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RI, US begin Ghema Bhakti military exercise
Indonesian and US forces have commenced the seven-day annual Gema Bhakti joint exercise to enhance operational capabilities and crisis management capacity.
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Members of the Indonesian Army Special Forces (Kopassus) march in formation on Oct. 3, 2015 during an exercise at a naval base in Cilegon, West Java. The soldiers were rehearsing for a parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the Indonesian Miliary (TNI) on Oct. 5. (AFP/Romeo Gacad)
T
he Indonesian Military (TNI) and the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) assembled on Friday to kick-start the 10th Gema Bhakti, a seven-day joint training exercise focusing on crisis management and Military Operations for War (OMP).
Some 110 combined personnel from the US armed forces and the TNI took part in the annual exercise, which also aimed to strengthen their operational capabilities and capacity to coordinate with civilian and humanitarian agencies in the event of a crisis.
Maj. Gen. Agus Suhardi, operations assistant to TNI commander, said in his speech during the opening ceremony that the joint exercise was a good opportunity for the two countries’ ties, adding that the two militaries had invaluable knowledge to share.
“I believe that with the arranged scenarios, every participant can become creative in [approaching] the OMP from the perspective of both countries,” said Agus.
At a press briefing on [Friday], Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, the adjutant general for the state of Hawaii, drew parallels between the Gema Bhakti and the Super Garuda Shield.
“Similar to the Garuda Shield, Gema Bhakti has evolved from a small, less complex exercise to a much more challenging and robust joint exercise that enhances the TNI and the US’ interoperability and multinational capability,” Hara said.
This year’s Garuda Shield kicked off in early August with initial concerns about China’s reaction, as Beijing had sent a strongly worded letter to Jakarta warning against holding the much larger annual exercise, which usually involves the militaries of several other countries.
