Photo By Tech. Sgt. John Linzmeier | Tentara Nasional Indonesia Lt. Cdr. Ronny Basirun Simatupang, Indonesia Armed Forces...... read more read more
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Medical professionals from the Hawaii National Guard’s State Partnership Program supported a security cooperation exchange in Jakarta May 6-7, as part of ongoing Bilateral Defense Discussions between the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the Tentara Nasional Indonesia.
This exchange served as a Mid-Term Review for the previous event held between the two nations, with the last gathering taking place in Hawaii last December.
The assembly of leaders and career-field experts from both nations served as a valuable platform for partnered militaries to evaluate their progress in enhancing each other's defense capabilities. Additionally, this continuation fostered an interactive forum where participants could refine bilateral training plans and pinpoint essential operational competencies for future integration efforts.
Throughout the two-day event, medical professionals from the Hawaii Army National Guard and their TNI equivalents dedicated their time together to build up mutual training initiatives. These initiatives will be prioritized during numerous other bilateral training events that take place annually, further strengthening the bond between the two nations.
As Hawaii's dedicated partner in the SPP, Indonesia has a longstanding relationship with Hawaii Guardsmen and shares a similar need for robust emergency response services to provide aid in the face of common natural disasters.
Maj. Ryan Ruiz, a full-time nurse and SPP representative for the exchange said there is much to learn from TNI's capabilities in responding to disasters such as volcano eruptions, cyclones, tsunamis and earthquakes. This sense of preparedness was underscored on the morning of the conference when a minor quake was felt throughout Jakarta.
In order to support TNI's desired growth trajectory, the event's medical discussions were centered around enhancing Tactical Combat Casualty Care and Combat Life Saver proficiencies among Indonesian Forces.
“It's clear that Indonesia has an apatite to grow their TCCC program and become self-sustaining," said Ruiz. "We were fortunate to have brought the Hawaii Army National Guard's senior medic with us on this trip and it helped us identify some of their specific needs to move forward. This assessment also helped reaffirm that Indonesia is likely well ahead of other partners in their program, giving us a clear path of completing a few more steps to have them reach their medical goals.“
Of the twelve medical exchanges the U.S. has planned to conduct with the TNI this year, three have already been completed, giving opportunity for the majority of the year's training plan to directly benefit from the MTR discussions. Some of these training objectives are proposed to be integrated into Super Garuda Shield, the large-scale and annual training exercise between the two nations.
Hawaii's SPP facilitated numerous TCCC-based bilateral training events with the TNI since the early 2000s. Maj. Ryan Ruiz emphasized that the National Guard's longstanding relationship with the Indonesian military has been instrumental in accelerating several defense objectives. He added that the enduring relationship promotes familiarity and trust among colleagues over the years, and in some instances, it transcends the beyond the duty uniform.
This sense of familiarity was evident among some INDOPACOM participants, who attended as more than just civilian leaders. Several have also forged partnerships during their service as National Guard members. The MTR's facilitator was no exception. Brandon Torres, who played a key role in planning and facilitating the discussions, is dually active in supporting SPP exchanges in his National Guard capacity, holding the U.S. Army rank of colonel. Ruiz also shares multiple backgrounds in building relationships with the TNI, having just recently completed a two-and-a-half-year tour in the INDOPACOM's surgeon general's office, where he also supported several SPP events.
While English was the primary language spoken during this event, many conversations were held in the Indonesian language, spoken from the beginner level to complete fluency. The latter includes the translation expertise of U.S. Army National Guard Sgt. Aditya Utoyo, a logistics specialists who was raised in Jakarta, sharing the same heritage as his TNI peers.
Cultural similarities were also seen during the bilateral discussions and continued to be observed even after the work day concluded. Both parties exchanged gifts, donned Hawaiian 'Aloha attire' and similar Indonesian 'Batik shirts,' showcasing their mutual respect and appreciation for each other's cultures. The simple act of praying and giving thanks before sharing a meal highlighted the shared values that extended beyond their professional roles, further demonstrating a sense of camaraderie and mutual understanding.
"I want to say thank you to the U.S. and especially to the [Hawaii National Guard] because the HING has many programs that can support us especially for empowering our medical capacity,' said TNI Lt. Cdr. Ronny Basirun Simatupang, Indonesia Armed Forces Surgeon General Headquarters staff officer and emergency nurse. "We discussed a training plan for our trainers in Tactical Casualty Combat Care. As you may know, in Indonesia, we have many personnel, but what we really need is more instructors. Hopefully, we can build an introduction to TCCC and make a qualified team of trainers and do a field exercise together. That would be very helpful outcome."
At the conclusion of the event, bilateral teams of specialists meticulously compiled their shared notes and formulated a working plan to most effectively proceed in reaching specific benchmarks and goals together. In addition to valuable progress in the medical sphere, other dedicated working groups made significant strides in Logistics, Intelligence, Communications, Education and Special Programs, and Training and Exercises.
| Date Taken: | 05.07.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.21.2024 23:37 |
| Story ID: | 471930 |
| Location: | JAKARTA, ID |
| Web Views: | 84 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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