The Sri Lankan Armed Forces award medals and their associated ribbon bars in recognition of various levels of service, personal accomplishments and commemorative events while a regular- or volunteer serviceperson is a member of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force. Together with military badges, such awards are a means to outwardly display the highlights of a serviceperson's career.
The United Nations Medal for participation in UN peacekeeping operations:
From its formation in 1949, the Ceylon Armed Forces continued the use of British military decorations. This was discontinued in 1956 with a suspension of nominations for British honours; until Sri Lanka's republican constitution of 1972, the following awards were used:
Imperial and local medals awarded for military service to the colony and empire.
The various decorations and medals are worn in the order stipulated for each service by its service commander.
The order in which decorations and medals are to be worn have been defined in the Dress Regulation of the Sri Lanka Army.[12] [13]
| Ribbon | Award | Postnominals | Established |
|---|---|---|---|
| PWV | 1981 | ||
| WV | 1981 | ||
| WWV | 1981 | ||
| RWP | 1981 | ||
| RSP | 1981 | ||
| VSV | 1981 | ||
| Karyakshama Seva Vibhushanaya (Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force) | KSV | 1972 | |
| USP | 1981 | ||
| Karyakshama Seva Padakkama (Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force) | KSP | 1972 | |
| - | 1972 | ||
| - | 2010 | ||
| - | 2010 | ||
| - | 1977 | ||
| - | 1983 | ||
| - | 1983 | ||
| - | 1996 | ||
| - | 1954 | ||
| - | 1972 | ||
| - | 1953 | ||
| Sri Lanka Army 25th Anniversary Medal | - | 1974 | |
| - | 1998 | ||
| - | 2023 | ||
| Sri Lanka Army 50th Anniversary Medal | - | 1999 | |
| Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal (Replaced by the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal) | - | 1968 | |
| - | 1979 | ||
| - | 1978 | ||
| - | 1955 | ||
| - | 1981 | ||
| - | 2019 | ||
| - | 2019 | ||
| - | 1981 | ||
| United Nations Medals | - | Various | |
| Ribbon | Award | Postnominals | Established |
|---|---|---|---|
| PWV | 1981 | ||
| WV | 1981 | ||
| WWV | 1981 | ||
| RWP | 1981 | ||
| RSP | 1981 | ||
| VSV | 1981 | ||
| USP | 1981 | ||
| - | 1981 | ||
| - | 1972 | ||
| Sri Lanka Navy 50th Anniversary Medal | - | 2000 | |
| Sri Lanka Navy 25th Anniversary Medal | - | 1975 | |
| Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal (Replaced by the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal) | - | 1968 | |
| - | 1979 | ||
| - | 1953 | ||
| - | 1978 | ||
| - | 1998 | ||
| - | 2023 | ||
| - | 1972 | ||
| - | 2019 | ||
| - | 2019 | ||
| - | 2010 | ||
| - | 2010 | ||
| - | 1977 | ||
| - | 1983 | ||
| - | 1983 | ||
| - | 1996 | ||
| Prashansaniya Seva Vibhushanaya (Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force) | PSV | 2000 | |
| Prashansaniya Seva Padakkama (Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force) | PSP | 2000 | |
| - | 1955 | ||
| Ribbon | Award | Postnominals | Established | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PWV | 1981 | ||||||||
| WV | 1981 | ||||||||
| WWV | 1981 | ||||||||
| RWP | 1981 | ||||||||
| RSP | 1981 | ||||||||
| VSV | 1981 | ||||||||
| USP | 1981 | ||||||||
| - | 1981 | ||||||||
| - | 1972 | ||||||||
| - | 1976 | ||||||||
| - | 2001 | ||||||||
| - | 1953 | ||||||||
| Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal (Replaced by the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal) | - | 1968 | |||||||
| - | 1979 | ||||||||
| - | 1978 | ||||||||
| - | 1998 | ||||||||
| - | 2023 | ||||||||
| - | 1972 | ||||||||
| - | 2019 | ||||||||
| - | 2019 | ||||||||
| - | 2010 | ||||||||
| - | 2010 | ||||||||
| - | 1977 | ||||||||
| - | 1983 | ||||||||
| - | 1983 | ||||||||
| - | 1996 | ||||||||
| - | 1955 | ||||||||
| United Nations Medals | - | Various | - | Sri Lanka Air Force 75th Anniversary Medal | - | 2023--> |