A day after taking charge as the Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Manoj Mukund on Monday laid a wreath at the National War Memorial here. Naravane has succeeded Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu who retired on August 31. The officer was earlier heading the Eastern Command. Naravane was active in counter-insurgency environments, both in the North East and in Jammu and Kashmir, and was a part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka during Operation Pawan, according to an Army release He was awarded the Sena Medal (Distinguished) for the command of his battalion in J&K and the Vishisht Seva Medal for his services as the Inspector General Assam Rifles (North) in Nagaland.