PEARL CITY, Hawaii - The Hawaii National Guard played a key role in Super Garuda Shield 25, the largest bilateral exercise between Indonesia and the United States and one of the Indo-Pacific’s most significant multinational training events.
Held Aug. 25 to Sept. 4, the exercise brought together about 6,500 service members from 13 nations. Designed to strengthen defense cooperation, Super Garuda Shield 25 featured a Joint Staff Exercise, or STAFFEX; Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise, or CALFEX; Engineering Civic Action Program project, or ENCAP; medical exercise, or MEDEX; small-unit and urban operations training, or MOUT; subject-matter expert exchanges; and a cultural day. Training took place across multiple locations in Indonesia, including the Indonesian Navy’s training facility in Jakarta, which hosted the STAFFEX.
The Hawaii National Guard’s contributions to Super Garuda Shield 25 were multifaceted. On the U.S. side, the Hawaii National Guard served as the main training audience for STAFFEX and as the primary planners and executors of CYBEREX. The Hawaii National Guard’s Mayor Cell also provided logistical and medical support for STAFFEX and CYBEREX participants, ensuring smooth coordination throughout the exercise.
Col. Brandon Torres, the Hawaii Army National Guard’s joint staff intelligence officer, served as chief of staff for the U.S. delegation during the STAFFEX. He described the event as critical for advancing multinational planning and decision-making.
“The significance of the STAFFEX is that this is where we do the planning at the operational level,” Torres said. “While other parts of the exercise are tactical, the STAFFEX focuses on refining how we address a fictitious operational scenario, bringing together military planners from multiple nations to tackle complex problems.”
Torres emphasized that Indonesia’s forces were equally critical in developing and conducting the training, making the exercise a genuinely collaborative effort. He praised the Tentara Nasional Indonesia, or TNI, for its professionalism and expertise.
“They’re world-class planners, and I’m glad to be a part of helping develop and grow our relationship as they become even better,” he said.
Torres reflected on how the exercise has evolved from Garuda Shield in 2007.
“Garuda Shield originally was an army-to-army exercise. Over the years, Garuda Shield merged with Gema Bhakti to form Super Garuda Shield,” Torres said. “I’ve participated in every iteration since that merger, and it’s been remarkable to see how the exercise has grown into a truly joint, multinational effort.”
The Hawaii National Guard has participated in Garuda Shield since its early days, forging a long-standing relationship with the TNI.
“I’ve seen our partnership evolve over time—from the early Garuda Shield exercises to now, as we conduct joint exercises and capacity-building activities,” Torres said. “The Hawaii National Guard and the TNI share a special relationship through the U.S.-Indonesia State Partnership Program, which allows us to partner and modernize each side through shared operations and activities.”
The Hawaii National Guard and Indonesia have been partners under the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program since 2006.
Torres, who grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii, added that cultural similarities further strengthened the partnership.
“We share values such as family, friendship and treating loved ones with dignity and respect,” he said. “These are principles that I hold very close to my heart.”
Col. Bagus Jatmiko, head of war gaming at the Indonesian Naval Command and Staff College and an exercise control group facilitator during STAFFEX, echoed Torres’ view that direct engagement and shared values are critical to building stronger partnerships.
“Through face-to-face interaction between our forces, we build the understanding needed to truly operate together,” he said, adding that exercises like Super Garuda Shield are vital for fostering mutual understanding. “The key to success in joint operations lies in finding common ground, particularly in culture and language. These exercises bridge differences, strengthen personal bonds and create the shared understanding essential for effective cooperation.”
Torres recalled his first cultural experience in Indonesia during Garuda Shield 2010 in Bandung, describing it as pivotal in shaping his lasting interest in the country.
“I was struck by the similarities between Indonesia and Hawaii, particularly the sense of community and how people treat one another,” he said. “From that point, my interest in Indonesia grew, and when I learned that Hawaii was paired with Indonesia through the State Partnership Program, I became even more invested in strengthening our relationship.”
That interest later led him to formally study the Indonesian language and serve as the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, or USINDOPACOM, desk officer for Indonesia, where he specialized in advancing bilateral military cooperation and strategic engagement.
As the exercise concluded, Torres reflected on its impact.
“Every time I come to Indonesia, it’s professionally rewarding,” he said. “I look forward to continuing our collaboration and helping both of our forces grow as we face new challenges together.”