Super Garuda Shield 25 brings together forces from the United States, Indonesia, and other regional allies to strengthen interoperability and demonstrate commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. While port opening operations are normally conducted by a sustainment brigade, for the 11th Airborne Division who does not have this key logistics brigade, opening a port in Indonesia requires engaged, innovative leaders to demonstrate this expeditionary readiness.
“Coordination and communication are vital when moving this much cargo,” said Capt. Jenny Cabanas, logistics officer for the 11th Airborne Division. “Our soldiers worked side-by-side with our Indonesian counterparts to ensure every piece of equipment moved safely and on time.”
Over the course of August 12-17, division logisticians coordinated the vessel offload of over 200 pieces of equipment to include containers, rotary wing aircraft and vehicles, enabling soldiers to deploy rapidly into training areas for the start of Super Garuda Shield 25.
“Port operations set the stage for Super Garuda Shield,” said Cabanas. “Without port operations, none of the equipment, vehicles, or supplies reach the fight.”
Super Garuda Shield has grown into one of the largest annual joint exercises in the region, incorporating land, air, sea, and cyber training events. For logisticians like those in the 11th Airborne Division, success begins long before the first maneuver unit steps into the training area.
“Exercises like this test our ability to deploy rapidly in the Indo-Pacific,” Cabanas said. “Opening this port proved the 11th Airborne Division can enable the joint force to move at scale, across oceans, and sustain operations in challenging environments.”
The 11th Airborne Division, based in Alaska, is the Army’s only Arctic Airborne Division and provides unique capabilities to operate in extreme conditions. By conducting port opening operations at Panjang, soldiers strengthened interoperability with Indonesia and demonstrated the ability to project combat power across the theater.
Super Garuda Shield 25 continues through September 5, featuring joint and combined training across multiple domains and showcasing the ability of U.S. and allied forces to work together in the Indo-Pacific.
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