Col. Kartini disciplined at home, at work

Col. Kartini disciplined at home, at work

By Lela E. Madjiah

BANDUNG (JP): Col. Kartini Hermanus fits the Army's motto for
servicewomen, which says: "We are not roses to beautify the
garden, but jasmine to safeguard the nation."

A symbol of Indonesian women, jasmine represents purity,
simplicity and inner strength. These are all traits that the
Army hopes to instill in its servicewomen.

Like jasmine, Kartini demonstrates the strength and simplicity
required by her profession. Kartini heads Pusdik Kowad, an Army
training center for female recruits. As the only female officer
to head a training center under the Army's Education and Training
Doctrine Command, it is only natural that she stand out among her
fellow officers.

Kartini must thank her predecessors, who worked hard to
promote women in the military. More importantly, it was the Army
leadership's trust in women's ability that cleared the path for
female officers to head Pusdik Kowad.

Born in Surakarta (Solo) on Aug. 2, 1949, Kartini was a second
year student at the School of Medicine, Sam Ratulangi University
in Manado, North Sulawesi, when her classmates urged her to
enroll in Pusdik Kowad. At the time, although her father was in
the Army, she had no idea that such a school existed.

"My friends said, 'Come on, let's join Kowad. It's good, it's
all about perfect discipline, and once we're in we can go
anywhere.' So, we registered with Pusdik Kowad and joined
training there," said Kartini, who joined the center in 1969 and
graduated in 1970.

"Initially I was quite shocked. I had no idea the training
would be that tough and said to myself, 'Oh, no!'"

However, Kartini is not one to go back on her word. Once she
says yes, she sticks to it.

"I had signed the training contract so I had to go on with it,
and not once did I regret my decision. There were 40 of us, and,
fortunately, we all made it," said Kartini, who was fortunate to
have the support of her parents.

Kartini not only passed the training, but eventually achieved
the rank of colonel, the highest level a female officer in the
Army has so far managed to reach. Actually, Kartini wanted to
continue her medical education after she finished her military
training.

"When I enrolled in Pusdik Kowad, I was told I could continue
my university studies. However, only morning classes were
available for medical students. That clashed with my working
hours and I had to prioritize my military duty," said Kartini,
who was not disappointed that her dream of becoming a doctor came
to an end.

In 1993, Kartini graduated from the Army Staff and Command
College (Seskoad), an achievement that helped further her career.
Four years after Seskoad, she was appointed commander of Pusdik
Kowad, making her the 10th woman to head the center.

Being responsible for a training center that is expected to
produce quality female soldiers is not a small task. Kartini
guides the recruits in discipline and quality.

"Discipline is the soul of a soldier. A soldier who cannot
show discipline is not a good soldier. All I ask of my students
is that they become good soldiers who can be relied on to perform
their tasks well," she said.

Mother, wife

Certainly being a servicewoman, a wife and a mother is not an
easy job. She is lucky to have Pieter Hermanus, a 1965 graduate
of the National Military Academy and now a retired Army colonel,
as a very supportive husband.

"In the military, you are on call 24 hours a day, at least
theoretically. Therefore, since childhood I taught my children to
be independent," said Kartini, mother of four grownups.

As a mother-soldier, Kartini is guided by discipline.

"As soldier-parents, both my husband and I believe in
discipline at home. We believe that we have to encourage our
children to show discipline more than civilian parents do. For
example, my children know what time to get up or when to discuss
things with their parents," she said.

She taught her children discipline by asking them to write a
monthly report of their personal spending.

"When they were in elementary school, I gave them a monthly
allowance. They had to write a report on how they spent the
money. If they used it to buy things they needed at school, they
would receive a bonus. They would still receive a bonus if they
spent their allowance on other things, but a smaller one," she
said.

Although she gives the impression of a tough woman, Kartini
believes in dialogue. She takes time to listen to her children,
usually during meals.

"We have breakfast together and we use the opportunity to
discuss things, including what my children need. Dinner is even
better, it gives us more time to talk," she said.

Kartini and her family also try to do things together as much
as possible. They perform their dawn prayers as a family, with
her husband as imam (one who leads a prayer). At least once a
week the family jogs around the housing complex where they live
in the Cimahi area, Bandung.

"It's healthy and cost-free," she explains.

To make up for the busy, sometimes erratic working hours, once
a week Kartini concentrates on her family, though without
completely abandoning her military tasks.

"I can't completely take my mind off my responsibilities. When
the school is full, I have up to 350 students and they are all my
children. But I have a reliable staff who reports to me and can
reach me wherever I am."

The family does not go out very often because that takes
money. Kartini and her family have to adjust their lifestyles to
her salary as a government employee.

"Mostly I spend my spare time cooking. I like cooking and once
a week I cook my family's favorite dishes," she said, adding that
because of her stay in North Sulawesi, she is very fond of
Manadonese food.

Expert

Kartini is also an expert at makeup and hairdressing.

"I took a course on makeup and haircutting. Although I'm in
the military, I'm a woman and I have to be able to take care of
myself. The haircutting skill is particularly helpful here at
Pusdik Kowad. I teach my staff the skill so that when new
recruits arrive we do not have to hire a professional hairdresser
to cut their hair. Imagine the amount of money we save by doing
it ourselves," she explained.

Despite Kartini and Pieter's successful careers in the
military, none of their children followed in their footsteps.

"One day, when the youngest was still at junior high school,
we sat together and I asked them if any of them were interested
in joining the military. To my surprise, none of them raised
their hands. I demanded to know why no one raised their hand, and
they said, 'No, thanks. You guys don't seem to stop working, from
morning till night. Very tiring. And look at what you earn.' They
said that because they know exactly how much my husband and I
earn. We told them so they knew what to ask for from their
parents. So, they decided not to join the military, given the
small pay," said Kartini.

Her oldest child, Onde, holds an MBA degree. Her second,
Martha, is in her final semester at the School of International
Relations, Padjadjaran University. Her third, Jimmy, is a final
year student of the civil engineering department at the Bandung
Institute of Technology. The youngest, Terry, is studying
computer engineering and hopes to graduate next year.

"It seems that they all follow their father, who is more of a
technical person. My husband is now a special assistant to the
president of PT Pindad (the Army's weapon industry)," said
Kartini, who was not at all disappointed with her children's
choices of careers.

"Times have changed. In the past, children were scared of
voicing their minds and did what their parents told them to. It's
different now. We don't want our children to be afraid of their
parents. Otherwise, when they're in trouble, they dare not tell
their parents," she said.