Prepare TNI Commanders for Modern War

The Staff and Command Schools of the Army, Navy and Air Force play a role in preparing TNI commanders who can adapt to changes in modern defense threats. The adequacy of qualified teaching staff is crucial.

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

Student officers from the Army Command and Staff College (Seskoad) batch 61 attend a Regional Studies course in Bandung, West Java, Thursday (23/09/2021). The mid-level officers studied for six months at the Seskoad to be projected to become the future leaders of the Indonesian Army.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The threat of modern war that relies on digital technology, nuclear-biological-chemical warfare and long-distance technology requires commanders of the Indonesian Military (TNI) who are innovative, creative and have a global perspective. For this reason, Staff and Command Schools (Sesko) in the three forces of the TNI, namely the Army, Navy and Air Force, are required to continue to strengthen the quality and quantity of their human resources in charge of teaching.

Sesko is the highest school in each Army, Navy and Air Force. Sesko is intended for mid-level officers with the military rank of major and lieutenant colonel. They learn things related to organization and operations in each batch. Sesko is the main requirement for an officer to be able to get promoted to a higher commanding position to have a chance of becoming a high-ranking officer.

To see the efforts made by Sesko in preparing commanders in the TNI in the face of changing security and defense threats, Kompas visited the Army Sesko (Seskoad) in Bandung, West Java; Sesko Navy (Seskoal) in Jakarta and Sesko Air Force (Seskoau) in West Bandung, at the end of September 2021. Kompas talked with the leaders and teachers of those Sesko and saw the learning process of student officers (Pasis).

Also read:

> Military Academies Adapt to Zoomers

> The Urgency of Defense

In some classes, there were quite open discussions among fellow students or with their teachers. In one class at Seskoad, for example, when discussing border security, apart from discussing the theoretical framework, the arguments were also accompanied by empirical experience while serving in border areas.

The Commander of the Seskoad, Maj. Gen. Anton Nugroho, said there were three things the military students learned, namely the strategic environment, military leadership and ground defense. Seskoad graduates are expected to become officers who have insight, innovation and creativity. "That way, as a commander, they can make the best decisions," said Anton.

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

Commander of the Army Staff and Command School (Seskoad) Major General Anton Nugroho when met at his office in Bandung, West Java, Thursday (23/9/2021).

In the last two years, the subject of international dynamics has been increasingly discussed. Students are now required to write five essays on analyzing international issues, compared to just one essay previously. However, they are still required to write many more essays on analyzing national issues, namely 34.

The increase in material for strategic environment analysis is also due to the development of the situation. The unconventional warfare pattern which has increased must continue to be studied.

A teacher at Seskoad, Col. Singgih Pambudi Arinto, said one of the wars currently being studied at Seskoad was the Armenian-Azerbaijan war. The war in which tanks are faced by drones is an interesting material for studies related to tactics and morale of the troops.

For example, now there are drones that have changed the way of war, so we have to prepare them in a war simulation laboratory.

The Seskoal commander Rear Admiral Tunggul Suropati, said that according to the characteristics of the Indonesian Navy, namely manned weapons, mastery of technology is absolute. Seskoal graduates are prepared to master marine operations.

Lecturer for strategy at Seskoal, Navy Colonel (P) Basri Mustari, added that the students were prepared to carry out joint operations, which is the characteristic of future wars. Various tasks at Seskoal accommodate modern warfare, such as the development of digital technology, nuclear-biological-chemical warfare and long-distance technology.

Seskoau commander First Marshal Widyargo Ikoputra said the learning materials at Seskoau followed the Air Force doctrine and were adapted to strategic and operational plans. In addition, it is adjusted to the assets and technology owned. "For example, now there are drones that have changed the way of war, so we have to prepare them in a war simulation laboratory," he said.

KOMPAS/NIKSON SINAGA

Troops from the 469th Paskhas Command Battalion of the Indonesian Air Force talk on the sidelines of an urban warfare exercise with troops from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron of the United States Air Force Pacific Special Operations Command, at the former office of Polonia Airport, at Soewondo Air Base, Medan, North Sumatra, Wednesday (3/3). /7/2019).

The principal lecturer at Seskoau, Colonel (Tek) Rachmadi Anggoro, said to face the threat of war in the future, the curriculum made at Seskoau was also adjusted. The portion of learning technology is more than when he was a student in 2008.

The introduction of war operations is also carried out with a future war orientation. The curriculum at Seskoau also includes network-centric warfare, which is characterized by interoperability and interconnectivity of the main weapons system.

Human Resource Constraints

The Sesko commanders admit that the biggest obstacle is the quality of the teachers. According to Ikoputra, to be able to adapt the curriculum to future challenges, educators must be technology literate and able to improve their abilities with the latest developments. They are also required to collaborate with regional or global partners.

Tunggul said 95 percent of Seskoal\'s teachers were former students who had developed their knowledge elsewhere. In addition to courses, lecturers are also given the opportunity to study for S-2 and S-3 schools. Seskoal also cooperates with universities abroad. Meanwhile, at Seskoad, officers who have just studied abroad are asked to provide input. Seskoad also cooperates with several campuses in Indonesia for non-military courses.

Defense observer at the University of Gen. Achmad Yani, Yohanes Sulaiman, said that cooperation between the TNI and the outside world was needed so that the learning materials at the school were relevant to the challenges ahead. Teachers should also be more open to forming a good academic climate. (DEA/NAD/TAM/JOS/EDN)

This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko.