Chairman of the State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Thadoe Maha Thray Sithu Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung Hlaing delivered an address at the Parade of the 78th Anniversary of Armed Forces Day which falls on 27 March 2023 at the Nay Pyi Taw Parade Ground yesterday morning. Officers and other ranks from Tatmadaw (Army, Navy and Air), female military parade company from Tatmadaw (Army), members of Myanmar Police Force and female police members parade company took positions in relevant parade columns at Thittat parade ground on the parade agenda. The mechanized parade column led by Column Commander Brig-Gen Zaw Tun Oo comprising mechanized companies representing the Directorate of Artillery Corps, Directorate of Missile Corps, Directorate of Armoured Corps, Office of the Chief of Air Defence Corps, Directorate of Military Engineers and Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Navy) took the positions in the parade ground.
Afterwards, the flag bearers followed by the Anawrahta Column led by Brig-Gen San Yu Naing, the Kyansittha Column by Brig-Gen Tin Aung Swe, the Bayintnaung Column by Commodore Kyaw Lin Zaw, the Aungzeya Column by Brig-Gen Zaw Myint Oo, the Hsinphyushin Column by Brig-Gen Tun Win, the Bandoola Column by BrigGen Soe Hlaing and the Aung San Column by Police Brig-Gen Win Bo under the command of Parade Commander Maj-Gen Myint Kyaw Tun took the positions at the parade ground.
Along the route they marched, Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, wife of the Senior General, Daw Than Than Nwe, wife of the SAC Vice-Chairman Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Commander-in-Chief (Army), wife of the Chief of the General Staff (Army, Navy and Air), wife of the Commander-in-Chief (Navy), wife of the Commander-in-Chief (Air) and wives of the senior military officers garlanded Tatmadaw members and police members. Likewise, officers, other ranks and families from Nay Pyi Taw Command headquarters and stations, artistes and local people warmly welcomed the Tatmadaw members and police members with garlands. The ceremony was also attended by State dignitaries, the SAC Secretary, the SAC Joint Secretary, Union level officials, departmental heads, officials from social organizations, those from different strata and media. The Senior General took the position on the dais and took salutes of Tatmadaw members and MPF members from the parade columns. The Senior General inspected the parade columns. The Senior General and those from military columns took the four-point oath after saluting the State flag and fallen Tatmadaw members. The Senior General then delivered an address. (The full text of the speech is reported on page 4 and 5. The military columns led by Maj-Gen Myint Kyaw Tun marched past the Senior General and left the parade ground. Meanwhile, aircraft from squadrons of the Tatmadaw (Air) in various formations flew over the parade ground to salute the Senior General. The Senior General cordially greeted the guests and left the parade ground.
The bronze statues of three kings who established the first, second and third Myanmar empires posted in the Nay Pyi Taw Parade Ground and the flaming torch and the emblem to mark the 78th Anniversary of Armed Forces Day could be seen in the parade ground on a grand scale in addition to hoisting colourful flags representing the Burma Independence Army, the Burma Defence Army, directorates of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army), military commands and military divisions as well as regiments and units. As a gesture of honouring the 78th Anniversary of Armed Forces Day, posters portraying images of Tatmadaw members are posted on Yangon-Mandalay Highway and at the junction of Pinlaung Road. Moreover, banners bearing mottos of the Tatmadaw in Myanmar and English languages are hung along the road in front of the parade ground. — MNA/TTA
