The joint exercise with the US is of great advantage in the face of peace-keeping operation dynamics, and the way how to integrate the system of training in Indonesia and the United States.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The governments of Indonesia and the United states on Friday started a joint military exercise dubbed "Garuda Shield 2011" in Bogor, West Java.
Indonesia`s Ground Force coordinator of education and training (Kodiklat) Brig. Gen. Mulyono said the joint military exercise between the two countries was conducted to place the cooperation in the United Nations peace-keeping operation on a solid footing.
He said the regular annual exercise this year in Bogor involved Indonesian Ground Force and United States Army Pacific (USARPAC), an Army Service Component Command (ASCC) of the United States Army and is the army component unit of the United States Pacific Command.
The main areas over which the command has jurisdiction include Hawaii, Alaska, the Pacific Ocean, and Japan. It also performs missions in Southeast Asia, in countries such as the Philippines and Bangladesh.
"Such an exercise is the fifth of its kind because Indonesia is frequently involved in UN peace-keeping missions," Mulyono said.
He added that the "Garuda Shield" exercise in general was intended to step up the relations between the two countries` ground forces.
"The joint exercise with the US is of great advantage in the face of peace-keeping operation dynamics, and the way how to integrate the system of training in Indonesia and the United States," Mulyono said.
According to him, the exercise that will last until June 22 is divided into two stages, namely post command rehearsal (Geladi Posko) and field rehearsal (Geladi Lapang). (T.SYS/A/O001/B/A014)
(ANTARA)
Editor: Ella Syafputri
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