TNI: Basic Military Training Participants with Health Issues Exempt from Physical Drills

The Indonesian Marine Corps has ensured that participants of the basic military training (latsarmil) for Sarjana Penggerak Pembangun Indonesia (SPPI) who have a history of health problems are not included in physical exercises. This measure is taken to ensure the participants remain healthy and can still follow the educational material. “Those with chronic or serious illnesses are separated down to the platoon and company level, so we do not include them in field activities related to physical training,” said the Commander of the SPPI Training Battalion at the 1st Marine Infantry Brigade in Cilandak, Lieutenant Colonel (Mar) Agus Mutaqin, when met by the media at the Marine headquarters in Cilandak, South Jakarta, on Thursday. Agus stated that his unit received data on the participants’ physical condition history from their health check-up results prior to joining the latsarmil. After each participant’s health condition is studied and they are separated, the trainers will direct participants with a history of illness to follow classroom-based material. The participants also undergo shooting practice with weapons prepared by Marine personnel. “Including later in the third week, we will train individual shooting on a field we have prepared. So they have military basics that can hopefully serve as a provision for their next assignment,” Agus said. As of now, Agus continued, the entire series of latsarmil education is proceeding safely and conducively. He hopes this educational process can be completed well and that all participants gain useful knowledge to be applied when managing the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives. A total of 674 latsarmil participants from SPPI are undergoing a one-and-a-half-month education at the 1st Marine Force headquarters in Cilandak, Jakarta. The participants are divided into four companies, with each company containing six platoons. During their time at the Marine Corps headquarters, they follow various basic military training programmes aimed at enhancing their spirit of nationalism and work discipline.