Position of Chief of Territorial Staff Reinstated After 25-Year Absence

JAKARTA — TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto signed a decree on personnel mutations and promotions for several senior TNI officers in early March 2026. Among the surprising decisions was the reinstatement of the position of Chief of Territorial Staff (Kaster) TNI.

According to information obtained by Republika, Lieutenant General Bambang Trisnohadi now holds the position of Kaster TNI. He previously served as Commander of the Combined Regional Defence Command (Pangkogabwilhan) III.

The activation of the Kaster TNI position has resulted in the liquidation of the Assistant Territorial Staff (Aster) TNI position. Major General Suhardi, who held the Aster TNI position, has been transferred to become Vice Chief of Territorial Staff. Suhardi previously served as Commander of Military Region XIII/Merdeka and Commander of TNI Special Forces.

The position of Kaster TNI was abolished in late 2001, at which time it was held by Lieutenant General Agus Widjojo. Widjojo was Indonesia’s Ambassador to the Philippines and died in Jakarta in February 2026.

The Kaster TNI position was also previously held by Lieutenant General Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) in 1998–1999, who later became President of Indonesia from 2004 to 2014. Kaster TNI was itself a new position created as a result of the 1998 reform. Prior to this, SBY held the position of Chief of Social and Political Staff (Kasospol) from March to September 1998.

Accordingly, Bambang Trisnohadi becomes the first senior TNI officer in 25 years to hold this position. Trisnohadi, a recipient of the Adhi Makayasa award from the Military Academy (Akmil) class of 1993, previously served as Director General of Defence Strategy at the Defence Ministry under Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto from 2022 to 2024.

Additionally, according to information obtained by Republika, TNI Commander has also carried out mutations of four military regional commanders (Pangdam). The position of Commander of Military Region Jaya/Jayakarta underwent organisational validation. Previously filled by a two-star general, the position is now held by a three-star general. However, the officer occupying the position has not been replaced. Accordingly, Major General Deddy Suryadi remains as Commander of Military Region Jaya with the rank of Lieutenant General.