US and Indonesian Marine Corps wrap up annual platoon exchange

LAMPUNG, Indonesia — A platoon of U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 26, concluded this year’s iteration of an annual platoon exchange with the Indonesian Marine Corps in a closing ceremony at the Indonesian Marine Corps 7th Infantry Battalion base near Lampung on August 28, 2026.

U.S. Marines participated in a series of subject matter expert exchanges and practical application exercises with a platoon of Indonesian marines from 7th Infantry Battalion, 4th Brigade from August 12-28, 2026. The exchange culminated in a full mission profile exercise, applying the skills they had strengthened throughout the exercise.

“The exchange was a great opportunity for our Marines to learn from the Indonesian Marine Corps’ experts in the environments they were teaching us to operate in,” said 1st Lt. Abigail Gutierrez, a platoon commander with A Co., 1st Bn., 5th Marines. “From the beginning of the exercise to the end, you could really see the improvement in our ability to integrate together to accomplish bigger and more complex missions.”

Marines from both nations exchanged knowledge in tactical combat casualty care, jungle and urban combat, marksmanship, and communications. The platoons learned each other’s methods, combined procedures, and integrated into multinational squads for the final full mission profile.

The two-day full mission profile began with a jungle warfare exercise featuring squad-level patrolling, reaction to contact, casualty care, and tracking an enemy in a jungle environment. The second day shifted to an urban combat scenario, where integrated squads conducted a raid on a building, applying combined procedures for urban patrolling, exterior movement, and interior movement.

The success of the full mission profile affirmed the platoons’ ability to integrate multinational forces’ operating procedures while also building mutual respect through shared cultural exchanges.

“Making friends with the Indonesian marines was easy because they were incredibly welcoming and generous from day one,” said Lance Cpl. Dominik Kowalski, a machine gun team leader with A Co., 1st Bn., 5th Marines. “The relationships we built out here are a direct result of the exchanges our forces have been doing for years. Honestly, on top of all the training, it was fun getting to swap stories, learn each other’s cultures, and make genuine friends with the Indonesian marines.”

The exchange concluded as both forces prepare for Exercise Super Garuda Shield 2026.