CAMP PUSLATPUR, East Java Indonesia--Indonesian soldiers received instruction on how to counter improvised explosive devices during a bi-lateral exercise with U.S. Army Pacific Soldiers that ended Aug. 12 in East Java, Indonesia.

Garuda Shield 16, is a bi-lateral exercise between the U.S. Army Pacific and the Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat, was a capstone theater security cooperation event which focused on closing interoperability gaps in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and Peace Enforcement Operations.

Indonesia prides itself in its UN PKO participation status, said Lt. Col. Wahyu Dili Yudha Irawan, deputy commanding officer, TNI-AD's 2 KOSTRAD, 9th Infantry Brigade. "C-IED training is important to Indonesia, who remains ready at any time to assist with peacekeeping operations."

IED training is conducted outside the exercise up to four times a year for those troops deploying in support of UN PKO missions but TNI-AD soldiers do not receive C-IED training unless it is mission specific. Because insurgent and terrorist groups are increasing IED attacks on UN Peacekeepers, it is vitally and strategically important for Indonesia to continue to train and protect its Soldiers, he said.

Asia-Pacific Counter Improvised Explosive Device Fusion Center master C-IED instructors assisted members of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord based 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment and 2nd Battalion 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, along with their Indonesian Army counterparts in executing a C-IED training support package. About 230 combined soldiers benefitted from this event, said Sgt. 1st Class Chad Workman, platoon sergeant, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry.

"Working with the TNI-AD has been a great experience. They are eager to show us what they know and extremely interested to learn from us, especially negotiating terrain that may contain IEDs or mines," he said.

In the classroom, APCFC assisted with topics such as mine, unexploded ordnance and IED awareness, dismounted/mounted operations in an IED environment, and static observation techniques. Outside the classroom, the TNI-AD experienced a walking IED visual indicator lane, a practical exercise designed to heighten Soldier awareness of IEDs in the immediate environment while dismounted. Utilizing the APCFC's fabrication shop to build region-specific IED devices, the U.S. and TNI-AD Soldiers were able to bring the realism of the IED battle space into the training environment.

The training received by U.S. Soldiers was also extremely beneficial. Soldiers were exposed to different environments where IEDs might be employed and learning about IEDs in restrictive jungle terrain was a new experience. The exercise provided U.S. Soldiers with an opportunity for C-IED training that was unlike anything they might have experienced in USCENTCOM and working with the Soldiers in the TNI was very rewarding, said Sgt. 1st Class Max Free, APCFC C-IED master trainer.

"These guys [TNI-AD] are simply amazing soldiers. I did not know what to expect but once I saw their professionalism and soldier skills, I was blown away," he said.

Garuda Shield 16 is the tenth iteration, and only the third time the APCFC has participated in the exercise.