Deputy Defence Minister: Basic Military Training Very Beneficial for Character Building

Deputy Defence Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto believes that basic military training is highly beneficial for character development. He said this is why the Ministry of Defence launched the Presidential Future Leaders Program (PFLP) for 400 state-owned enterprise (BUMN) employees who will undergo training for the first three months at Kodiklat TNI.

‘Therefore, basic military education will be provided to them because it is very good for building character,’ Donny said at Kodiklat TNI, Buaran, Serpong, South Tangerang, on Wednesday, 20 May 2026.

He cited drill training as teaching a person to lead peers while also building the spirit of following the leader or followership.

‘That is one form of preparation for them that will be very beneficial when they become leaders; they can lead their peers, or if they have a leader, they will be loyal to their leader,’ he explained.

He asked that military education in the program should not be viewed negatively. According to Donny, participants are not being trained to become soldiers, but to have their character developed. In this regard, the BUMN employees recruited in 2024 and 2025 will become the first government staff to participate in the program.

Of the 1,068 employees invited to the selection, about 700 attended and 400 were declared successful in the first batch. The participants comprised 272 men and 128 women.

The first three months will be spent at Kodiklat TNI to build character, nationalism, a sense of national identity, togetherness, discipline and fighting spirit.

‘They (Kodiklat TNI) have trainers and mentors whom I am confident can mould their character in line with what we expect,’ Donny said.