Joint Exercise Garuda "Shield" Event For Strengthening TNI AD-US Army Friendship

Army Chief of Staff Gen. Andika Perkasa (ANTARA/HO-TNI AD)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Army and the United States Army (US Army) again held a joint exercise called Garuda Shield. Army Chief of Staff General Andika Perkasa hopes that the joint exercise can strengthen the friendship between the two countries' troops.

"I want to do better this year than the previous year, and our cooperative relationship will be better than ever," said Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army (Kasad) General TNI Andika Perkasa in an Indonesian Army broadcast in Jakarta, Sunday, July 26, as quoted by Antara.

General TNI Andika Perkasa said he was looking forward to the joint exercises that would be conducted at three points of the training area, namely Baturaja, Makalisung, and Amborawang.

"I'm looking forward to seeing the joint Garuda Shield-15/2021 exercise between Indonesian Army soldiers and United States Army soldiers take place, this is the first time for us the arrival of US Army personnel. And we also look forward to TNI AD personnel being closer to US Army soldiers," he said.

Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army (Kasad) General TNI Andika Perkasa also believes that the joint exercise is something that the soldiers who will be involved are looking forward to and it will be a new experience for the personnel.

The Commanding General of USARPAC General Charles A Flynn also felt the same way. He who has been to Indonesia several times is also looking forward to being able to attend the Garuda Shield.

“That's right, we are also looking forward to it. And I've been to Indonesia several times, really want to go back there, so I'm also really looking forward to this program because this program is like a Pacific multinational exercise, exploring the territory of other countries, “said General Charles A Flynn.

He also said that the Garuda Shield program would be a very good thing because according to him the combat training center in Baturaja is the same as the combat training center in Europe, as well as the United States, and which will be built in the Pacific region.