SIG MMG 338 Program Series

US Paratroopers Kick-Off Exercise Super Garuda Shield with Trilateral Airborne Operations

BATURAJA, Indonesia — Paratroopers from 11th Infantry Division (Airborne), Tentara Nasional Indonesia and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force conducted trilateral airborne operations with the 36th Airlift Squadron during exercise Super Garuda Airborne 2022 in Baturaja, Indonesia on Aug. 3, 2022.

The operation is the kick-off event for Super Garuda Shield 2022. Part of Operation Pathways, Garuda Shield is a longstanding annual, bilateral military exercise conducted between the U.S. military and Indonesia National Armed Forces. The exercise reinforces the U.S. commitments to allies and regional partners, ensures joint readiness and bolsters interoperability to fight and win together.

The 2022 Garuda Shield exercise is significantly larger in scope and scale than previous exercises. Service members from Indonesia and the United States will be joined this year by those from Australia, Japan and Singapore. In addition to the active participants, Canada, France, India, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the United Kingdom are expected to join Super Garuda Shield as observer nations.

“We were really focusing on partnership,” said Lt. Col. Ben Wisnioski, assistant Army attaché, U.S. Defense Attaché Office Jakarta, Indonesia. “We focused on training, working with each other, and building significant rapport.”

Hundreds of distinguished visitors including Gen. Charles Flynn, commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific, watched as over 200 paratroopers jumped into the fields and dense tropical forests of Baturaja.

“It was the softest landing I’ve ever had,” said Wisnioski with a smile, as he pointed at his uniform, doused in thick mud.

The paratroopers then completed an airborne seizure, navigating through narrow bridges, marshes, and dense foliage to reach their objectives.

Following the parachute portion of the operation, representatives from the three armies participated in a wing exchange ceremony. Gen. Andika Perkasa, commander, Tentara Nasional Indonesia, and Lt. Gen. Kuzuki Ushijima, command chief of staff, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, pinned wings onto six U.S. Army paratroopers.

“We’re here for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Sgt. 1st Class Eric Green, 2nd Platoon, Apache Company, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 11th Infantry Division (Airborne). “We’re just here to let our partners know we’re here to help. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

In addition to the ceremony Soldiers from the United States, Tentara Nasional Indonesia and Australian Army, showcased weapon systems to the senior leaders and distinguished visitors.

Sgt. Alexander Clarke, mortarman with 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Division, explained the functions and capabilities of the M224, 60mm Lightweight Company Mortar System.

“It’s just breaking down our capabilities and what makes them the best that we’ve got,” said Clarke. “I think we’re super grateful to be able to train alongside the [Tentara Nasional Indonesia] and get to know them better. It builds that cohesion.”

Super Garuda Shield provides opportunities for Department of Defense experimentation and joint collaboration. The exercise increases readiness of both for all participating nations. With focus on specific tasks, tactics and procedures to conduct combined arms maneuver, air assault, aviation and mission command.

By SGT Nicholle Salvatierra

12 Responses to “US Paratroopers Kick-Off Exercise Super Garuda Shield with Trilateral Airborne Operations”

  1. Terry Baldwin says:

    11th Infantry Division (Airborne)? That doesn’t sound right. Nobody calls it the 101st Infantry Division (Air Assault). Nor did I hear this historically inaccurate moniker mentioned when the 11th AIRBORNE Division (Arctic) was reactivated recently. Anybody know if this is just a typo or is it official?

    TLB

    • SSD says:

      All other Army sources call it the 11th Airborne Division.

      • Terry Baldwin says:

        SSD,

        Yeah, that is what I am seeing too. I would not have been concerned at all except that the Army has a checkered history with Unit (re)designations. It would be criminal to reactivate such a storied Division and then administratively parenthesize their all-important Airborne identity.

        TLB

  2. Jon, OPT says:

    2nd Bn 35th Infantry Division is incorrect, it is 2nd Bn 35th Infantry Regiment, part of 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Light); they are in attendance of this exercise, their Facebook page confirms it.

  3. Strike-Hold says:

    Article was obviously written by a leg.

  4. P ARBITER says:

    Man, that Indonesian officer has achieved max flair on his uniform top. The only thing I didn’t see was his Master Grill Operator tab from HH

    • Iggy says:

      Standard stuff for leaders in dangerously oppressive and unaccountable militaries.

    • Bill says:

      Why stop at the top. Continue down the trouser legs and up the back

    • Jon, OPT says:

      He really doesn’t have that much, he just has HUGE versions of the ones he has. In 20 years I collected more foreign awards than he is wearing, and I have known young enlisted and officers with more badges than that. Example: one person, SF, Ranger, Sapper, JM, MFFJM, CDQC, CIB, Pathfinder, Air Assault. His badges are all about the size of a drill or recruiter placard, that’s all. The majority of his foreign awards (worn on his right side, like the US used to be authorized) are US, and two to three times the size of ours.

      Does it look ridiculous? In a way sure, but other than the fact that he wears what looks like an EOD crab I don’t question any of them

  5. Bob says:

    Good team building, but the recent events in Ukraine have shown the limitations of airborne infantry.

    • Bob says:

      Are you basing that on Russia’s use of the VDV in Ukraine? If so we might as well say that tanks, fighters, APCs, infantry, artillery, air assault, hell the whole spectrum of warfare is obsolete or useless. Want to know what was useless? M1A1s in Afghanistan. Want to compare airborne versus air assault? More paratroopers have been given assault landing credit for combat jumps than soldiers who got assault landing credit for air assaults since Vietnam…same applies if you just want to look at the last 20 years. The 82d, 173rd, 75th Ranger Regiment, Navy SEALS, and MARSOC have conducted over 30 combat jumps in the last 20 years. Every tool has a purpose, and if you want to judge the quality of a screw driver based off of somebody trying to use it as a hammer, well…that’s on you.