New military chief for Kalimantan

New military chief for Kalimantan

BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan: A combat-hardened soldier, Maj.
Gen. Sang Nyoman Suwisma, was installed as the new regional
military commander overseeing the vast area of Kalimantan
yesterday.

The transfer of duty, led by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Subagyo
Hadisiswoyo, was held at the Tanjungpura Regional Military
Command headquarters in Balikpapan yesterday.

Suwisma replaced Maj. Gen. Muchdi P.R., who is to be installed
as the new Commander of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus). The
post has been vacant since Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto was
installed as commander of the Army's Strategic Reserves Command
(Kostrad) last Friday.

Suwisma, born in Bali in May 1949, spent most of his military
career with Kopassus.

He graduated from the Armed Forces Academy in 1971 and then
began his career teaching cadets at the same institution. He was
an instructor at the academy for three years before being
recruited into the elite Kopassus unit in 1974.

He spent 20 years and eight months in the special forces and
participated in military operations at home and abroad with the
unit.

He was later appointed commander of the Lampung based Garuda
Hitam Military Command and head of the School for Prospective
Higher-Ranking Military Officials, before being appointed
Commander of Kostrad's first division late last year. (42/imn)