PRESS RELEASE
September 1, 2023
Surabaya – Super Garuda Shield 2023 officially launched on August 31 following separate opening ceremonies attended by senior U.S. and Indonesian military leaders in East Java. This year’s exercise is the second iteration of Super Garuda Shield, evolved from the Garuda Shield exchanges first held in 2009, and brings together seven participating nations and 12 observing nations for a combined joint multi-lateral exercise.
“To our friends, partners and allies on the field, thank you. And thank you as well to the government and the people and the military of Indonesia,” said Lt. Gen. Xavier Brunson, Commanding General of the U.S. Army’s I Corps. “Thank you for having us here in Indonesia, at this Super Garuda Shield, and thank you to the nations participating and observing.”
TNI Panglima Yudo Margono joined Lt. Gen. Brunson at the opening ceremony for the field exercises at TNI’s 5th Marine Training Center (Puslatpur, Situbondo Regency), where participating national militaries will engage in an amphibious exercise, airborne operations, an airfield seizure exercise, and a combined joint field training that culminates with a live fire event.
The Surabaya opening ceremonies at the KOARMADA II Warfighting Center was highlighted by speeches by U.S. Maj. General Jered P. Helwig, Commanding General, 8th Theater Sustainment Command and TNI-AL Admiral Edi Haryanto, Commander of Guspurla KOARMADA II. The Surabaya-based STAFFEX exercises involve U.S. military trainers from the Hawaii National Guard, all military branches of the TNI, and both Australian and United Kingdom armed forces.
“We [the TNI] are very glad to be able to hold the STAFFEX for Super Garuda Shield 2023 here in Surabaya,” said TNI Admiral Edi Haryanto. “The theme of the exercise over the next two weeks will focus on transition planning in defense operations.”
Surabaya participants will improve understanding of the joint planning process and staff functions, joint Command and Control, determining final logistics resource and manpower requirements, and developing the TNI Joint Regional Defense Command (KOGABWILHAN) concept.
“Super Garuda Shield is the United States’ largest military exercise with Indonesia and strengthens the U.S.-Indonesian bilateral relationship through planning, training, and exercising together,” stated Maj. Gen. Helwig.
Over the past 10 years, the Hawaii National Guard Soldiers and Airmen/women have exchanged extensive knowledge of military planning with the TNI, gained from years of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts through the State Partnership Program (SPP). The Hawaii National Guard brings a broad spectrum of experience forged from the past few years and have built “J-Staffs” to respond to recent real-world domestic operations like volcanic eruptions, floods, COVID-19, and currently, the Lahaina Wildfire Response in Hawaii.
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Super Garuda Shield 2023 is an annual exercise that has significantly grown in scope and size since 2009. #SGS2023 is the second consecutive time this exercise has grown into a combined and joint event, highlighting the seven participating and 12 observing nations’ commitment to partnership and a free and open Indo-Pacific. The list of participating nations is: Indonesia, the United States, Australia, Japan, Singapore, France, and the United Kingdom. The list of observing nations is: Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Germany, India, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, and Timor Leste.
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Questions regarding this exercise should be directed to the 25ID Deputy Public Affairs Officer, Major Jeff Tolbert at jeffrey.c.tolbert.mil@army.mil and MSG Dan Carter at daniel.a.carter26.mil@army.mil. Please visit the official Garuda Shield Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/exercisegarudashield.
PHOTOS: Media can find additional photos and videos for public distribution at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fu6Oqgv6gzbR8ox2l8Qqf6vSrZIw7pM2
