Hawaiʻi National Guard supports final GPOI-funded Garuda Canti Dharma III exercise

SENTUL, Indonesia — The Hawaiʻi National Guard joined military members and civilians from 22 countries on July 20 for the opening of Exercise Garuda Canti Dharma III at the Indonesian Peacekeeping Training Center, launching the final iteration funded by the Global Peace Operations Initiative and drawing more than 700 participants.

The field training event, jointly hosted by U.S. Pacific Command and the Tentara Nasional Indonesia, runs July 20 to Aug. 2 in Bogor, West Java. Billed as the world’s largest annual multinational peacekeeping exercise, it brings partner nations together for staff planning, classroom instruction and realistic scenarios aimed at preparing forces for future United Nations peacekeeping missions and improving interoperability in complex multinational environments.

This year’s exercise coincides with the 20th year of Hawaiʻi’s State Partnership Program relationship with Indonesia, established in 2006 and expanded over time to include disaster response, aviation, cyber defense, medical readiness, reserve force development, operational planning and professional military education. As island and archipelagic communities, the partners have leveraged shared challenges in disaster response, maritime security and infrastructure protection to deepen cooperation.

Serving as keynote speaker, Brig. Gen. Phillip L. Mallory, the Hawaiʻi National Guard’s deputy adjutant general, underscored the importance of the enduring partnership and multinational collaboration. “Garuda Canti Dharma has become one of the world’s premier multinational peacekeeping exercises,” Mallory said during his opening remarks. “The participation of military professionals from so many nations reflects our shared commitment to preparing peacekeepers who are ready to serve with professionalism, integrity and respect for the people they are entrusted to protect. Training together today strengthens our ability to operate together tomorrow in support of international peace and security.”

Planning for this year’s exercise leaned on two Hawaiʻi Army National Guard field-grade officers assigned to the Exercise Support Group. Maj. Irish Manayan led administrative and logistics synchronization across personnel, resources and multinational support requirements, while Maj. Randall Duldulao directed operational planning and integrated participating forces across multiple organizations. “It was an honor and privilege to help plan and execute Garuda Canti Dharma III,” Duldulao said. “Although each nation brings its own processes, we all share the same mission. Exercises like this build the trust and understanding needed to succeed together.”

Hawaiʻi Soldiers are also supporting instruction and training. Five Soldiers from medical units are staffing two medical training lanes, and the 1st Squadron, 299th Cavalry Regiment provided two instructors and 10 Soldiers for the field training exercise. Working alongside members of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, the 299th formed a multinational peacekeeping platoon focused on patrol operations, checkpoint procedures, casualty care and other tasks to build tactical proficiency and interoperability. In total, 19 Hawaiʻi Army National Guard Soldiers are supporting the exercise through planning, medical support, instruction and field training.

Training across the event includes patrol operations, checkpoint management, first aid, crowd control and explosive ordnance disposal, along with a multinational Gender Focal Point course to advance the meaningful participation of women in peace operations.

The exercise comes as the United States and Indonesia move forward under the Major Defense Cooperation Partnership signed April 13, 2026, a framework for expanded cooperation in military modernization and capacity building, training, professional military education, exercises and operational cooperation.

Following the opening ceremony, Mallory met Maj. Gen. Iwan Bambang S., S.I.P., commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces Peacekeeping Center, to reinforce ongoing collaboration through the State Partnership Program and discuss opportunities after the conclusion of GPOI. He also met Brig. Gen. Hengki of Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense National Reserve Agency (Badan Cadangan Nasional, or BACADNAS) to explore reserve force development initiatives aligned with the MDCP. Additional meetings with the U.S. Embassy country team covered defense cooperation priorities and avenues to broaden future bilateral engagements.

Those engagements reflect Hawaiʻi’s broader role supporting Indonesia’s long-term defense development. Through recurring State Partnership Program exchanges, personnel have shared expertise in operational planning, cyber modernization, aviation, rotary-wing operations, air refueling, explosive ordnance disposal, medical readiness and professional military education.

This year marks the final GPOI-funded iteration of Garuda Canti Dharma, a U.S. Department of State security assistance program that over more than two decades helped Indonesia build one of the world’s premier multinational peacekeeping exercises. “Garuda Canti Dharma III represents the culmination of a highly successful program, and Indonesia has the honor of hosting the final multinational peacekeeping exercise under GPOI,” said Maj. Karen DeLoria, director of ground capabilities development for the U.S. Military Group at U.S. Embassy Jakarta, Indonesia. “The Hawaiʻi National Guard has been instrumental to that success, consistently providing U.S. forces and expertise that have helped sustain this long-standing effort while reinforcing our enduring relationship with Indonesia.”

While GPOI support concludes, cooperation continues under the State Partnership Program and the MDCP. “Looking ahead, the Hawaii National Guard is excited to continue building on this partnership through future exchanges and engagements,” Mallory said. “We also look forward to integrating capabilities such as our Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives Enhanced Response Force Package and Civil Support Team. Just as importantly, we learn as much from our partner nations as they learn from us.”