By: Prabowo Subianto [taken from the Book: Military Leadership Notes from Experience Chapter I: Exemplary Leaders of The Indonesian Armed Forces]
Dear readers,
If we study the histories of nations, we can learn that no significant change ever happens without being driven by persistent struggle. Often, this struggle takes the form of a military conflict.
Likewise, Indonesia could only gain its independence because of a persistent struggle involving Indonesia’s forefathers – the great military struggle of the ’45 generation.
A military struggle cannot succeed without leaders who possess exemplary leadership attitudes and time-tested military principles. Leaders who lead by example, leaders who lead from the front.
I saw the said attitudes exhibited by my leaders, my mentors throughout my career in the TNI. Some of them are part of the ’45 generation that liberated Indonesia from Dutch colonialism.
I am referring to the attitudes of leaders like Colonel TNI (Ret.) Azwar Syam, Lieutenant General TNI (Ret.) Himawan Soetanto, General TNI (Ret.) Abdul Haris Nasution, Major General TNI (Ret.) Mung Parahadimulyo, Lieutenant General TNI (Ret.) Yogie Suardi Memet, General TNI (Ret.) Wismoyo Arismunandar, Lieutenant General TNI (Ret.) Yunus Yosfiah, General TNI (Ret.) Muhammad Jusuf, Lieutenant General TNI (Ret.) Fransiskus Xaverius Sudjasmin, General TNI (Ret.) H. M. Suharto, Major General TNI (Ret.) I Ketut Wirdana, General TNI (Ret.) Widjojo Sujono, Brigadier General TNI (Ret.) Dr Aloysius Benedictus Mboi, Raden Panji Muhammad Nur and many more whom I consider as my mentors.
I am also referring to the attitudes of my former trainers-officers. They have shaped and assisted me, including Captain Haruman and Warrant Officer Bayani.
Without these role models, I would not be as successful in leading military operations when I was a TNI officer. I would not have been as successful after retiring from the Army.
In addition to learning important lessons and skills from my leaders and my trainers, during my time in the TNI, I also took the time to read the leadership stories of our independence fighters and other world leaders.
We can learn a lot from the leadership of Gadjah Mada, Raden Wijaya, Malahayati, Sultan Agung, Prince Diponegoro, Governor Suryo, General Sudirman, Robert Wolter Mongisidi and many more national figures who fought so persistently for the Indonesian nation.
There is also much we can learn from the perseverance of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, the Duke of Wellington, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Deng Xiaoping, Emiliano Zapata and other world military figures who successfully led their armies and nations through great battles.
Over the years, I have shared my accounts of the attitudes of successful military leaders: my seniors, my instructors, and national and world figures in my lectures at Padepokan Garudayaksa, a learning centre I built in Hambalang, and recently in my courses at the Indonesia Defense University (UNHAN).
However, I know that to build awareness amongst the new generation of TNI leadership and national leadership, simply lecturing on the attitudes of successful military leaders is not enough.
Therefore, by writing this book, I am sharing my experience and knowledge with a wider audience. I hope more and more people will benefit from what I have learnt from the likes of General TNI (Ret.) Muhammad Jusuf, Lieutenant General TNI (Ret.) Fransiskus Xaverius Sudjasmin, General TNI (Ret.) H. M. Suharto, Major General TNI (Ret.) I Ketut Wirdana, General TNI (Ret.) Widjojo Sujono and other exemplary individuals who were not only great TNI leaders but also commendable statesmen.
Besides learning from my seniors, I have also learned a lot from my peers and my juniors. Amongst them are Major General TNI (Ret.) Glenny Kairupan, Lieutenant General TNI (Ret.) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Major General TNI (Ret.) Suhartono Suratman, Lieutenant General TNI (Ret.) Johannes Suryo Prabowo, Captain TNI Posthumous Sudaryanto, and First Lieutenant TNI Posthumous Siprianus Gebo.
Other than the names of my juniors that I have mentioned above, many more stand out. For example, my colleagues in Military College (AKABRI) in the class of ’74: Brigadier General TNI Harry Pysand, Major General TNI (Ret.) Mahidin Simbolon, and Brigadier General TNI (Ret.) Endang Nugiri. They all stood out in the area of operations. I’ve witnessed them in VC (gun contact). They are the epitome of courage and sacrifice. They sometimes even came across as too brave. Some of my peers and my juniors got shot by the enemy for their bravery.
Some of my other juniors also stood out in combat: Captain CDM TNI (Ret.) Dr Boyke Setiawan joined me on the battlefield many times, Infantry Colonel TNI Posthumous Adel Gustimego (’78), Major General TNI (Ret.) Chairawan Kadarsyah Kadirussalam Nusyirwan (’80), Major General TNI (Ret.) Musa Bangun (’83), Brigadier General TNI (Ret.) Taufik Hidayat (’83), Colonel TNI (Ret.) Sugeng Rahardjo, and Major General TNI (Ret.) Meris Wiryadi (’83).
I would also like to mention Major General Surawahadi, the commander of my platoon when he was a Second Lieutenant. He is very sharp. Once he sees the enemy, he will keep pursuing them even if such an endeavour takes weeks.
Also, my highly-accomplished juniors in graduation year ’87: Major General TNI Marga Taufiq (’87), General TNI Andika Perkasa, who is now the Commander of the TNI, Lieutenant General TNI Muhammad Herindra, who is now the Deputy Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General TNI Ida Bagus Purwalaksana who was previously 328 Batallion Commander, 17th Brigade Commander, is now the Inspector General of Ministry of Defense. Ida Bagus now works with me after decades of separation.
Indeed, if I were to write about them in detail, I would never finish this book. Maybe in my next book, I will tell you about them. I am also recollecting my records of the many officers and privates who have served with me. In the upcoming book, I will let you know about them. This book is already over 500 pages long. I hope that the attitudes and leadership qualities depicted in this book can enhance mutual awareness to foster our struggle in building a strong, respectable and prosperous Indonesia.
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