Navy, Air Force chiefs get Kopassus honor

BANDUNG, West Java (JP): The Army's Special Force (Kopassus) conferred its honorary command badge on Navy Chief Admiral Arief Kusharyadi and Air Force Chief Marshall Sutria Tubagus yesterday for their service in forging cooperation with the red berets.

The awards ceremony, presided by Army Chief Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, was held at Kopassus Group 3 headquarters in Batujajar, near here.

Arief and Sutria had to trek for an hour through a muddy path with 16 hurdles as a compulsory part of the ceremony.

After finishing the run, the two were awarded the command badge. They then donned the elite force's red berets and command knives.

Subagyo said after the ceremony that the awarding of command badge was to honor the good cooperation between the two forces and Kopassus.

"The Air Force has helped Kopassus in air logistics while the Navy has given many contributions to Kopassus at sea," he said.

Asked whether Police Chief. Gen. Dibyo Widodo would also get the award, Subagyo reiterated that the decoration was conferred only to high-ranking military officials who provided services to the Army's special force.

Subagyo also awarded Kopassus' air guide decoration to several high-ranking military officers. Included among them were Chief of Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Suharto, Chief of the Air Force School of Staff and Command Rear Marshall Juju Juanda and Army Inspector General Nurdin Yusuf.

The special force recently awarded former minister of defense and security Gen. (ret) Maraden Panggabean with honorary membership for his meritorious service to the force in the past. (43)