Tarub inducted as new chief of Kostrad, replacing Kuntara
JAKARTA (JP): The Army's Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) yesterday got a new chief, the 19th commandant since the force was founded in 1961.
Maj. Gen. Tarub was inducted as the new chief of the green beret force in a military ceremony at Kostrad's headquarters in Cijantung, East Jakarta.
A commandant post in Kostrad, which supplies the Army's main combat force, has traditionally been a career enhancer. Its first commander when the force was established 33 years ago is none other than Maj. Gen. Soeharto, now the Indonesian president.
Others who rose to become prominent national figures include Umar Wirahadikusumah, a former vice president, Wahono, the current Speaker of House of Representatives, Wiyogo Atmodarminto, a former ambassador to Japan and governor of Jakarta.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wismoyo Arismunandar oversaw the transfer of duty from the outgoing commandant, Maj. Gen. Kuntara to Tarub, who was recently relieved of his post as chief of the Trikora Military Command which oversees Maluku and Irian Jaya.
Kuntara himself is nearing retirement age soon but given his wide military experience is expected to be given a key post in the military if not the government.
Tarub, 52 years old, is a 1965 graduate of the National Military Academy. His peers from Class '65 are also in command of many of the Army's key positions.
Regarded as a true combat soldier, Tarub built his military into the Army's most fearsome unit Special Force (Kopassus), later rising to become a commandant of its airborne brigade. After a brief territorial stint at the Trikora command, he returned to Kopassus as the deputy chief to the commandant, held also by Kuntara.
When Kuntara was promoted to chief of Kostrad, Tarub was promoted to Kopassus chief. Now he is again replacing Kuntara at Kostrad.
Alert
Wismoyo in his speech at the induction ceremony yesterday reminded the force of the need to always maintain their discipline and remain alert against any potential disruptions to national security and stability.
Kostrad was the main striking force in many of the military's operations in putting down rebellions in the past.
It now consists of 23,000 troopers, divided into two divisions, one in Jakarta and another in Malang, East Java. Although it is under the Army, its commandant receives order for deployment directly from the Armed Forces chief.
It made its debut during the Trikora Operation, a campaign to win Irian Jaya, then called West Papua, from the hands of the Dutch colonial government. This operation also launched the young Soeharto into prominence.
Soeharto was called into action once again in 1965 to put down the rebellion by the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).
Kostrad's units also make up most of the Indonesian contingent to various United Nations peacekeeping missions, including the latest one, a health detachment, to Bosnia. (rms)