Photo By Sgt. Danielle Rayon | Oklahoma Army National Guard Soldiers with 1st Squadron, 180th Cavalry Regiment and...... read more read more
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TUTONG CAMP, Brunei – U.S. Army Soldiers with the Oklahoma National Guard and active duty partner alongside Royal Brunei Land Force Soldiers to sharpen their skills during Exercise Pahlawan Warrior 26, Aug. 11-21, 2026, building readiness through shared tactics, tough jungle training and stronger relationships.
Pahlawan Warrior 26 brought approximately 130 U.S. personnel to Brunei for the biennial U.S. Army Pacific and Royal Brunei Land Force exercise under Operation PATHWAYS. Led by 1st Squadron, 180th Cavalry Regiment, Oklahoma National Guard, U.S. participants trained alongside their Bruneian counterparts in tactical operations and subject-matter expert exchanges spanning cyber defense, medical operations and public affairs.
Throughout the exercise, each force brought its own experience to the training, creating opportunities to compare techniques, share expertise and adapt lessons from one another to their own formations.
“For me, leadership requires adaptability,” said Lt. Col. Mohammad Sufrien bin Johan, Commanding Officer of 2nd Battalion, Royal Brunei Land Forces. “We are not here to determine which method is better, which country does better, but to identify what works, why it works and how it can be adapted to our respective forces.”
The exchange was evident throughout the exercise, with U.S. and Bruneian personnel sharing expertise through subject-matter exchanges in cyber defense, medical operations and public affairs, while tactical training allowed each force to bring its own strengths to the table – from U.S. experience in live-fire range operations to RBLF expertise in jungle operations.
“Our Soldiers have showed a lot of grit, but the Royal Brunei Land Forces go through this like they do it every day, because they do,” said Maj. Kent Turner, U.S. Army Forces commander for Pahlawan Warrior 26. “Their ability to navigate on different analog systems and go from one hilltop to the other at a rapid pace is just amazing.”
That experience also gave RBLF leaders an opportunity to see how Oklahoma Soldiers adapted to an unfamiliar environment.
“The Soldiers of the Oklahoma National Guard are highly adaptable, resilient and ready to thrive anywhere, side by side with the troops of the Royal Brunei Land Force on the exact opposite side of the globe,” Col. Erwan bin Haji Ibrahim, Chief of Staff of the RBLF said.
Working through those challenges together did more than build tactical proficiency. Integrating U.S. and Bruneian Soldiers at the small-unit level gave them opportunities to understand how their counterparts communicate and operate while developing relationships beyond the formal training.
“They really are becoming friends,” Turner said. “I’m sure that some of the people, when they leave, they will remain in contact with them throughout. And what that’s done is it’s picked up both sides, Royal Brunei [Land Forces] and also with our U.S. forces. Everybody is excited to be here.”
That trust also created an environment where junior leaders were expected to adapt, make decisions and lead through the challenges of unfamiliar terrain and limited communications.
“We want to test the junior leadership in terms of decision making,” Sufrien said. “For the Soldiers, it’s about the communication, coordination and understanding each other’s procedures, and moreover, the major focus here is so that they understand each other’s procedures and try to adapt it into a realistic tactical situation.”
For Oklahoma National Guard leaders, those lessons extended beyond tactical decision-making to the challenges of moving, supporting and leading a formation thousands of miles from home.
“It’s much different than being a junior leader back in Oklahoma for a drill weekend,” said Brig. Gen. Colby Wyatt, director of the joint staff for Oklahoma National Guard. “Now you’re having to travel all the way around the world, communicate with people who speak a different language, and you’re not just leading - there’s an operational piece, there’s a logistical piece. They learn at such a faster pace, and then they’re able to take that information back to their unit and train those that maybe didn’t get to make the trip.”
The relationships developed throughout Pahlawan Warrior 26 extended beyond formal training. U.S. Soldiers learned Malay phrases, Bruneian Soldiers picked up Oklahoma slang, and participants exchanged patches, shared meals and spent time getting to know the people training beside them.
“I sincerely hope our Oklahoman friends had at least a little time to explore the beauty of Brunei Darussalam and taste our local food, more than just tactics,” Ewan said. “The true value of Pahlawan Warrior is in the human connection. Lifelong friendships have been forged here. I hope this experience inspires you to return to this region in the future.”
Those relationships built at the individual level also contribute to the exercise’s broader strategic purpose.
“It’s really a tactical operation with strategic impact,” Wyatt said. “We can take Soldiers at the tactical level, put them into an environment like this, and they can gain the training that they need. But the strategic impact is what it means for the United States and for our Soldiers to have a relationship with another country.”
For Sufrien, those personal connections contribute to an outcome that lasts beyond the individual training events or even the exercise itself.
“Our mission with Pahlawan Warrior is to contribute to a sustained and mature defense relationship between Brunei Darussalam and the United States of America,” Sufrien said. “Beyond that, the real measurement of success is not only during this one exercise, but the trust and coordination between both nations and our commitment toward peace and stability in the region.”
The relationship between Oklahoma and Brunei has grown since Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers first participated in Pahlawan Warrior in 2024. The connections developed during this iteration continued that training at the tactical, operational and strategic levels.
“We expanded upon that relationship here in 2026, and it’s very important for us to continue that relationship with Oklahoma and Brunei,” Turner said. “I talked about the Soldiers having developed the relationships that they’re going to continue communicating outside of here. I hope that we do the same thing at the operational and strategic level as well.”
Ultimately, Sufrien said the value of Pahlawan Warrior is measured not simply by what the two forces accomplish during the exercise, but by the foundation they build for the future.
“For me, the most important part is about the trust and enduring partnership of these two nations,” Sufrien said. “Trust for me is a combat multiplier.”
| Date Taken: | 08.20.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.22.2026 07:35 |
| Story ID: | 572887 |
| Location: | BN |
| Web Views: | 11 |
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