor contribution of the soldiers of the Regiment and after its construction was completed, it was ceremoniously opened on 20 February 1999 by the Commander of the Army Lt. General CS Weerasooriya RWP RSP VSV USP ndc with the arrival of this new building the Regimental Headquarters gradually became a well-organized institute. Furthermore, the Colonel of the Regiment laid the foundation stone for another two storied building with a view to use it as the mess or the barrack of other ranks. At the time, the construction of its ground floor was reaching to its completion, on 4 May 1999 the Colonel of the Regiment had a transfer and bade farewell to the Regiment.
On 14 May 1999, the Senior Officer Brigadier AMB Amunugama KSV assumed duties on the post of Colonel of The Regiment which had been vacant at that time. He worked hard for the betterment of the Regiment and, after the completion of the construction of the building which was still under construction at the time he assumed duties of the post was ceremonially opened on 1 November 2000 by him.
As the Colonel of the Regiment, he took all possible steps to revitalize this Regiment and to promote it by initiating competitions among Regimental Battalions and each unit in order to select the most active Battalion and all so, through these Sports competitions, valuable opportunities were given to the army persons to go ahead with their talents in the army. Among those competitions, there were Inter Units Athletics, Inter Units Rifle Competition, and Inter Units Drill Championship.
In this way, having done a yeoman service to promote this Regiment to a higher standard in the Army, he left this Regiment on 16 June 2004 getting an official promotion, Handing over the regiment to Brigadier VKB Weerakoon KSV.
One of the most valuable achievements gained by the members of this regiment during the period of this Colonel of the Regiment who work hard to make the Regiment perfect and developed was the war heroes' memorial which was erected under one of his concepts and guidance. It was during this period of time that the Regimental Establishment was approved by the Army Headquarters. By this period, the 23rd SLNG was started as a battalion to strengthen the security in Colombo with further expansion of the regiment. At a time when the regiment was making progress with the approval of the army headquarters, the re-designated 07th and 08th unites of SLNG.
This Regimental Headquarters, which is situated on a beautiful hill top in Kurunegala, did not have a war heroes' memorial and according to the concept of the then Colonel of the Regiment and the present Deputy Commandant of the SLAVF Senior Officer Major General AC Obeysekara a war heroes' memorial was erected and declared open with the regiment. The Chief of Staff of the Army, Major General ULB Fernando RSP ndu psc graced this dignified occasion as the chief guest. The war heroes' memorial was declared open on 1 November 2007 and paid tribute to the fallen war heroes. On 12 July 2007, the duties of the post of Colonel of the Regiment were assigned to senior officer Brigadier AC Obeysekara who rendered a great service to the 08th the Colonel of the Regiment.
Senior Officer Brig LC Perera assumed duties as the 09th Colonel of the Regiment the Sri Lanka National Guard. The karate team of the Sri Lanka National Guard in the year 2008, won the trophy for the 80th time, defeating all the regiment senior officer Brigadier LC Perera who carried out his duties as the Colonel of the Regiment rendered invaluable service to the Regiment, bade Farewell on 12 February 2009.
Senior Officer Brig WDLP Wickramasinghe RSP assumed duties as the 10th Colonel of the Regiment the Sri Lanka National Guard. By this time, the Regiment comprised 32 Battalions. The Karate team of the Regiment was able to win the trophy of inter regimental karate for the 9th time and in 2009 won the trophy of the tournament surpassing all the regiments of the Sri Lanka Army Inter Regimental Weight Lifting Tournament. The number of battalions in this regiment (with Battalions of the Regimental Headquarters and 1st RFT Battalion) was increased up to 39 during the period the final humanitarian operations were going on, in 2009.
The 4th phase of the Raffle Draw was held on 30 November 2009, in order to raise funds for the building fund of the Sri Lanka National Guard. During this year, the Regimental Council for the regiment was set up in the regiment for the first time.
The Sri Lanka National Guard was able to secure the Sri Lanka Army Inter Regimental Karate Trophy 2010 for the 10th time, further enhancing their self-esteem. Furthermore, the apprentice Karate trophy was won by the sportsmen of the Sri Lanka National Guard for the first time. The Annual Sports meet was held after 04 years at Maligapitiya gourd Kurunegala in June 2010
The general assembly of Ex-Servicemen Association of the Sri Lanka National Guard was held on 9 June 2010 at the Auditorium of the Regiment. For the consecutive second time, the Sri Lanka National Guard was able to win the Trophy of Army Inter Regimental Drill Competition in 2010 conducted annually by the Sri Lanka Army Headquarters. Further, it is a special feature that a few essential buildings and other constructions such as two-storey office building, the Sergeants Mess, Ammunition dump, New Water Tank etc., were set up and competed under the guidance of the Colonel of the Regiment. Further, the renovation of the conference hall of the Regiment was completed and the Regimental Song, which was a long felt need was composed during this period
Insignia.
Regimental flag.
As there is a flag and an emblem for every Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka National Guard too has a flag and an emblem. Every person from the Commanding Officer to the junior most other rankers should consider the Regimental flag and the emblem as noble and should honor and salute them while the Regimental flag and the emblem comprise the code led by the Regimental motto
Colors of the flag
Naval blue color - Loyalty
White color - Peace
Red color - Combative Spirit
Width of one color is 16 inches. Size of the lag - 6 feet in length4 feet in width
Motto of the Regiment "THE COUNTRY BEFORE SELF "
Designed by – Lieutenant colonel DSC Ganegoda KSV SLASC(Retd)
Regimental flag and the emblem shall be a noble object which should be honored and preserved so as to reflect the dignity of the Regiment.
Regimental emblem.
In the middle of the vertical emblem there is a Lion looking at the left direction bearing a sword . In its background there is a convex shield. On the either side of the shield there two gold colored ears of paddy and in the lower part of the shield there is a portion where the name and the motto is the Regiment is mentioned. Outside the shield there are two swords which crossed each other at the top. These two swords are held by two lion paws in the lower part of the emblem.
Lion - Reflecting the nation
Shield - Protecting the nation from enemies
Two gold coloured ears of paddy- Prosperity of the nation and the Regiment
Two swords which crossed each other at the top - Providing perfect protection to the nation
Name of the Regiment in Sinhala is - Y%S, xld cd;sl wdrlIl n<uqMZj
Motto of the Regiment in Sinhala is - iajdrA:hg fmr foaYh
Finishing and combination of colours -This emblem is made of Aluminum metal and only gold and silver colours are used in order to colour the symbols of the emblem.
Lion - Gold colour
Convex Shield - Silver Colour
The name and the motto of the Regiment - Silver Colour
Letters - Silver Colour
Two ears of paddy - Gold Colour
Two paws holding the sword - Gold colour
Two complete swords - Silver Colour


Marty Larsen

Marty Larsen (May 9, 1905 – June 11, 1988) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Biography.
Larsen was born on May 9, 1905 in Oconto, Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. During the World War II era, he served in the United States Coast Guard from 1940 to 1942. Larsen died on June 11, 1988 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin of cancer.
Political career.
Larsen was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1956 and 1958. Additionally, he was Supervisor of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin from 1940 to 1956. He was a Democrat.


Mayerthorpe tragedy

The Mayerthorpe tragedy occurred on March 3, 2005, on the farm of James Roszko, approximately north of Rochfort Bridge near the town of Mayerthorpe in the Canadian province of Alberta.
Roszko shot and killed four Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) constables: Anthony Gordon, Lionide "Leo" Johnston, Brock Myrol and Peter Schiemann. He then committed suicide. The attack occurred as the officers were executing a search warrant for stolen property and a marijuana-growing operation on the farm. Two individuals who were not present at the shooting, Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman, pled guilty to manslaughter for assisting Roszko to return to his farm.
The incident was the worst one-day loss of life for the RCMP since five officers drowned on June 7, 1958, and the worst multiple-officer killing in contemporary Canadian history.
Incidents.
Initial contact with Roszko.
On the afternoon of March 2, 2005, two civil bailiffs went to the farm owned by James Roszko to repossess a truck which Roszko had purchased, but on which he had not made any payments. They arrived around 3:00pm. There was a metal gate blocking the road into the farmyard. When Roszko saw the bailiffs, he released two large aggressive Rottweilers. The bailiffs decided they should call the RCMP. The officer who responded to the phone call warned them not to go onto the property until the RCMP arrived. Roszko had a criminal record with violent and sexual offences, and was subject to a firearms possession prohibition. He was known to the members of the Mayerthorpe RCMP Detachment.
Roszko swore at the bailiffs and drove off in a truck. The bailiffs thought it may have been the truck they were to seize, but were not sure.
Shortly after Roszko drove off, three Mounties arrived, including Constable Peter Schiemann. The bailiffs had the legal authority to search the farm for the truck, since they were not sure if the truck Roszko was using was the truck that they had instructions to seize. Acting under that authority the bailiffs broke open the gate. The Mounties confined the dogs in a shed. The group then went to the quonset in the farmyard. They found numerous vehicle parts, indicating a stolen vehicle chop shop, and a marijuana grow-op. The Mounties realised that they would need a search warrant before proceeding any further. They left the quonset at approximately 4:15pm and called in the truck as stolen, warning that other officers should be on the lookout for Roszko.
Property search.
The senior officer in the group, Corporal James Martin, left to obtain a warrant, leaving two officers to maintain control of the farm. Corporal Martin returned at 8:40pm with the warrant. Given the expected magnitude of the search, the warrant was valid for twenty-four hours. The Mounties first conducted a security search of the dwelling and the quonset, to ensure that Roszko was not present. While their search confirmed Roszko was not on the farm, the RCMP found a radio scanner tuned to the frequency of the Whitecourt RCMP detachment in Roszko's residence. They also found lists containing intelligence on the local detachments at Mayerthorpe, Whitecourt,
Barrhead and Evansburg, including members' names, car numbers and cell phone numbers. There was also a night vision scope and .308 and 9 mm caliber ammunition, which indicated Roszko was in breach of his firearms prohibition.
Having confirmed that Roszko was not present, the Mounties began the search of the quonset. The initial focus was on the search and seizure of the marijuana plants and equipment, conducted by a special "Green Team" from the RCMP "K" Division in Edmonton. According to documents obtained by the CBC's "The Fifth Estate" in a court case to have the search warrants made public, police seized seven growing marijuana plants, and 88 harvested plants from the residence, plus a further 192 growing marijuana plants along with growing equipment from the quonset. The marijuana search concluded around 3:00am on March 3, 2005.
All but two Mounties left at that point, with the expectation that an RCMP team which specialised in stolen vehicle searches would arrive in the morning. Constables Anthony Gordon and Leo Johnston remained on the scene until the morning, with no signs of any trouble. As a security measure during the night, the Mounties had parked several marked police vehicles prominently in the farmyard with their lights on. They also left the vehicle doors and man-door of the quonset wide open, with bright halogen lights on inside. The lights were also left on in the dwelling. The purpose was to make it clear that the Mounties were on the scene and investigating, and to deter unauthorised entry.
Roszko's return.
After he fled the farm, Roszko phoned Shawn Hennessey, who worked in Barrhead and who subsequently admitted that he was associated with Roszko in the grow-op. Roszko wanted to hide his truck on Hennessey's property. Hennessey refused, but he contacted his brother-in-law, Dennis Cheeseman, for help in dealing with Roszko. Roszko went to Hennessey's farm. Hennessey and Cheeseman arrived there separately.
Roszko was armed with a Beretta hand-gun, and asked for a Winchester rifle that he knew that Hennessey had been given by Hennessey's grandfather. Hennessey got the rifle, chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum, along with ammunition. He wiped it down. Cheeseman got a pillow case and some gloves. He put on the gloves, then put the rifle in the pillowcase and gave it to Roszko. It was clear to all there that Roszko was enraged at the police. He said he was going to go back to his farm to burn down the quonset, with the evidence of the chop shop and grow op. He had decided to hide the truck at his aunt's home, and asked Hennessey and Cheeseman to follow him there, then drive him to his own farm. They agreed to do so. His aunt's house was 38.5 km from Roszko's own farm.
After parking his truck at his aunt's house, Roszko got into the car driven by Hennessey, who drove him back to the area of Roszko's farm. On the way, Roszko continued to rant about the RCMP, saying he would get even with them. Cheeseman later said Roszko's ranting was "devil talk".
Roszko directed them to drive past the road leading to his own farm and go on to the next one. They could see the lights of the police cars at Roszko's farm. Sometime between 1:00am and 3:00am on March 3, 2005, Hennessey and Cheeseman dropped Roszko off. He pulled heavy socks over his boots, presumably to hide his tracks in the snow. He grabbed the Hennessey rifle and set off towards his farm and the police.
As they were driving away, Cheeseman suggested to Hennessey that they call police. Hennessey disagreed, and no call was made.
Shooting.
On the morning of March 3, 2005, Constables Anthony Gordon and Leo Johnston were still providing scene security, pending the arrival of the RCMP Auto Theft investigators. In a telephone report at around 9:00am, Constable Johnston advised Corporal Martin that the night had been uneventful. Corporal Martin decided to send Constable Myrol to the scene to assist with the search by the Auto Theft investigators. Constable Schiemann was not assigned to work at the scene, but agreed to drop off Constable Myrol. They also agreed that they would pick up some meat and a veterinary sedative to feed and calm down the dogs, who had not been fed since they had been put in the shed the day before. The two drove to the Roszko farm, arriving sometime after 9:30am.
Just before 10:00am, Constable Garrett Hoogestraat and Constable Stephen Vigor of the RCMP Auto Theft investigation unit arrived. They saw the four Mayerthorpe Mounties at the shed, presumably feeding the meat and sedatives to the Rottweilers. As Hoogestraat and Vigor prepared for the search, the four Mayerthorpe Mounties went towards the quonset. The doors to the quonset were still open, as they had been all night.
Unknown to the Mounties, Roszko was inside the quonset. The subsequent Fatalities Inquiry could not determine when he had returned, but the judge conducting the inquiry concluded that it was unlikely Roszko had entered the quonset much before daylight as he was dressed to spend the night outdoors. He had probably approached the quonset hiding under a sheet which the Mounties later found in the quonset, along with a pillowcase and workgloves. The sheet would have masked him against the snow, and the socks over his boots would have muffled his steps.
The four Mayerthorpe Mounties entered the quonset. Outside the quonset, Constables Hoogestraat and Vigor heard two loud bangs, followed by several other sounds which they recognized as gunfire. They also heard screaming from within the quonset. Constable Hoogestraat ran to the radio to report "officers down". Constable Vigor started to the entrance of the quonset, when Roszko came out. He had a hunting rifle slung on his back, a pistol in his belt and a G3 semi-automatic rifle in his hands. He was just casually walking out, then saw Constable Vigor and stopped, apparently surprised that there were more Mounties outside. He quickly recovered and fired two shots at Constable Vigor, who took shelter behind a police vehicle and returned fire with two shots from his sidearm. Both of his shots hit Roszko, who staggered back into the quonset.
Constable Hoogestraat was unable to make radio contact with the officers in the quonset. The RCMP Emergency Response Team was called by 10:13am and arrived by 11:52am from Edmonton, which is normally an hour away from Mayerthorpe. An armoured vehicle from the Canadian Forces Edmonton Garrison was called in, but subsequently stood down as not needed. The Emergency Response Team sent in a Remote Mobile Investigator, a robot with a video camera attached, and determined that all four officers and Roszko were all dead.
The Fatalities Inquiry later determined that Roszko killed all four officers, who died almost instantly. Only Constable Johnston was able to return fire with one shot. Roszko then was wounded in the hand and in the thigh by the shots fired by Constable Vigor outside the quonset. The shot to his thigh fractured his femur. After he went back into the quonset, he turned his weapon on himself.
Victims.
The police officers killed in the Mayerthorpe tragedy are referred to as "The Fallen Four". Constables Johnston, Myrol and Schiemann were based out of the Mayerthorpe RCMP detachment while Constable Gordon was based out of Whitecourt RCMP detachment.
Anthony Gordon.
Constable Anthony Gordon, who was born in Edmonton, Alberta and raised in Red Deer, Alberta, became a police officer in October 2002. He was stationed in Whitecourt, west of Mayerthorpe, where he was assigned to general policing and highway patrol. Constable Gordon was 28 at the time of his death.
Leo Johnston.
Constable Lionide "Leo" Johnston became a member of the RCMP in 2001. From Owl River, Alberta, he began his career in nearby Lac La Biche, Alberta before being transferred to Mayerthorpe. Constable Johnston was 32 at the time of his death. He was married to his wife, Kelly, on Nov. 13, 2004.
Brock Myrol.
Constable Brock Myrol, who was born in Outlook, Saskatchewan and raised in Red Deer. He had just graduated from RCMP Academy, Depot Division and was an officer with the Mayerthorpe RCMP for less than three weeks at the time of the tragedy. Constable Myrol was 29 at the time of his death.
Peter Schiemann.
Constable Peter Schiemann became a member of the RCMP in 2000. From Petrolia, Ontario and raised in Stony Plain, Alberta, he began his career in Mayerthorpe and was assigned to general policing and highway patrol. Constable Schiemann was 25 at the time of his death.
Post-shooting investigation.
Roszko's movements.
The RCMP began an extensive investigation into the shooting, which lasted for two years. They spent more than $2-million investigating the tragedy, with over two hundred officers involved in the case between 2005 and 2007. At the time charges were laid in 2007, there were still forty Mounties working on it.
In particular, the Mounties wanted to find out how Roszko returned to his farm. His truck was found at his aunt's residence, 38.5 km from his own farm, suggesting he had received some assistance in returning.
Search of Roszko's property.
As part of the investigation, the RCMP conducted an extensive investigation of the Roszko property after the shootings, including manual searches and also searches by subsurface radar, x-ray, and airborne infrared methods. A backhoe was also used. These search techniques disproved local rumours that Roszko had major caches of drugs and weapons, or that there were tunnels which he had used to enter the quonset.
The search found a sheet, a pillowcase containing a pair of workgloves, a small bottle of water and a tin of bearspray in the northeast corner of the quonset. The Fatalities Inquiry concluded that Roszko had likely concealed himself at that spot for some time, but had actually been in the southeast corner of the quonset when he fired the shots. Subsequent DNA analysis found Hennessey's DNA on one of the workgloves.
Weapons.
The Mounties also found several weapons hidden in various spots in the quonset, including an empty gun bag that was the right size to hold the Heckler & Koch .308 semi-automatic rifle, and an empty Beretta pistol case. These two cases, along with a .22 rifle and a shotgun in another case, were all hidden on a ledge and under the plywood roof, accessible only by ladder. The Fatalities Inquiry surmised that the Heckler & Koch rifle had been hidden in this area and retrieved by Roszko after his return, since he did not have it when he was with Hennessey and Cheeseman. The Fatalities Inquiry also concluded that the initial clearing search and then the Green Team search would have been unlikely to have found these weapons. The Mounties also found three additional rifles, in a gun case hidden inside a seed-drill in the quonset: a Husqvarna .308 rifle and two Lee Enfield .303 rifles. There was also a rudimentary pipe bomb which would not have operated, a homemade silencing device, and various amounts of ammunition.
The Mounties investigated the sources for each of the guns. The Heckler & Koch semi-automatic had been legally purchased by a person in Mayerthorpe in the early 1980s, who likely sold it to Rozsko. After changes to firearms laws in 1995, the Heckler & Koch rifle was classified as a prohibited firearm. The pistol was a Beretta 92 FS, which was a restricted weapon. Roszko had purchased it in Utah in 1993 and apparently smuggled it into Canada. The .22 rifle and shotgun were legally imported into Canada and were not restricted weapons. The three rifles found hidden in the seed-drill all had been stolen from a location in Barrhead in 1997. Roszko had never had a firearm registered to him.
The Mounties also investigated the Winchester hunting rifle. It was registered to Shawn Hennessey's grandfather, John Hennessey. When asked how Roszko obtained the rifle, Shawn Hennessey said he had no idea, and that the rifle had been stolen four months before the shooting. Hennessey subsequently admitted that he and his mother had alerted his grandfather that Roszko had the rifle. John Hennessey admitted that he had told his daughter and grandson that they should all "story" to the police that the rifle had been stolen from the back of his welding truck.
Cell phone records.
A cell phone was found on Roszko's body. The police obtained warrants to track his usage of the phone. They found that he had begun to use the cell phone around the time he left his farm on March 2, 2005, continuing to do so until shortly before 1:00am on March 3, 2005.
Investigation into the cell phone usage showed that he had called his mother, who had called his aunt. Interviews with his mother and aunt revealed that he had been seeking permission to hide his truck on his aunt's property.
The cell phone records also showed that Roszko phoned Hennessey's place of employment in Barrhead, and then made several calls to a bag phone (a robust incarnation of cell phone) which Hennessey had by virtue of his employment. Roszko also made several calls to Hennessey's residence. When information about the cell phone calls became public a year later, in 2006, Hennessey tearfully denied to a reporter for the Globe and Mail that he knew anything about the events, or why Roszko was calling him.
Undercover investigation.
Media accounts revealed that the RCMP conducted an extensive undercover investigation in the two years after the shootings. It was later reported that it involved an undercover RCMP female officer posing as a potential love interest for Cheeseman, leading him to other undercover officers posing as gang members in a "Mr. Big" operation.
Charges against Hennessey and Cheeseman.
Murder charges.
On July 9, 2007, Hennessey (then 28 years old), and Cheeseman (then 23 years old), were charged as parties to the offences committed by James Roszko. In 2006, Hennessey had denied any links to the crime. Although neither man was at the crime scene when the shootings took place, under Canadian criminal law, anyone who is a party to the murder of a police officer acting in the course of their duties can be charged with first degree murder under the Criminal Code. In June, 2008, they were committed to stand trial on the murder charges after a preliminary inquiry in the Provincial Court of Alberta.
Manslaughter sentences.
On January 19, 2009, Hennessey and Cheeseman pled guilty to four counts of the lesser charge of manslaughter. On January 30, 2009, the Queen's Bench gave its decision on the sentences for the two men, which was based on an Agreed Statement of Facts, signed by Hennessey, Cheeseman, their lawyers and the Crown prosecutors. The Crown was seeking sentences in the range of ten to fifteen years, while the defence counsel argued the sentences should be in the range of three to five years.
In his decision, the Queen's Bench judge rejected the defence position and accepted the Crown position. He held that a fit sentence for Hennessey was fifteen years imprisonment, while a fit sentence for Cheeseman was twelve years. The Court gave them credit for their early guilty pleas and for time served awaiting trial, which reduced those initial estimates. He gave Hennesseey a sentence of 10 years plus 4 ½ months. He gave Cheeseman a sentence of 7 years plus 2 ½ months in jail.
Appeals.
Both men appealed their sentences to the Alberta Court of Appeal. On September 27, 2010, the Court unanimously dismissed Hennessey's appeal. The Court dismissed Cheeseman's appeal by a 2-1 majority, with the dissenting judge preferring to give a lower sentence in light of Cheeseman's lesser participation in the offence.
Hennessey and Cheeseman applied for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada in April and May 2011. The Supreme Court dismissed both applications on August 25, 2011.
Release.
Cheeseman was granted statutory release in 2013, after serving two-thirds of his sentence without incident. Hennessey was paroled in 2015.
Aftermath.
Memorials.
A memorial service for the slain officers was held in Edmonton on March 10, 2005, and televised nationally on the CBC. Prime Minister Paul Martin and Governor General Adrienne Clarkson both spoke at the service. In addition to family and dignitaries, nearly 10,000 police officers from Canada and the United States were in attendance.
On May 19, 2005, Queen Elizabeth II attended a ceremony in honour of the slain officers at the RCMP Academy, Depot Division, in Regina, Saskatchewan. She also met privately with relatives of the four slain Mounties in the RCMP Chapel at Depot Division. At the time of the killings, she had sent a letter to the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, expressing her shock and condolences.
The Fallen Four Memorial Society was founded to honour the slain policemen. The group initiated the building of the Fallen Four Memorial Park in Mayerthorpe, with a statue of each officer, which opened on July 4, 2008.
Also in 2008, a memorial in honour of the Fallen Four was unveiled in Whitecourt, Alberta, with a bench for each officer around a bronze statue of Constable Gordon's boots; Gordon was stationed at Whitecourt.
Media commentary.
The CBC program "the fifth estate" produced two documentaries about the killings. The first one, entitled "A Hail of Bullets", aired on December 7, 2005. The documentary suggested there were discrepancies in the RCMP account of the shooting. Following the 2009 guilty pleas and sentencing of Cheeseman and Hennessey, "the fifth estate" did a second documentary, entitled "Collateral Damage", which aired on February 4, 2009. It included an interview with Hennessey. He now denied some of the material in the Agreed Statement of Facts which had been used in the sentencing hearing in Queen's Bench five days earlier. In the interview, Hennessey said that he did not know about the police search of Roszko's property, and that he had no idea Roszko had intended to attack the Mounties.
Alberta Fatalities Inquiry.
The Minister of Justice convened a fatality inquiry into the deaths at Mayerthorpe under the "Fatality Inquiries Act" of Alberta, before Assistant Chief Judge Daniel R. Pahl. The inquiry began on January 11, 2011, in Stony Plain Provincial Court. The lengthy period between the killings and the inquiry was because the "Fatality Inquiries Act" provides that inquiries are to be stayed pending determination of criminal charges in relation to the deaths.
The inquiry produced a 26-page report, concluding that the deaths of the four officers were homicides and the death of Roszko was a suicide. The report provides a detailed factual account of the killings, and also made eight recommendations to prevent a similar event from occurring in the future.
Upgrade to RCMP weapons.
On October 21, 2011, the Commissioner of the RCMP, William J. S. Elliott, announced that the RCMP officers would have a new weapon at their disposition, the C8 Rifle. One of the main conclusions from the Fatality Inquiry that led to this result was the fact that the officers who were involved in the events did not have the appropriate weapon to face someone with a semi-automatic rifle, as stated in the Fatalities Inquiry.
In popular culture.
Corb Lund referenced this tragedy in a verse of the title track to his album "Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!"
KO referenced the tragedy in his song "The Ballad Of Jimmy Roscoe".
On February 10, 2008, CTV aired a feature-length made-for-TV movie called "Mayerthorpe".


USRC Dexter

USRC "Dexter" was the name of more than one ship of the United States Revenue Cutter Service, and may refer to:
See also


Selwyn Egerton Sangster

Selwyn Egerton Sangster, known as Canuck, was a Canadian outdoorsman and writer. He lived from 1883 to 1966. He was a member of the North-West Mounted Police, and for years attached to the Canadian Indian Service. Sangster founded a hunting and fishing outfitting organisation in the[Height of Land region of Northern Canada.
Sangster wrote for outdoor magazines such as "Hunter-Trader-Trapper".


Bolivarian Militia of Venezuela

The Bolivarian Militia of Venezuela, is a militia branch of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela. Its headquarters is at the National Military Museum, Fort Montana, Caracas. The Commanding General of the National Militia is Major General Carlos Augusto Leal Tellería, Venezuelan Army, as of March 2018. The National Militia celebrates its anniversary every April 13 yearly.
Mission.
According to the Article 46 of the organic law establishing the Militia, its functions are:
Organization.
The General Command of the National Militia is divided in three branches of its own plus a third branch divided into the two:
Today the General Command of the National Militia is organized on the basis of nine Reserve brigades, present throughout the national territory, dozen Special Resistance Corps (grouped around workers contingents of state and private sector enterprises and national institutions at all levels) plus the territorial national service militia commands mentioned, and even a newly created national guards brigade, and in the future, armor and aviation units. It is an autonomous and auxiliary force for the Armed Forces' service branches, with its own chain of command and service arms, reporting directly to the President, the Minister of Defense and the Operational Strategic Command. It can be estimated at the present time about 400,000 men and women are on various training levels, but the target of its authorities is to reach 1,100,000 part-time servicemen and women in the coming years. Today more than 160,000 men and women serve actively in the militia, with plans to have a half-a-million-strong active force of reserve national servicemen and women in 2015.
Following the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis and its subsequent protests, President Maduro announced the expansion of the militia to include 500,000 personnel, stating that the government would purchase a new rifle for each militiaman, with plans to increase its personnel numbers to about over a million active service personnel plus an undetermined number of reserves.
The next year in December 2018, Maduro claimed that the militia grew by 1.6 million members, he also said during a speech that he would extensively arm the militia.
Controversy.
The National Boliviarian Militia has been described as a "political army" created by Hugo Chávez that has hundreds of thousands of members in service, including military reservists and employees of state and public enterprises at all levels. The militia is "under the direct command of the president" as the Commander in Chief of the National Armed Forces (through the authority of the Defense Minister and the Commandant of the Operational Strategic Command) and "are trained to defend the (Bolivarian) revolution of internal and external enemies". It has been alleged by "El Mundo" that the militia has sometimes used "violence to silence dissent or journalists who do not bow to the discourse of the regime".


Air Base Ground Defense

Air Base Ground Defense (ABGD) is the operational term used by the United States Air Force to denote ground combat operations in defense of U.S. Air Force bases. This specialty is filled by members of the Air Force Security Forces, who serve not only as Police/Law Enforcement officers, but also as ground combat troops in defense of U.S. air bases around the world. In this capacity, their duties are similar to those performed by the RAF Regiment and Royal Air Force Police of the United Kingdom, namely, to conduct ground combat operations as highly trained infantry troops, law enforcement and security in defense of U.S. air bases. Camp Bullis in Texas is where all levels of Air Base Ground Defense (ABGD) are instructed, the course ranges in length from 4–6 weeks. In these weeks of training Air Force Security Forces are taught to operate the following weapons: M-4 Carbine, M-9, M-203, M-240B, M-249 (SAW), MK-19, M67 (hand grenade), M18A1 (Claymore mine), and the M-72 (LAW rocket), M-60 as well as other base defense weapons and tools. In 1966-1969 sentry dog teams used the smith & wesen combat masterpiece in 38 caliber.
Under the Interservice Agreement between the United States Air Force and the United States Army, the U.S. Air Force is responsible for ground combat operations to defend U.S. air bases. Air Force Security Forces fulfill this mission, and, as such, are trained in the whole range of infantry tactics, to include patrolling, close quarters battle, defense in depth, crew-served weapons, and other ground combat tactics.
In the United States Marine Corps the role of ABGD primarily rests with the Low Altitude Air Defense Battalions and Marine Wing Support Squadrons.


Group of Twelve (Nicaragua)

El Grupo de los Doce, or Group of Twelve, were a dozen members of the Nicaraguan establishment whose support for the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) against President Anastasio Somoza Debayle played a pivotal role in the acceptance of the Sandinistas by foreign and domestic opinion.
During the 1970s, debates over strategy split the FSLN, with the Terceristas advocating alliances with the middle and upper class against Somoza. They approached twelve figures from Nicaragua's establishment class, some already secretly Sandinistas, to sign a communiqué in support of the FSLN. On October 18, 1977, following a Tercerista offensive, they issued a manifesto from Costa Rica urging that the Sandinistas must be included in any political process. Their support lent respectability to the Sandinista cause and helped convince many that the rebels were no longer doctrinaire communists.
As Nicaragua moved into crisis following the assassination of Pedro Joaquín Chamorro Cardenal, the Carter administration pressured Somoza to allow the return of Los Doce. Upon their return on July 5, 1978, tens of thousands lined the streets to welcome them. Members would participate in the Broad Opposition Front (FAO) with other internal opponents of Somoza.
The twelve comprised:


USCGC Seneca

USCGC "Seneca" may refer to one of the following United States Coast Guard cutters:


USCGC Escanaba (WHEC-64)

USCGC "Escanaba" (WHEC-64) was an high endurance cutter built for World War II service with the United States Coast Guard. The war ended before the ship was completed and consequently she never saw wartime service.
"Escanaba" was built by Western Pipe & Steel at the company's San Pedro shipyard. Named after Escanaba A city in Upper Michigan ,and the first Escanaba- wpg class-77 . She was commissioned as a patrol gunboat with ID number WPG-64 on 20 March 1946. Her ID was later changed to WHEC-64 (HEC for "High Endurance Cutter" - the "W" signifies a Coast Guard vessel).
Operational service.
"Escanaba" was originally named "Otsego" after Otsego Lake in the state of New York. It was renamed in honor of the first Escanaba- wpg class-77 which was sunk during the Second World War. That cutter and a third still in service, were named for the city of Escanaba in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
She was home ported at Alameda, California, from 1946 to 1954, and used for law enforcement, ocean station, and search and rescue operations in the Pacific. She was decommissioned and placed in storage from 1954 to 1957. From 1957 to 28 June 1973, she was stationed at New Bedford, Massachusetts, and used for law enforcement, ocean station, and search and rescue operations in the Atlantic.
In late November 1965, she assisted the US MV's "American Pilot" and "Maumee Sun" following their collision west of Cape Cod Canal. On 11 January 1966, she rescued two survivors from after that ship sank in heavy seas with the loss of 32 lives. On 5 February 1967, she rescued two Cuban refugees from Elbow Cay. In January 1969, she was disabled 100 miles east of Virginia Beach, Virginia, when the aft bearing on the main motor burned out. She arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, on 20 January. From 28 December 1969 to 2 January 1970, she escorted the distressed East German MV "Ange" to Bermuda.
On 13 January 1970, she stood by the Norwegian MV "Chandeleur" in the mid-Atlantic until fire damage was repaired. Two days later, she escorted the distressed Norwegian MV "Condo" until "Condo" could proceed on her own. On 25 March 1970, she medevaced a crewman from the Korean MV "Kumsong" in the mid-Atlantic.
On 27 December 1970, "Escanaba" rescued 31 crewmembers from the rear section of the 540 feet Finnish tanker "Ragny" that had broken in two parts in a heavy mid-winter storm on 26 December about 600 miles South-East of Cape May. The six men that were stranded on the bow section, as well as one seaman of SS "Platte" who disappeared during an attempted rescue of "Ragny"'s crew, perished in the accident. "Escanab"a crew was awarded the Coast Guard Unit Commendation and the Finnish Lifesaving Medal for the rescue.
"Escanaba" was decommissioned on 28 June 1974 and scrapped.


USS Adrian

The wooden-hulled excursion steamer Westport was built in 1911 by William McKie of East Boston, MA., and owned by the Eastern Steamship Lines, Inc., of Boston India Wharf at the start of World War I. The Navy inspected the ship in the 1st Naval District on 1 February 1918 for possible use as a passenger and freight carrier, and she was taken over on 14 November 1918. Five days later, her name was changed to Adrian-to avoid confusion with the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS) freighter Westport (Id. No. 3548) - and, given the classification Id. No. 2362, was initially assigned to the 1st Naval District.
However, the 5th Naval District's pressing need for a "hospital and ambulance boat" soon resulted in orders sending the ship to Norfolk, VA., ". . . for the purpose of furnishing treatment to personnel on vessels not otherwise provided for and for transporting cases to a hospital from vessels in Hampton Roads. " The services which Adrian could provide could be obtained by calling the 5th Naval District's Medical Aide during the day, and the district duty officer outside normal working hours.
Such prosaic duties were not without the threat of accidents. On the evening of 2 May 1919—while Adrian was making a trip from the Naval Hospital at Portsmouth, VA., to the Naval Operating Base, Norfolk—she blew a tube in her boiler. When it burst, live coals and escaping steam severely burned a sailor of her "black gang." A Navy tug took Adrian in tow, and the injured man was soon taken ashore at Portsmouth for treatment.
On 2 September, word came for Adrian to proceed via the "inside route" to the naval station at Boston, Mass., and report to the Commandant of the 1st Naval District. She was decommissioned there on 19 September 1919 and returned to her owner 10 days later.


Sri Lanka Air Force

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) (; ) is the air arm and the youngest of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces. It was founded in 1951 as the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF) with the assistance of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The SLAF played a major role throughout the Sri Lankan Civil War. The SLAF operates more than 160 aircraft and has a projected trained strength of 27,400 airmen and 1,300 officers, who are from both regular and reserve service. The Sri Lanka Air Force has expanded to specialise mainly in providing air-support to ground forces, troop landing, and carrying out airstrikes on rebel-held areas in the Northern and Eastern theatres, but is also capable of high- and low-level air defence.
The Commander of the Air Force is the professional head of the Sri Lanka Air Force.
Mission statement.
The mission statement of the Sri Lanka Air Force is
The Vision of the Sri Lanka Air Force is
History.
Although Ceylonese had served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the government of Ceylon adopted the No. 102 Squadron RAF, no air units were formed as part of the Ceylon Defence Force. The newly established Dominion of Ceylon, under its first Prime Minister, D. S. Senanayake began establishing its armed forces. The need for an air force was identified in its defence policy and the Air Force Act was passed in parliament in 1951 in order to establish an air force for the new nation.
Royal Ceylon Air Force.
As such the "Royal Ceylon Air Force" (RCyAF) was formed on 2 March 1951 with RAF officers and other personnel seconded to the RCyAF. Ceylonese were recruited to the new RCyAF and several Ceylonese who had served with the RAF during World War II were absorbed in the force. Initial objective was to train local pilots and ground crew, early administration and training was carried out by exclusively by RAF officers and other personnel on secondment. The first aircraft of the RCyAF were de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunks used as basic trainers to train the first batches of pilots locally while several cadets were sent to Royal Air Force College Cranwell. These were followed by Boulton Paul Balliol T.Mk.2s and Airspeed Oxford Mk.1s for advanced training of pilots and aircrew along with de Havilland Doves and de Havilland Herons for transport use, all provided by the British. By 1955 the RCyAF was operating two flying squadrons based at RAF Negombo. The first helicopter type to be added to the service was the Westland Dragonfly.
Following Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike's negotiated the closure of British air and naval bases in Ceylon in 1956, the RCyAF took over the former RAF stations; Katunayake and China Bay, becoming RCyAF operational stations while ancillary functions were carried out at Diyatalawa and Ekala. The RAF headquarters, Air HQ Ceylon, was disbanded on 1 November 1957. However RAF officers remained with the RCyAF till 1962.
In 1959 de Havilland Vampire jet aircraft were acquired. However, the RCyAF did not put them into operational use and soon replaced them with five Hunting Jet Provosts obtained from the British, which were formed into the Jet Squadron. These were supplemented in the 1960s with various other aircraft, most notably American Bell JetRanger helicopters and a Hindustan HUL-26 Pushpak given by India. The force had grown gradually during its early years, reaching a little over 1,000 officers and recruits in the 1960s. By 1970 the Provosts were in storage.
1971 Insurrection.
The Royal Ceylon Air Force first went into combat in 1971 when the Marxist JVP launched an island-wide insurrection on April 5. The Ceylon Armed Forces were caught off guard; police stations island-wide and the RCyAF base at Ekala were attacked in the initial wave. Responding rapidly the RCyAF deployed its limited aircraft, at first to resupply besieged police stations and military outposts and patrol around major cities. The Jet Provosts were taken out of storage and put into service within three days, carrying out attacks on insurgents. During this insurgency the left-leaning Bandaranaike government turned to the Soviet Union for more sophisticated weaponry, and received five Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F fighter bombers and a MiG-15 UTI trainer, as well as two Kamov Ka-26 helicopters meant for search and rescue and casualty evacuation. The RAF's heavy transports also flew in six Bell 47G helicopters purchased from the United States, which were put into combat as soon as possible after only five days of pilot training. Air Force personnel joined in ground operations, and when the insurgents surrendered after about a month's fighting the RCyAF was in charge of three of the many rehabilitation camps setup for insurgents.
Sri Lanka Air Force.
With Ceylon becoming a republic in 1972, the Royal Ceylon Air Force changed its name to the Sri Lanka Air Force long with all insignia. Because of a shortage of funds for military expenditure in the wake of the 1971 insurrection, the No. 4 Helicopter Squadron began operating commercial transport services for foreign tourists under the name of Helitours. On March 31, 1976 the SLAF was awarded the President's Colour. That same year SLAF detachments, which later became SLAF stations, were established at Wirawila, Vavuniya and Minneriya.
With the closure of Air Ceylon in 1978, its Hawker Siddeley HS 748 transport aircraft was taken over by the SLAF. By the early 1980s the Provosts and all of the Soviet aircraft had been taken out of active service and placed in long-term storage, leaving the air force without any fighter/bomber capability.
Sri Lankan Civil War.
Rapid growth began in the mid-1980s, when the Sri Lankan Civil War against Tamil separatists drew the service into a major, long-term security role. In 1982 the SLAF reactivated airfields at Batticaloa, Anuradhapura, Koggala and Sigiriya that had been disused since World War II, all later becoming SLAF Stations. During the First Eelam War between 1983 and 1987, the force grew by nearly 50 percent. In 1987 the air force had a total strength of 3,700 personnel, including active reserves.
As in the other services, a shortage of spare parts plagued maintenance efforts, forcing the service to send a number of aircraft to Singapore and elsewhere for repairs. After the purchase of equipment from Canada in 1986, the air force gained the capability to make structural repairs on its fleet of Bell helicopters, several of which had been damaged in operations against the Tamil separatists. Maintenance of electronic equipment was performed at the communications station at Ekala, in the north of Colombo District.
After the 1983 riots, the government worked rapidly to expand the SLAF inventory, relying largely on sources in Italy, Britain, and the United States. Because of tight budget constraints, the SLAF was compelled to refit a number of non-combat aircraft for military uses in counter-terrorism operations against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorists. From the period 1983 to 1985, the Air Force acquired 11 Bell 212 helicopters, four Bell 412 helicopters, three SIAI Marchetti SF.260s, two Cessna 337s, one Hawker Siddeley HS 748 and two Beechcraft Super King Airs. By 1985, nine more Bell 212s were added to the fleet, along with four Bell 412s. The 412s along with the SIAI Marchetti SF.260 aircraft advanced the attack capabilities of the SLAF. Central in the government's security efforts were six SIAI Marchetti SF.260TP turboprops which were used for rocket attacks and strafing. Additionally, the air force, with the help of Heli Orient of Singapore, equipped twelve Bell 212 and Bell 412 helicopters to serve as gunships and as transport vehicles for highly successful commando assault operations. The air force had a fleet of approximately eighty aircraft, of which sixty-four were reported to be operational in early 1988.
Government forces reportedly also used helicopters on bombing missions. A more effective bombing capability was provided by a small fleet of Chinese Harbin Y-12 turboprop transport aircraft. These were equipped with bomb racks that had been fitted to carry up to 1,000 kilograms of fragmentation and anti-personnel bombs. Transport, training, and surveying functions were carried out by a variety of Cessna and de Havilland aircraft. In 1987 during the Vadamarachchi Operation the air force mustered one HS 748, two Y-12s and one de Havilland Heron, all configured as improvised bombers. In 1987 the air force acquired Shaanxi Y-8s and would later use them for bombing, until 1992 when one Y-8 crashed during a bombing mission, when all bombing using transport aircraft were stopped.
On 3 September 1987 a Women's Wing was formed and located in Colombo. The first CO was Air Cdre D.S.G. Vithana. The Women's Wing was set up to maintain and update all records pertaining to female officers and airwomen, prepare promotional schedules, annual assessments, issue identity cards, etc.
To increase its attack capability, in 1991 the SLAF acquired four F-7 Skybolts, three FT-7s and two Shenyang J-5s from China. Later in 1993 the first of three Mil Mi-17 helicopter transports were acquired along with four FMA IA 58 Pucarás for ground attack. These proved to be effective, but three of the Pucarás were lost, two to surface-to-air missiles launched by the LTTE. The sole remaining Pucará was retired in 1999 due to lack of spare parts. In 1995 Mil Mi-24 gunships were acquired for close air support for the army and by 2001 Mil Mi-35s were added to the fleet.
In 1996 the SLAF acquired seven IAI Kfirs (six C.2s and one TC.2) from Israel and a further nine of these aircraft had been added to the inventory by 2005. This included four C.2s and four C.7s in 2001. Currently the SLAF operates two C.7s, eight C.2s and two TC.2s. The SLAF used these Kfirs to launch attacks against Tamil separatist targets in rebel-controlled areas of the island.
In 2000 new aircraft were acquired; apart from the addition of Kfir C.7s and Mi-35s, these included six Mikoyan MiG-27 dedicated ground attack aircraft (obtained due to lack of specialised ground attack aircraft since the retirement of the Pucarás), a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23UB trainer and two Lockheed C-130 Hercules for heavy transport. Six K-8 Karakorum trainers were soon bought from China, creating No. 14 Squadron to train pilots for the newly expanded fleet of jets.
On 24 July 2001, thirteen aircraft including two Kfir jet fighters, one Mi-24 helicopter gunship and one MiG-27 jet fighter, were destroyed in the pre-dawn attack by the LTTE on SLAF Katunayake air base, part of Bandaranaike International Airport about 35 km north of Colombo. Three military training aircraft and five civilian jets were also among the destroyed aircraft. Many of these aircraft were later replaced. Sri Lanka's international airport has remained on alert for a repeat of the 2001 attack, with severe restrictions on the number of people allowed into the terminal buildings. Huge walls were built around the terminals and the control towers to prevent impact from car bomb attacks, and many sentries were placed along the approach roads to the facility. All airports including the international airport are heavily guarded by members of the SLAF Regiment. In 2006 four MiG-27s were bought from Ukraine to replace two lost in crashes and the one lost in the attack on the airport.
Since the start of the civil war the SLAF used its combat aircraft in a ground-attack role to attack LTTE targets in the then LTTE-controlled areas in the northern and eastern parts of the island. Following confirmation that the LTTE was using several light weight aircraft in 2006, the SLAF expanded its air defence capabilities which had been neglected for years. Extensive air defence radar network was established and ground-based air defence strengthened. Airborne interception of the LTTE light aircraft were developed using both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft until dedicated interceptors were acquired.
During the 2007–2009 the LTTE launched several attacks using light aircraft on Colombo, SLAF Katunayake and several other locations with superficial damage. In the early hours of October 22, 2007 a ground attack by the LTTE on SLAF Anuradhapura at Saliyapura, which was supported briefly by its air wing, resulted in the destruction of eight aircraft with several others damaged. The attack only affected the SLAF's training element. Early in 2008 the air force received six F-7Gs, these are primarily used as interceptors and are attached to No.5 Jet Squadron.
In October 2008 the air force claimed its first air-to-air kill, when it reported that one of its Chengdu F-7G interceptors shot down a Zlín Z 43 of the LTTE air wing when it attempted to attack a military base in Vavuniya. In the last stages of the civil war the SLAF flew its highest number of sorties providing close air support of ground and naval forces and carried out pinpoint bombing on identified targets. It moved many of its units including fighter jets to forward air bases to increase the number of sorties.
Post war.
Following the end of the civil war the number of sorties flown were reduced. The air force began utilising its fix wing and rotary wing transport aircraft for civilian transport by reforming the civilian domestic airline Helitours. It also began undertaking international flights and deployments as part of humanitarian and UN peacekeeping operation.
In 2014, the SLAF deployed a contingent of three Mi-17 helicopters with support personnel and equipment designated No. 62 Helicopter Flight to the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad consisting of 122 personal. This was followed by second contingent three Mi-17 helicopters and 81 personal to United Nations Mission in South Sudan.
In December 2014, SLAF C-130 of the No. 2 Heavy Transport Squadron flew a special humanitarian operation transporting essential spares and accessories for repair of the desalination facility in Male from Singapore. The breakdown of the desalination facility resulted in a desperate shortage of drinking water in Male and the equipment for repair could not be flown in commercial flights, resulting in the Maldivian government requesting aid from the government of Sri Lanka. In April 2015, following the earthquake in Nepal the Sri Lankan government responded by deploying relief contingents from the armed services including teams from the air force. These teams were airlifted to Nepal by a SLAF C-130 of the No. 2 Heavy Transport Squadron, which was followed by other flights carrying in aid supplies. This was the first time a SLAF aircraft has been deployed on a rescue mission to a foreign country. This was followed by another humanitarian flight to Pakistan following earthquakes. In 2016, SLAF C-130 Hercules carried out resupply missions to its detachments based in Central African Republic and South Sudan.
In the years that followed the war, the SLAF began a program of upgrading its air fleet and looking for replacements for ageing aircraft. In 2011, two Xian MA60 passenger transport aircraft were purchased for the air force operated Helitours and two more Bell 412 have been purchased in addition to the eight already in service. In addition 14 Mi-171 helicopters are to be purchased from Russia. That same year it grounded its Kfir of the No. 10 Fighter Squadron following a mid-air collision that resulted in the loss of two Kfirs. On 13 February 2012, one MiG-27 crashed while on a training mission, the pilot ejected. On 12 December 2014, an Antonov An-32 of the No. 2 Heavy Transport Squadron crashed whilst on a routine flight.
By 2009 SLAF operated three FT-7, three F-7BS, six F-7G, two Kfir TC.2s, two Kfir C.7s, eight Kfir C.2s, seven MiG-27s and one MiG-23UB trainer. By 2017 the Migs and Kfirs have been withdrawn as only one Kfir out of seven still available (fifteen were originally procured) was serviceable and the seven surviving Mig23/27 aircraft were not operational. Two J7GS were recently seen to be operational during the 66th Anniversary of the Sri Lankan Air Force in March 2017. A single J7GS and J7BS were recently overhauled in China, and CATIC and the air force additionally overhauled an FT7 and another J7GS at the recently opened SLAF overhaul facility. The aircraft overhaul wing was opened as part of a joint venture between the air force and CATIC with a plan to overhaul all F7 aircraft in service. In 2017, the air force was deployed in force to assist civilian authorities during the 2017 Sri Lanka floods. To carryout search and rescue operations the air force deployed seven Mi-17 helicopters, three Bell-212 helicopters and one Bell-412 helicopters. During the relief operations one of the air force's Mi-17 crashed landed without any casualties. In December 2017, Janes reported that the Sri Lankan government was in talks with IAI for the upgrade and return to service of five of the grounded Kfir aircraft. Meanwhile, a single Kfir C2 and a single Kfir C7 have been preserved for display. In 2018 May, six brand-new PT-6 training aircraft were accepted by the SLAF from AVIC Hongdu in Nanchang, China. These aircraft will be utilised by the No 1 Flight Training Wing at the SLAF Academy. One of these aircraft were lost in a crash in December 2020 in which the trainee pilot was killed.
In 2021, the SLAF initiated a program for the overhaul and service life extension of several of its aging air frames. This include in five Kfirs fighters, two C-130 transports, three Antonov-32 transports, three Mi-17 heavy transport helicopters and its remaining Mi-35 attack helicopters.
Major combat operations.
The Air Force has supported the Sri Lanka Army in all major operations undertaken by them;
Organisation.
Air Force Headquarters.
The professional head of the air force is the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana who reports directly to the Minister of Defence. The Commander of the Air Force exercises operational and administrative control of the air force from Air Force Headquarters, SLAF Colombo.
The "Board of Directors" numbers 13;
Commands.
Zonal Commands.
The air force has four commands known as zonal commands, each under the control of an air officer for command and administrative control. The zonal commands control all flying squadrons, aircraft and air defences; zonal Commanders are responsible for air and ground operations that have been decided upon by the Directorate of Operations at Air Force HQ.
Air Defence Command.
The Sri Lanka Air Defence Command, based at SLAF Katunayake, is the SLAF command responsible for co-ordination of air and ground units to maintain integrated national air defence. National Air Defence System's main radar station situated at the Pidurutalagala tallest mountain in Sri Lanka, at 2,524 m (8,281 ft). The No. 3 Air Defence Radar Squadron uses four INDRA Mk-II 2D radar systems provided by India, Chinese JY-11 low/medium altitude 3D surveillance radars and CETC YLC-18 3D radars.
Land-based air defence.
The land-based air defence is role of the No. 32 Land Based Air Defence Wing which operates 54 9K38 Igla man-portable surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems provided by India in 2007, L40 40 mm AA guns, ZSU-23-2 twin 23 mm AA guns and TCM-20 twin 20 mm AA guns.
Future equipment.
2009 - With the end of the civil war, the SLAF changed its priorities and set a long-term goal of modernizing its aircraft and developing its air defense capability.
2013 - There have been claims that SLAF was looking for a replacement for its Kfirs and MiG-27s. Pakistan offered the PAC JF-17 Thunder aircraft to several countries including Sri Lanka.
2016 - The Sri Lankan Government gave the green light to a programme to procure multirole combat aircraft. The programme, featuring the acquisition of between 8–12 aircraft, were to be pursued through a government-government basic agreement. In December, then Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe said Sri Lanka received offers from China, India, Sweden and Russia and they were in progress to take final decision.
2021 - It was decided to overhaul Kfirs instead of buying new aircraft which would cost around $40 million per unit compared to $49 million for overhauling the five kfirs. The upgraded jets will be in service for 15 years before being replaced.
2018 - The SLAF also hopes to expand its maritime patrols with long-range aircraft suited for the purpose and is looking at procurement of a dedicated maritime patrol aircraft, with attention given the possibility of acquiring the Lockheed P-3 Orion with assistance from Japan.
2019 - In April it was reported that India was considering transferring a single Dornier 228 reconnaissance aircraft.
2020 - The SLAF developed its own R&D program to develop UAVs with Lihiniya MK I and Lihiniya MK II to train and use as medium range tactical UAV System for the national defense requirements. Project started in 2011 with the Centre for Research and Development (CRD).
2018 - The SLAF has been considering increasing its fleet of transport helicopters with new purchases of 10–14 Mi-171SH, 2 Bell 412s and 2 Bell 206s. These are intended for flight training, VIP transport and overseas deployments for UN peace keeping operations.
2021 - SLAF announced plans to purchase two Harbin Y-12 aircraft from China.
Current deployments.
As of present, most of the Sri Lankan Air Force is deployed for domestic defensive operations, while a limited foreign deployment is maintained.
Training.
Under the guidance of the British Royal Air Force, flight training was first offered to Royal Ceylon Air Force pilots at RAF Station Negombo, a RAF airfield at Katunayake, in 1952. In addition, a number of cadet officers received flight training at the Royal Air Force College in Cranwell, in Lincolnshire, England. After the British withdrew from their military facilities in Veylong in 1967, No. 1 Squadron (Flight Training School) was established at SLAF China Bay in Trincomalee. With the increase in Tamil separatist activities in the mid-1980s, the air force stepped up its training activities, bringing in foreign pilots to assist in the helicopter training program.
General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) formed in 1981 and situated in Ratmalana, fourteen kilometres south of Colombo, is Sri Lanka's only university specialising in defence studies. Each year, approximately fifty cadets from all three services are admitted to the university (aged 18–22) to participate in a three-year program of academic work and basic training.
Senior officers of the ranks of Squadron Leader and Wing Commander follow the Command and Staff Course at the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) at Batalanda, Makola which was established in 1997 as the Army Command and Staff College or at the SLAF Junior Command & Staff College at SLAF China Bay in Trincomalee. In addition KDU conducts Masters Of Science (Defence Studies) degree for the officers of air force. The air force continuous to send its senior officers for overseas training, specially for defense college.
Basic officer training is carried out at the Air Force Academy at SLAF China Bay in Trincomalee. The academy offers a two-year program of basic flight training and a variety of specialised courses. Pilot training was carried out at SLAF Anuradhapura by No. 1 Flying Training Wing using Cessna 150s for basic training and Nanchang CJ-6 (PT-6) aircraft for intermediate training. This has since been moved to SLAF China Bay. Advanced jet training is carried out by No. 14 Squadron in K-8 Karakorums also based at SLAF China Bay. Specialised training for different types of aircraft is carried out by the respective Squadrons; this includes F-7 Skybolt, Kfir TC.2 and MiG-23UB aircraft used for this purpose by No. 5 Jet Squadron, No. 10 Fighter Squadron and No. 12 Squadron respectively at SLAF Katunayake. For training of transport pilots, Harbin Y-12s of No. 8 Light Transport Squadron are used; Bell 206s are used for helicopter training.
Initial Ground Combat Training for both officers and other ranks of both regular and volunteer forces, are carried out separately at SLAF Diyatalawa in the garrison town of Diyatalawa, it also conducts advanced training for SLAF regiment officer cadets. Following training at SLAF Diyatalawa, general duties (pilot) branch officer cadets are sent to the Air Force Academy for flight training, and airmen and airwomen are sent to Advanced and Specialised Trade Training School for specialised training in different trades. Air traffic controllers receive schooling at special facilities in Colombo as well as officer cadets from other branches. In addition, approximately twenty-five officers a year receive advanced training abroad, most commonly in Britain, Indian Air Force and, in recent years, at the United States Air Force Academy.
SLAF Regiment.
The Sri Lanka Air Force Regiment is a ground combat corps within the Sri Lanka Air Force, responsible for capturing and defending airfields and associated installations. Effectively, its members are the SLAF's soldiers. SLAF Regiment is responsible for protecting all its airfields and installations using infantry and light armoured units. Ground-based air defence of vital military and civil installations is carried out by this Regiment.
SLAF Regiment Special Force.
Regiment Special Force is an elite Special Forces unit of the Sri Lanka Air Force, part of the SLAF Regiment. It provides highly effective land-based defence and beyond-forward-defence-line assault capabilities.
SLAF Special Air Borne Force.
The Special Airborne Force (SABF) is an elite Airborne forces unit of the Sri Lanka Air Force, part of the SLAF Regiment. It provides highly effective air assault capabilities and VVIP protection. Formed out of the Administrative Regiment Branch in 1989 by Air Vice Marshal Oliver Ranasinghe, it initially under took counter insurgency operations during the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection and thereafter in the Sri Lankan Civil War for VIP protection under the Chief Provost Marshal, until it was transferred under the command of Directorate Of Ground Operations.
Air Force Police.
Air Force Police (AFP) is responsible for maintaining discipline and enforcement of law and order within the SLAF and its establishments. Members of the AFP are distinguished by their white-topped caps and red 'AFP' flashes on the sleeve of their uniforms.
Helitours.
The Sri Lanka Air Force has launched domestic flight routes to provide a service to the people travelling to Jaffna in the north, Trincomalee in the north east, and to Seegiriya. As the SLAF is not a commercial organisation this aviation service was mainly built up as a non-profit public service. Helitours has been in operation since 1983 but due to the civil war operations were restricted. The SLAF is once again launching frequent flights and besides Helitours, it is also operating charter flights to give the people a further choice and reliable service.
Currently Harbin Y-12 fixed-wing aircraft are being used for passenger transportation. An Antonov An-32 will also be in operation in the near future to provide more capacity along with six Xian MA60s. All the charter flights are commenced from Ratmalana Air Force Base.
Air Force museum.
The Sri Lanka Air Force museum is the only national museum dedicated entirely to aviation and the history of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The museum was first established in 1993 as the Aircraft Preservation and Storage Unit at SLAF Ratmalana and was reopened on 5 November 2009 after refurbishment. The museum exhibits historic aircraft, vehicles, uniforms and weapons. The museum consists of the main hangar, outdoor exhibits and hangar numbers 1, 2 and 3.
Personnel.
Parama Weera Vibhushanaya recipients.
The Parama Weera Vibhushanaya is the highest award for valour awarded in the Sri Lankan armed forces. Air Force recipients include;
Notable fallen members.
Over 23,790 Sri Lankan armed forces personnel were killed since beginning of the civil war in 1981 to its end in 2009, this includes air officers killed in active duty. 659 service personnel were killed due to the second JVP insurrection from 1987 to 1990. 53 service personnel were killed and 323 were wounded in the first JVP insurrection from 1971 to 1972. Notable fallen members includes;
Women in the Sri Lanka Air Force.
The first female officers to join the air force were in 1972, to the Volunteer Air Force, today women are recruited to both the regular and volunteer forces as both officers and airwomen to the SLAF Women's Wing. As of 16 November 2020, two Lady Officers were commissioned in the General Duties Pilot Branch and they can also join any other branch, including the SLAF Regiment and the Air Force Police.


Altay Tokat

Altay Tokat (born 1940) is a retired Turkish general. He served in south-eastern Turkey (OHAL) in the mid-1990s in the Turkish-Kurdish conflict, and led Operation Hammer (1997) into northern Iraq against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). He retired in 1999. After his retirement he joined the Nationalist Movement Party, and served on its Central Executive Board.
In 2006 Tokat made remarks in an interview with "Yeni Aktüel" about ordering grenades to be thrown near the homes of public servants who had moved to the region from western Turkey, in order to "acquaint them with the realities of the region". No-one was hurt or injured in the attacks. He compared his actions to the 2005 Şemdinli incident then under litigation, in which one person died, saying "They were unskillful and inept in Şemdinli". The remarks led to an investigation, and he was put on trial for "attempting to erode the feeling of trust for commanders and making statements without authorization". The military court dropped the charges in October 2006 when it concluded it did not have the appropriate jurisdiction, and that the matter belonged in a civilian court.
Tokat graduated from the Turkish Military Academy in 1960.
Tokat was awarded Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Merit ("TSK Liyakat Madalyası"), Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Distinguished Courage and Self-Sacrifice ("TSK Üstün Cesaret ve Feragat Madalyası") and Turkish Armed Forces Medal of Achievement ("TSK Başarı Madalyası").


Gendarmerie Special Operations

The Gendarmerie Special Operations () or JÖH, is the special operations unit of the Turkish Gendarmerie General Command. Its tasks include search and destroy, infiltration, and reconnaissance. Members of the unit receive extensive training at the Jandarma School at Foça and also from selected Turkish Armed Forces instructors. All three of its companies work under the direction of the army regions to which they are assigned, but can also receive tasking from their headquarters in Ankara. It was established in 1991, at the height of the Turkish-Kurdish conflict. It has recently been involved in the Turkish occupation of northern Syria.
Unit members are in the 16-week training rooms at the Gendarmerie Commando Terrorist Operations School Command in Foça. All kinds of light weapons, mortar use, rocket launcher training Maneuvering training under fire, destroying target target mountaineering Using GPS, finding directions over long distances camouflage Being able to withstand fatigue and insomnia, Making the right decision under stress Adapts to different climate and land needs Fight against terrorism in a residential area Explosive recognition, destruction, destruction Helicopter evacuation, contact helicopter and helicopter steering Transition through the water Trainees are expected to complete a 10-kilometer rifle run, a 15-kilometer country run, and a 20-kilometer strength run. Basic movements such as shuttle, shuttle and push-ups are made in War Physical Education classes. Commando candidates run a total of 300 kilometers in running conditions. In addition, a 12-person sniper course is also provided. He also receives Gendarmerie Commando Specialization training.


Air Force Search and Rescue

Air Force Search and Rescue Personnel(Turkish: "Arama Kurtarma İhtisaslı Personel (AKIP)" ) is unit of the Turkish Air Force whose task is to recover civilian and other military personnel. The difference between Combat Search and Rescue (Turkish Armed Forces) MAK & Air Force Search and Rescue Personnel is mainly for civil and domestic personnel. Gendarmerie General Command It has its own unit gendarmerie search and rescue (JAK). Air Force Search and Rescue Personnel have the number of which very little in comparison to other Search and Rescue teams in Turkey. Generally its air force's own team.


MAST Academy

Maritime and Science Technology Academy, commonly referred to as MAST Academy, or MAST, is a public high school in Miami, Florida, on Virginia Key. MAST Academy is a magnet school under the governance of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The school's principal is Dr. Derick R. MacKoy, Sr., appointed in 2018. "US News & World Report" ranked MAST as the 42nd best high school in the nation as of 2015.
The academic focus of MAST Academy is primarily marine studies. Students choose one of three major areas of study in which a traditional U.S. high school curriculum is infused with maritime-related subjects. These areas are Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences (OAS), Maritime Studies and Culture (MSC), and Marine Related Industries (MRI). Special course offerings include Marine Science, Oceanography, Solar Energy, Environmental Science, Swimming, and Water Safety.
MAST Academy is located on Virginia Key, a barrier island between Miami and Key Biscayne, across the street from the Miami Seaquarium and within walking distance of the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
History.
In 1990, MAST Academy was established in Key Biscayne.
In 2012, the school announced that it would expand by 1,100 seats, with preference given to eligible Key Biscayne residents. It was controversial and highly debated whether residents of the Village of Key Biscayne should be opened up to all Key Biscayne high school students. A former student was reported as claiming, "I can't believe they are going to turn over the school to the affluent residents of Key Biscayne in return for $9 million," adding, "it will really destroy what MAST is all about."
In April 2015, a school shooting threat was posed toward MAST Academy, as a note was found reading, "On April 17, 2015 I will walk into this school and shoot everyone I see." Some students decided to attend school on the day of the supposed shooting. In an interview with NBC 6 South Florida, one student was claimed his reasoning for attending to be, "I just really like learning, so I like going to class, and I'm not afraid." Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho later tweeted, "I am always impressed by the composure of our student body. 'I am not scared. I am here to learn.'"
MAST Academy now is a secondary school from 6-12 grade. Tours are available on Tuesdays during the academic year and are provided by their leadership students. No registration required.
Franchising.
Due to the reputation of the school, Miami-Dade County Public Schools began "franchising" MAST. In 2010, MAST Medical @ Homestead was established. In 2011, José Martí Middle School introduced its magnet program with a high school expansion in 2011, before completely re-branding itself as José Martí MAST 6-12 Academy in 2013. In 2013, another MAST high school opened at a Florida International University campus.
Awards and recognition.
During the 1994–96 and 2006-07 school years, MAST Academy was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, the highest award an American school can receive.
MAST Academy was one of six national finalists in the 2010 White House "Commencement Challenge". People from across the nation voted to determine which school would host President Barack Obama as a commencement speaker.
MAST has established a tradition of academic excellence, and has been ranked among "Newsweek"s Top 100 High Schools several times. It has been listed as one of "Miami-Dade's Best Schools", and, as of 2014, is ranked 10th in Florida.
Planet Ocean.
MAST Academy is currently housed in the former Planet Ocean museum. Planet Ocean was an 80,000 sq.ft., interactive oceanographic museum featuring state of the art, hands on exhibits about the ocean (such as a giant piece of touchable iceberg), displays of deep sea submersibles, multi-media presentations, and other educational experiences.
The museum opened in the mid-seventies and was located across the street from the Miami Seaquarium on Virginia Key. Planet Ocean had trouble attracting enough visitors to be self-sustaining; it closed in 1991.
Demographics.
, the school has an enrollment of 1534 high school students. , the breakdown of the student's ethnicity is 60% Hispanic, 23% White, 10% Black, 5% Asian, and 2% unknown.
Extracurricular activities.
The school's primary sports are water polo and swimming. The school also offers a boys' basketball team, boys' and girls' cross country teams, boys' and girls' soccer teams, boys' and girls' golf teams, boys' and girls' tennis teams, and a girls' volleyball team as of 2019.
MAST is active in the National Ocean Sciences Bowl Competition, where it placed first in the region and fifth place in the nation in 2006. The Black History Brain Bowl team won the 2006 Regional Championships.
MAST is home to the first Coast Guard JROTC unit in the country.
The school's mascot is a mako shark named Isurus, after retiring a pelican named Pete.
The robotics and engineering team, the MAST Academy Mecha Makos, founded in 2006, has competed in numerous competitions including Youth Fair, MATE, FIRST, and FIU's Wall of Wind competition. The Mecha Makos qualified for the VEX World Championship in the 2011, 2012, and 2013 school years.
Publications.
"The Beacon", MAST's student-run newspaper, and the yearbook, "Mako Fuka", have received gold medals from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.


Naval Construction Battalion Center (Gulfport, Mississippi)

Naval Construction Battalion Center is a U.S. Navy industrial complex located in Gulfport, Mississippi. It serves as home base for the Atlantic Fleet Seabees, which are the Navy's construction battalions.
Mission.
The mission of the Naval Construction Battalion Center (CBC) Gulfport is:

History.
On June 2, 1942, an Advanced Base Depot was established in Gulfport and the first Seabees arrived. Defense planning during the early years of World War II called for a deep-water port to serve the Caribbean region. Gulfport had the necessary port facility, as well as a semi-tropical climate for year-round training and shipping. A school was set up for Battalions passing through to be trained for the Malaria and Epidemic Control Group of BUMED.
Also assigned to Gulfport was one of the Navy's three Naval Armed Guards Training Centers. HQ for the Navy's Armed Guards was in New Orleans. The Armed Guards manned the deck guns of Merchant vessels under contract to the Navy.
On March 21, 1944, Camp Hollyday was disestablished and the base changed to a Naval Training Center for ratings in basic engineering, diesel engine, radio, quartermaster, and electrician. The electrician school was 17 weeks. In 1946 the Training Center was decommissioned. On 23 October 1945 Bureau of Yards and Docks (BuDocks) transferred the base to the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts. The complex was re-designated a Naval Storehouse facility for stockpiling bauxite, tin, copper, sisal and abacá. In 1952, the Naval Storehouse was disestablished with the base transferred back to BuDocks. It was then designated as a U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center.
In the mid-1960s, there was an increasing need for naval construction forces in Southeast Asia. To meet that need, the Naval Construction Battalion Center expanded in both military and civilian personnel and continued to serve as a training facility through the latter half of the 20th century.
During the Vietnam War, NCBC Gulfport was the largest storage site in the United States for agent orange prior to shipment to Southeast Asia. In 1968, the base received 68,700 55-gallon barrels of herbicide for shipment to Vietnam. Long-term storage of barrels began in 1969 and lasted until 1977. The storage site was in size and was still being cleaned up in 2013.
In 1969, before, during, and after the landfall of Hurricane Camille, 1700 Seabees from NCBC Gulfport helped the surrounding communities prepare for and recover from the hurricane. NCBC served as a recovery center providing a staging site for over 500 Georgia Power repairmen and highway crews. Damage to the base was extensive with 25 structures completely destroyed. The Governor of Mississippi tasked the NCBC with the recovery of the area from Gulfport to west of Bay St. Louis. That area was ground zero for Camille's landfall. Pass Christian was assigned to the 121st CB with the battalion setting up camp there, working round the clock in two 12-hour shifts. The military and civilian personnel received numerous medals and commendations from the Navy and local officials. When it was over the NCBC and CBs 74 and 121 all received Navy Unit Commendations. Mississippi Governor John Bell Williams declared October 31, 1969 as "Seabees Awards Day".
On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina arrived at Gulfport for a two-day stay. The congressional appropriations to repair the damages of those two days was 277.2 million dollars for the NCBC and Stennis Space Center. "Seabee commanders integrated into Gulf Coast county emergency operations centers (EOCs) during the Katrina recovery and helped elected officials prioritize recovery work and align assets for response. These efforts were indicative of the working relationship that has always existed between the Seabees and the Gulf Coast community, according to CBC Commanding Officer Capt. George E. Eichert." All military personnel attached to the NCBC during the recovery received the Armed Forces Service Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal All the civilians employed by the NCBC received the Armed Forces Civilian Service Medal.
In the first decade of the 21st century, the center was serving more than 4,000 active duty personnel and their families, plus approximately 1,000 Department of Defense civilian personnel.
In 2015, Cheryl Hansen became the first female commander of the Naval Construction Battalion Center.


Ptolemaic army

The Ptolemaic army was the army of the Ptolemaic Macedonian kings that ruled Egypt from 305 to 30 BC. Like most of the other armies of the Diadochi, it was very much Macedonian in style, with the use of the long pike ("sarissa") in a deep phalanx formation. Despite the strength of the Ptolemaic army, evinced in 217 BC with the victory over the Seleucids at the Battle of Raphia, the Ptolemaic Kingdom itself fell into decline and by the time of Julius Caesar, it was but a mere client-kingdom of the Roman Republic. The army by the time of Caesar’s campaigns in the eastern Mediterranean was a mere shadow of its former self: generally, a highly disorganized assemblage of mercenaries and other foreign troops.
The army of Ptolemy I.
Ptolemy I was a general in the army of Alexander the Great and after Alexander’s death had taken over the province of Egypt as a satrap (local governor). Along with the other successors to Alexander he did not hold the title of king until 305, but was still an important player in the affairs of the Macedonian Empire in the east. In 312 BC at Gaza, Ptolemy, who was assisting the fugitive satrap of Babylonia, Seleucus I, came up against the forces of Antigonus I who was seen as a major threat to the stability of the empire due to his strength and power. Ptolemy had a force of 18,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry, these being a mixture of Macedonians, mercenaries, and native Egyptians. His forces were larger than those of Antigonus and his son, Demetrius Poliorketes. In the battle for Gaza, Antigonus’ cavalry, commanded by Demetrius, were initially successful but forced to retreat after Ptolemy out-flanked them. The battle was a victory for Ptolemy who soon secured Syria for himself and placed Seleucus in Babylonia to govern the eastern provinces of the empire. By 305 Ptolemy had taken the title of king, along with the other most powerful generals, including Cassander, Seleucus, and Antigonus. In 301 BC, the threat of Antigonus was finally ended with his death at the Battle of Ipsus. But despite this, the rivalry between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids for Syria would cause numerous wars in the future. The army under Ptolemy I was most likely composed of small Macedonian and mercenary garrisons left in Egypt by Alexander.
Socio-economic status of Ptolemaic soldiers.
Ptolemy I granted his soldiers land to order to strengthen their loyalty. The granting of land also allowed for soldiers to easily mobilize when needed in times of war. This concluded to the distribution of soldiers throughout the countryside alongside the founding of a single Greek polis in Egypt, Ptolemais. The Ptolemies also created a cleruchy system in order to collect revenue from these plots of land. The addition of the cleruchy system allowed for "the diversification of the location of military settlements, a decrease and leveling of the size of soldiers’ plots and expansion of the system to a larger pool of locally recruited individuals."
The manpower problem.
In the Ptolemaic era a small population of Greeks provided the main cadre of the army. These men provided manpower for the elite guards units and the phalanx that lay at its core. However, the distance of Egypt from Greece caused considerable difficulties as the population of Greeks in Egypt was and remained small. To remedy this problem, the Ptolemies set up military colonies and encouraged settlers to settle in them. In return for these plots of land, the kleruchoi, as they were known, would be obligated to provide military service. Mercenaries were also employed by the Ptolemies, who could afford it due to their wealth. For example, Ptolemy IV paid 1,000 drachmas a day for one distinguished Aetolian officer to serve in his armies. This system gave the Ptolemies more manpower, however they still suffered severe shortages. Despite this lack of manpower, they would not allow native Egyptians to fight in the army proper. The natives would only serve in the navy or as auxiliaries. This changed by the time of Raphia in 217 when the situation became especially dire for the Ptolemies. Their army was far too small to counter the far superior Seleucid force led by the formidable Antiochus III. To counter the larger Seleucid force, the general Sosibius assembled a large army which he trained for the fight to come, and in which he also enrolled 30,000 native Egyptians to serve in the phalanx. These 30,000 picked Egyptians, known as the Machimoi Epilektoi, fought well in the battle, but caused problems later on. The increased status of these Egyptian troops enabled and encouraged them to revolt, which led to a further crippling of the kingdom in the years following Raphia.
Later years and Roman influence.
Reforms in the late Seleucid and Ptolemaic armies re-organised them and tried to add some Roman aspects to formations. Stelae from Hermopolis show a Ptolemaic unit having a standard-bearer and other staff attached. This unit was like a Roman Maniple, being composed of two smaller units led by a Hekatontarch (i.e. a Centurion). The title of Hekatontarch appeared around the 250s BC in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible) which uses hekatontarchos (ἑκατοντάρχους acc. pl.) to refer to 'captains of hundreds' (eg 2Chr25:5). As well as this, Asclepiodotus describes in his 'Tactica' a new institution, the Syntagma, which had a standard-bearer, other staff and was composed of two smaller units led by Hekatontarchs. The Phalangarkhia, also described by Asclepiodotus, was about the size of a Roman Legion in strength. The potential Roman influence would have been great. In Ptolemaic Egypt, Roman adventurers and veterans are found commonly serving under the Ptolemies. Romans are found in Ptolemaic service as early as 252/1 BC. The Ptolemaic army was odd in that, out of all the Hellenistic armies, it was the only army where you could find Romans in Greek service. As Sekunda suggests 'such individuals would have spread knowledge of Roman military systems within the Ptolemaic military and political establishment'
However, the continuous struggles for power between Ptolemaic kings and the decline of the kingdom itself soon turned the army into a mere shadow of its former self: generally, a highly disorganized assemblage of mercenaries and other foreign troops.
In 61 BCE, Aulus Gabinius, the Roman proconsul of Roman Syria, restored the king to the throne after a short campaign. Then he left a part of his army, called after him the "Gabiniani", in Egypt for the king's protection. These Roman troops also included Gallic and German horsemen. They married Egyptian women and had already fathered children with them before the arrival of Caesar in Egypt (48 BC). Over time, they lost their connection with Rome and became a loyal protecting power of Ptolemy XII, who used them in fights against rebellious subjects.
When Julius Caesar arrived in Egypt and supported Cleopatra in the struggle between her and her brother. Pothinus organized military opposition against Caesar. In the Alexandrinian war that followed, the Gabiniani played an important role: they were the core divisions of Achillas' army that comprised 20,000 infantrymen and 2000 cavalrymen. After the successful conclusion of the Alexandrinian war, Caesar replaced the Gabiniani with three reliable legions, the XXVII, XXVIII and XXIX. These served as the Roman occupying army of Egypt and were tasked with protecting Cleopatra but also to ensure the queen's loyalty to Rome.


Royal Canadian Air Force Band

The Royal Canadian Air Force Band (RCAF Band) () is a 35-member military band which represents the Royal Canadian Air Force in the Canadian Armed Forces. Currently located at Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, the RCAF Band provides musical accompaniment for ceremonies of the RCAF in Canada. The band is presently under the command of Captain Matthew Clark.
History.
In 1946, Carl Friberg, a wartime bandmaster working as a public relations representative in Vancouver, was invited to form a professional band for the RCAF No.2 Training Command in Winnipeg. It became operational the next year and was transferred to Edmonton as the North West Air Command Band. The band's first high-profile performance was during the Earl Alexander of Tunis's (Governor General of Canada from 1946 –1952) tour of western Canada in 1948. In 1955, the band became the Tactical Air Command Band which coincided with an increase in musicians, going from 35 to 55. The band was transferred back to Winnipeg in 1964 and was combined with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Band in 1968.
The other members of the band became part of the newly formed Canadian Forces Air Transport Command Band and was transferred to the Canadian Forces Air Command in 1975, with its headquarters in Winnipeg and was renamed the Air Command Band. During the reformation of the Music Branch in 1994, the band was expanded from 35 to 45 members. The band changed its name again in 1997 to the Band of 1 Canadian Air Division when that particular unit was formed. Unlike its predecessors, this was a downgrade as decreased in the number of musicians. Another name change came in 2000 when it was changed back to "Air Command Band". In 2009, a major reorganization of the band occurred. An increase of demand prompted its leadership to create new subdivisions such as Jet Stream, Command Brass (brass quintet) and an eight member pipes and drums (not to be confused with the RCAF Pipes and Drums). In 2011, with the restoration of royal military prefixes, the band was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force Band. 2016 saw the dissolution of the pipes and drums and a reinstitution of the brass and reed band instrumentation, while still maintaining contemporary musical capabilities including vocals, guitar and piano. In July 2018, the band served as the musical support in the changing of the Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace in London with a contingent of RCAF personnel from across Canada for the first time in the RCAF's history. The band also took part in the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy in June 2019.


USS Waukegan (YTM-755)

"USS Waukegan", was a medium harbor tug,that was acquired by the United States Navy in September 1964 from the United States Army for which she had served as LT-1968. Named Waukegan and designated YTM-755, she was assigned to the 10th Naval District at San Juan, Puerto Rico. The tug was based there for her entire 11-year naval career, serving ships in the 10th Naval District. In September 1975, she was placed out of service; and her name was struck from the Navy list. She was subsequently disposed of by sale. Her current status is unknown.


Al-Dumayr Military Airport

Al-Dumayr Military Airport is a Syrian Arab Air Force installation located 40 kilometers north-east of Damascus, Syria.
The airbase was used extensively by the Syrian Arab Air Forces and Iranian Armed Forces during the Syrian Civil War.
History.
The base is used to support the army campaign on Eastern Ghouta. On February 22, 2018, Jaysh al-Islam bombed the airbase in an effort to weaken Syrian attacks on the rebel held enclave.