Kostrad

Komando Cadangan Strategis TNI-AD (Kostrad)

Army Strategic Reserve Command

Kostrad as a part of Indonesian army is the biggest striking forces in Indonesia Armed Forces. Nowadays, Kostrad have almost 30.000 personnel with 34 battalion that divided in two infantry Division. The Kostrad 1^st infantry division headquartered in Cilodong, West Java and 2^nd infantry division headquartered in Malang, East Java. Every infantry divison lead by two star general and Kostrad commander in chief was a Lieutenant General with three stars in his shoulder. Each of the divisions contains airborne and infantry brigades; one cavalry brigade; two field artillery regiments; one Raider battalion and several combat support and service support units. In the future, Kostrad will have 3^rd infantry division to cover eastern Indonesia region with headquartered in Sorong, West Papua.

KOSTRAD establish when Indonesia was dealing with the liberation of West Irian in 1960, and was formally constituted on 06 March 1961. Initially designated the Army General Reserve Corps, its name was changed to KOSTRAD in 1963. Major General Soeharto (later become Indonesia 2^nd president) was the first Kostrad commander in chief and directly appointed by the president Soekarno.

These green-beret troops have never been absent from the various military operations, such as G-30-S/PKI (30 September Movement/Indonesian Communist Party), Trisula operation, the PGRS (Sarawak People's Guerrilla Force) in Sarawak, the PARAKU (North Kalimantan People's Force) in North Kalimantan, and Operation Seroja in East Timor.

Every Kostrad personnel trained with above regular troops qualification and becoming Kostrad identification for its personnel. Kostrad personnel also equipped with jungle knife (pisau rimba) that becomes Kostrad identifying mark. Chosen Kostrad personnel is recruited becomes Kostrad special forces like Raider battalion, Combat Reconnaissance Company (Kitaipur) or also recruited as an army special forces (Kopassus) with a para-commando training in Batujajar.