Hawaii-Based Soldiers Train In Indonesia As US Seeks To Solidify Ties … The Army is conducting its largest-ever exercise in Indonesia with quarantines and other safety measures in place.
Hawaii-based soldiers are currently training in Indonesia as part of the largest exercise the U.S. Army has ever held in the country. Exercise Garuda Shield 2021 kicked off after the participating American troops completed quarantine.
The exercise occurred as the U.S. and China compete for influence in Indonesia, and as the world grapples with a new surge in the coronavirus pandemic. Indonesia became the second country in Asia to record 100,000 COVID-19 deaths earlier this month.
The Schofield Barracks-based 25th Infantry Division has played a leading role in Pentagon efforts to advance closer ties with Indonesia and other countries, although the pandemic created new hurdles for training efforts.
