Military Regional Command Explained

The Indonesian Military Regional Commands (id|Komando Daerah Militer; abbreviated Indonesian: Kodam) also known officially as Military Area Commands are military districts of the Indonesian Army that function for the territorial defense of various regions within the country. They cover one or multiple provinces.

History

The Armed Forces' military regions are known as Indonesian: Kodam. Their organization was established by General Sudirman, following the model of the German Wehrkreise system. The system was later codified in Strategy Order No.1 (Indonesian: Surat Perintah Siasat No.1), signed by General Sudirman in November 1948.^[1]

The Army's structure underwent various reorganisations throughout its early years. From 1946 to 1952, the Army was organized into combined arms divisions. These were consolidated in 1951 and then dissolved in 1952. From 1952 to 1958–59, the Army was organised into seven Territorial Armies (Indonesian: Tentara & Teritorium) composed of regiments and independent formations at battalion level and below. In August 1958, the Indonesian Army reconsolidated its territorial organization. This created sixteen regional commands, which retained earlier divisional titles; the Siliwangi Division, for example, became Indonesian: Kodam VI/Siliwangi.^[2] The Kodam were subdivided administratively into Areas (the former territorial regiments), Districts (the former regimental battalions), and District Sectors, and operationally composed of several specialty battalions and in some regional commands, an infantry brigade.

A reorganisation in 1985 made significant changes in the army chain of command. The four multiservice Regional Defence Commands (Indonesian: Kowilhan) and the National Strategic Forces Command (Indonesian: Kostranas) were eliminated from the defense structure, re-establishing the Military Regional Commands (Indonesian: Kodam) as the key organisation for strategic, tactical, and territorial operations for all services. The 16 regions were reduced to just 10.^[3] The chain of command flowed directly from the ABRI commander via the Chief of Staff of the Army to the ten territorial commanders, and then to subordinate army territorial commands. In 1999, the number of regions grew to 10, and today, there are around 15 in active operation.

The territorial commands incorporate provincial and district commands each with infantry battalions, sometimes a cavalry battalion, artillery, or engineers. The number of activated infantry brigades is increasing.^[4] Some have Raider battalions attached.

Organization of Regional Commands

Each Military Regional or Area Command (Indonesian: Kodam) is led by a major general, assisted by a chief of staff who holds the rank of brigadier general. Indonesian: Kodams oversee several territorial formations under its command, which are:

• Indonesian: Korem or Indonesian: Komando Resor Militer||Military Area Command also known as Military Subarea Command or Military Resort Command is a territorial army office covering a large area or multiple regencies (Kabupaten). They are further divided into two types which are type "A" and type "B". They are commanded by a brigadier general for type "A" and a colonel for type "B" respectively. It is below the Kodam and is responsible for Military Districts or Kodims.
• Indonesian: Kodim or Indonesian: Komando Distrik Militer||Military District Command also known as Military District Command is a territorial army office covering a City or Regency level. They are further divided into three types which are "independent", type "A" and type "B". They are commanded by a Colonel (for Independent and type "A"), and a Lieutenant Colonel for type "B" respectively. It is below the Korem and oversees Koramils under its supervision.
• Indonesian: Koramil or Indonesian: Komando Rayon Militer||Military Sector Command also known as Military Subdistrict Command is a territorial army office covering a district (kecamatan, distrik, kapanewon, and kemantren). They are further divided into two types, "A" and "B", commanded by a Major for type "A" and a Captain for type "B" respectively. It is below the Kodim. Babinsa offices and bureaux fall under its control.
  • Indonesian: [[Babinsa]] or Indonesian: Bintara Pembina Desa||Village Trustee also known as Village Management Senior NCO is a senior army Non-commissioned Officer (usually holding the rank of Sergeant Major) or a senior Enlisted rank personnel (usually holding the rank of Master corporal) who is in charge for carrying out territorial development and monitoring duties for a community in the Indonesian: [[Kelurahan|village/Kelurahan]] level. Babinsa NCOs fall under the control of the local Koramil unit.

In addition, each of the Kodams own a Main Regiment (known as Indonesian: Resimen Induk Kodam or Indonesian: Rindam) which is responsible for the training and education of enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers in their territory.

The office of the Regional Commander is assisted by the following territorial departments:

• Office of the Regional Inspectorate General (Indonesian: Itdam)
• Office of the Regional Secretariat (Indonesian: Setumdam)
• Regional Military Police Command (Indonesian: Pomdam) – responsible for military law enforcement in the territory
• Regional Public Affairs and Press Office (Indonesian: Pendam) – responsible for public affairs, media and civil-military relations
• Office of the Regional Adjutant General (Indonesian: Ajendam)
• Regional Military Physical Fitness and Sports Office (Indonesian: Jasdam) – responsible for physical fitness and sports affairs
• Regional Medical Department (Indonesian: Kesdam) – responsible for medical affairs
• Regional Veterans and National Reserves Administration (Indonesian: Babiminvetcadam) – responsible for military reserves formation and veterans' affairs
• Regional Topography Service (Indonesian: Topdam)
• Regional Chaplaincy Corps (Indonesian: Bintaldam) – chaplaincy service for personnel who are Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Confucianists
• Regional Finance Office (Indonesian: Kudam) – responsible for financial activities
• Regional Legal Affairs Office (Indonesian: Kumdam)
• Regional HQ and HQ Services Detachment (Indonesian: Detasemen Makodam)
• Regional C3 Unit (Indonesian: Puskodalops Kodam)
• Regional Information and Communications Technology Office (Indonesian: Infolahtadam)
• Regional Logistics and Transportation Division (Indonesian: Bekangdam)
• Regional Signals Division (Indonesian: Hubdam)
• Regional Ordnance Department (Indonesian: Paldam)
• Regional Engineering Division (Indonesian: Zidam)
• Regional Cyber Operations Service (Indonesian: Sandidam)
• Regional Intelligence Command (Indonesian: Deninteldam)
• Liaison offices of the Navy and Air Force formations in each Military Region

Operationally, each "Indonesian: Kodam" is organized as a territorial infantry division which oversees several Subordinate combat units:

• Infantry Brigade
• directly reporting independent Infantry battalions (including Raider Infantry)
• independent Infantry battalions which are under the Military Subarea Command or "Indonesian: Korem"
• Cavalry Squadron and/or Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Separate)
• Field Artillery Battalion/s
• Air Defense Artillery Battalions/Detachments
• Combat Engineers Battalion/s
• Construction Engineers Battalions/Detachments

Military regions

The following is a list of Military Regional Commands in Indonesia:

No
1.	I Military Regional Command/Bukit Barisan			Medan	Major General Hasan Hasibuan	kodam1-bukitbarisan.mil.id
2.	II Military Regional Command/Sriwijaya			Palembang	Major General M. Naudi Nurdika	kodam-ii-sriwijaya.mil.id
3.	III Military Regional Command/Siliwangi			Bandung	Major General Dadang Arif Abdurahman	siliwangi.mil.id
4.	IV Military Regional Command/Diponegoro			Semarang	Major General Deddy Suryadi	kodam4.mil.id
5.	V Military Regional Command/Brawijaya			Surabaya	Major General Rudy Saladin	kodam5brawijaya.tniad.mil.id
6.	VI Military Regional Command/Mulawarman			Balikpapan	Major General Tri Budi Utomo
7.	IX Military Regional Command/Udayana			Denpasar	Major General M. Zamroni
8.	XII Military Regional Command/Tanjungpura			Kubu Raya	Major General Iwan Setiawan
9.	XIII Military Regional Command/Merdeka			Manado	Major General Candra Wijaya
10.	XIV Military Regional Command/Hasanuddin			Makassar	Major General Bobby Rinal Makmun	kodam14hasanuddin-tniad.mil.id
11.	XV Military Regional Command/Pattimura			Ambon	Major General Putranto Gatot Sri Handoyo	kodam16pattimura.mil.id
12.	XVII Military Regional Command/Cenderawasih			Port Numbay	Major General Rudi Puruwito
13.	XVIII Military Regional Command/Kasuari			Manokwari	Major General Haryanto
14.	Military Regional Command/Jayakarta			Jakarta	Major General Rafael Granada Baay	kodamjaya-tniad.mil.id
15.	Military Regional Command/Iskandar Muda			Banda Aceh	Major General Niko Fahrizal	kodamim-tniad.mil.id

Former Military Regional Commands

No
1.	III Military Regional Command/17 Agustus		Padang
2.	X Military Regional Command/Lambung Mangkurat		Banjarmasin
3.	XI Military Regional Command/Tambun Bungai		Palangka Raya

Notes and References

1. Web site: Serangan Umum 1 Maret 1949. 29 September 2021. 1 March 2021. Kompas. Vincentinus. Gitiyarko.
2. Book: Conboy, Kenneth J. . Kopassus : inside Indonesia's special forces . 2003 . Equinox Publishing . 979-95898-8-6 . 1st . Jakarta . 79 . 51242376.
3. Current Data on the Indonesian Military Elite. Anderson. Ben. Indonesia. 40. Southeast Asia Program Publications at Cornell University. 1985. 3350880. 131–64.
4. The Military Balance. 106. 1. 2006. International Institute for Strategic Studies.