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BANDUNG, Indonesia — Multinational service members taking part in Super Garuda Shield 2026 produced the exercise’s first staff-generated operations order during a staff exercise held Aug. 31–Sept. 10 at the Indonesian Armed Forces Staff and Command School in Bandung, a milestone as the event prepares for its inaugural command post exercise next year.
The Hawaii National Guard worked alongside Indonesian counterparts and other partner forces to plan and run the staff exercise, as well as the accompanying cyber exercise and a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief tabletop event.
Shifting beyond process walkthroughs and planning discussions, participants used the military decision-making process to develop, synchronize and publish a formal plan intended to guide subordinate elements toward a shared mission and commander’s intent.
“This is the first training audience to produce an operations order during the STAFFEX,” said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Phillip L. Mallory, commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard. “I challenge those who will participate in the exercise next year to carry our momentum into the first ever command post exercise.”
Exercise organizers said the product reflects the maturation of the staff drill and will shape the first command post exercise (CPX) next year. Rather than replacing the staff event, the CPX will rotate with it in alternating years: the staff exercise will hone planning, coordination and operational products, while the CPX will focus on command and control, decision-making and execution. Alternating formats are intended to build complementary skills and increase the complexity of multinational training over time.
“What we have accomplished here demonstrates not only how far this exercise has come, but also where we intend to take it,” Mallory said.
The Hawaii Guard’s role across the staff, cyber and disaster-relief events underscores the depth of Hawaii’s two-decade relationship with Indonesia through the State Partnership Program, which marks its 20th anniversary this year. Hawaii-based planners and subject-matter experts collaborated closely with Indonesian counterparts to shape and conduct each event, continuing a pattern of recurring engagements and shared training.
Mallory said the Hawaii National Guard participated in approximately 20% of roughly 200 activities conducted between the United States and Indonesia during the previous year.
“Super Garuda Shield provides a tangible way to put that partnership into action, building readiness, strengthening interoperability, and improving our ability to operate together when it matters most,” Mallory said.
Looking ahead to the first CPX, Mallory urged participants to apply lessons from producing the operations order and to continue strengthening multinational planning, communication and integration.
“Our success will ultimately be measured not simply by what we accomplished during this exercise, but by how much more capable we are when called upon to act together,” he said.
