Opening ceremony officially marks beginning of Garuda Shield 15

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Brian Erickson | Brig. Gen. Gary Brito, deputy commanding general-operations, 25th Infantry Division, speaks during the opening ceremony for the exercise Garuda Shield 2015 in Cibenda, Indonesia, on Aug. 20, 2015.  

CIBENDA, INDONESIA

08.20.2015

Story by Sgt. Brian Erickson 

3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division

CIBENDA, Indonesia - Soldiers with the Tentara Nasional Indonesia army (TNI-AD) and U.S. Army stood side-by-side on a parade field, here, Aug. 20, during an opening ceremony that officially marked the beginning of the ninth Garuda Shield exercise.

Garuda Shield is a regularly scheduled bilateral exercise sponsored by U.S. Army-Pacific, hosted annually by the TNI to promote regional security and cooperation.

“This is an important exercise that enables Indonesia and the United States to engage not just in military training but also as partners in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Brig. Gen. Gary M. Brito, deputy commanding general-operations, 25th Infantry Division.

Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Division, “Wolfhounds,” 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, will train alongside soldiers of the TNI 1st Kostrad (Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat) Inf. Div. for a multiple day exercise to foster cooperation and understanding.

“Garuda shield joint exercise is not only intended to improve interoperability between the participants, but to boost trust and friendship by upholding the principal of equality and mutual relationship between two armies,” said TNI Brig. Gen. Agus Suhardi , chief of staff, 1st Kostrad Inf. Div.

Over the course of the next several days, Soldiers with both militaries will conduct a series of bilateral military partnership and training events on peace support operations, to include a computer-simulated command post exercise, a combat survival training class, and culminating the last day with a combined arms live-fire exercise.

“I am confident that Garuda Shield 2015 will not only be a successful exercise, but also a true learning experience for us all and one of which we will both grow stronger and more capable,” said Brito.

• Date Taken: 08.20.2015
• Date Posted: 08.23.2015 05:46
• Story ID: 173991
• Location: CIBENDA, ID