Tentara Nasional Indonesia or National Army of Indonesia (TNI)
The Indonesia Army is the most powerful service in the armed force
Since the 01 April 1999 separation of POLRI, the Indonesian National Police, from The army has begun to use its former name, Tentara Nasional Indonesia or National Army of Indonesia (TNI); the term is increasingly being used instead of ABRI. The ground forces are presently termed Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat. The Army of the Republic of Indonesia (ADRI) historically has been the dominant service, with administrative control of the armed forces resting with the army chief of staff, in 1992 a four-star general. His staff included a vice chief of staff, an inspector general, and assistant chiefs of staff for logistics, operations, personnel, planning and budget, security, and territorial affairs. Total army strength, which had not changed substantially during the New Order era, as of 1992 was some 217,000, not including several thousand in nonmilitary positions throughout the government.
The chief of staff was responsible for personnel, training, administration, and logistical support of the army, but he did not exercise direct authority over the ten KODAMs, the regional commands of the army that reported directly to the commander in chief. Commanders and staff of each KODAM were responsible for administration, logistics, personnel, training, and the general welfare of assigned and attached combat units. Each KODAM was divided into successively smaller administrative units. These included the Military Resort (Garrison) Command (KOREM); Military District Command (KODIM); and Military Subdistrict Command (KORAMIL). At the bottom of the structure, noncommissioned officers (NCOs) were assigned to every village in the country.
Indonesian army main unit Structure
Approximately two-thirds of the army was engaged in the national defence aspect of the armed forces' dwifungsi mission. Operations were rarely, if ever, conducted in any formation larger than a battalion. Each Korem had control of at least one battalion and one or more battalions came under the direct control of the Kodam. Army doctrine differentiated between tactical battalions, which were found in Kostrad and at least one quick reaction force battalion for each Kodam; and territorial battalions, which made up the majority of the units assigned to the ten Kodams. Each battalion had a strength of nearly 700 men, and personnel programs within a fixed staffing size called for recruitment of sufficient numbers to bring chronically understrength units up to authorized levels. Some of these forces were occasionally assigned for temporary missions to Kostrad or Kopassus.
THE TERRITORIAL COMMAND
The territorial command consists of 11 independent Military Regional Commands or KODAM (Komando Daerah Militer). Each KODAM is commanded by a Major General and subdivided into smaller administrative units. The next highest level is the KOREM (Komando Rayon Militer) or Military Garison Command, followed by the KODIM (Komando District Militer) or Military District Command and the KORAMIL (Komando Rayon Militer) or Military Sub-district Command. Noncommissioned officers are assigned to the village level. The importance and strength of each KODAM is relative and largely dependent on the size of their area and proximity to power, that is, JAKARTA.
The geographic extent of the army KODAM in the early 1990s was as follows: KODAM I, Special Region of ACEH and SUMATERA UTARA, SUMATERA BARAT, and RIAU provinces; KODAM II, JAMBI, BENGKULU, SUMATERA SELATAN, and LAMPUNG provinces; KODAM III, JAWA BARAT Province; KODAM IV, JAWA TENGAH Province and the Special Region of YOGYAKARTA; KODAM V, JAWA TIMUR Province; KODAM VI, the four provinces of KALIMANTAN; KODAM VII, the four provinces of SULAWESI; KODAM VIII, IRIAN JAYA provinces; KODAM IX, Bali, NUSA TENGGARA TIMUR, NUSA TENGGARA BARAT, and Timor TIMUR provinces; KODAM JAYA JAKARTA, the Special Capital City Region of Jakarta and KODAM XVI (formed 15 May 99) AMBON, MALUKU and KODAM XVIII ( formed 05 Feb 02)
KOSTRAD (Army Strategic Reserve Command)
The KOSTRAD is the large elite strike force. They can compare with the 75 ranger Regiment of US or the Commando regiment of Australian Army and also directly use by Army HQ or Central command. KOSTRAD is the senior conventional force with approximately 27,000 soldiers organized into two divisions and one independent airborne infantry brigade. KOSTRAD is centered on Java with HQ 1st Division based in Jakarta and HQ 2nd Division located at Malang. The 3rd Airborne Infantry Brigade is located in Ujung Pandang. The 3rd Airborne Infantry Brigade commander Col Djoko Subandrio have just finished the BSTF commander in West Timor in Sep 03.
KOPASSUS (Special Forces Command)
The KOPASSU is the abbreviation from ( komando pasukan khusus )
it is almost the same as the general special force in the world . It has the short chain of command
Small number of troop but well trained . Organised into five groups responsible for
para commando operations (Groups 1 and 2); training (Group 3); unconventional warfare (Group 4)is the main unit that got involved in the East Timor insurgency and counter/anti terrorist operations (Group 5). All groups are located on Java; Groups 1,4 and 5 in Jakarta and Sorong; Group 2 in Central Java at Kartosuro and Group 3 in Bandung.
It is possible that KOPASSUS or KOPASSUS agents could be utilised for information gathering. The potential for this continues as returnees move back into TL. It is assessed that TL authorities, F-FDTL and the PKF are the direct target of certain intelligence agencies, and whether KOPASSUS elements are being utilised for this operation remains unknown. The external threat to TL stability from information collection by KOPASSUS is therefore assessed as LOW. Such activities are likely to be covert and clandestine in nature and emphasise deniability, thus making activity very difficult to detect.
TNI-AD IN WEST TIMOR
Type of troop
The key tables entitled ‘Recapitulation of organik and penugasan personnel forces’ divided the troops into two categories;
Organik or territorial troops who are stationed in the territory on a semi-permanent (usually three months or longer) basis
In west Timor is the AO for KODAM 9 in resiponsibility of KOREM 161 WIRASAKI Command by COL Moeswarno Moesanip
Penugasan or troops deployed from outside the territory for special duties, ie combat troops which are brought in to fight the guerrillas in the bush and quell the rebellious population in the towns and villages.
BSTF is the Penygasan or troops deployed from outside the territory for special
The TNI forces in NTT are composed of three battalions that make up the Border Security Task Force (BSTF). There is also a forth battalion stationed in Kupang. In addition to these battalions, the TNI also have a network of Territorial units that serve the function as a “Home guard”. These forces are not supposed to be armed, and their uniforms and equipment are not of the same standard as the regular TNI troops. They serve a certain number of days each year.
In addition to this, the TNI also employs a number of ex-Militias as security forces in the refugee camps along the border
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