Jakarta, IO – The Republic of Indonesia Ministry of Defense’s Reserve Component program, an initiative of Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto, has attracted France’s attention. Recently, the Deputy Commander of France’s Territorial National Land Forces, Brig. Gen, Gilles Haberey, visited our Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Resources.
Accompanied by the French Defense Attaché, Colonel Sven Meic; Lieut. Col. Virginie Lotti, and Maj. Serge Demeillez, he sought to know more about the organization of our national territorial defense, as well as the structure of Indonesia’s Reserve Component. This interest in our Reserve Component began when the French Defense Attaché visited Indonesia when the Reserve Component was announced and established in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
On arrival, Brig. Gen. Haberey was welcomed by the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate General of Defense Potential and Resources, Brig. Gen. Fahrid Amran, as well as the Reserve Component Ambassador, Lieut. Col. (tit.) Deddy Corbuzier.
Brig. Gen. Fahrid Amran went on to explain the Universal People’s Defense and Security System, according to the Indonesian military perspective. The strategic Reserve Component is established as a strategy to raise the awareness of national defense among Indonesian citizens. “National resources are managed properly for use in national defense. The regulation that bases the establishment of the Reserve Component is Law Number 23 of 2019 concerning the Management of National Resources for National Defense, and it is further explained in the executive regulations in the form of Government Regulations, Presidential Regulations, and Minister of Defense Regulations, which allows the Reserve Component’s establishment in 2021,” Fahrid reported.
Reserve Component Ambassador, Deddy Corbuzier, further explained the importance of attracting Millennials and Gen Z’s to the concept of national defense. “At least, let us try to get them to know the importance of this issue,” he declared.
Gilles Haberey expressed his admiration of Lieut. Gen. (ret.) Prabowo Subianto’s skillful strategy to get Indonesian citizens interested in joining the Reserve Component, especially by appointing Deddy Corbuzier as the Component’s Ambassador. “I will take you back to France with me, as I feel that your methods are the best way to attract youngsters to national defense,” he declared, much to Deddy’s surprise.
Deddy recorded his response by recalling the support he received from Minister Prabowo and the Chief of Staff of the Land Forces, Gen. Dudung Abdurachman, when he came under spotlight and protest after receiving his titular rank of Lieutenant Colonel, in this humorous Instagram status: “I express my great thanks to Mr. Defense Minister Prabowo, recalling what he said to me… ‘You got many protests, don’t you, Ded? Relax, I believe in you. Just do your best, let the results speak for themselves.’ Thank you, Sir, for your trust! It’s an honor for me… Mr. Chief of Staff of the Land Forces Dudung Abdurachman also said, ‘Don’t mind them, that’s business as usual. Let’s just do it!’ So here’s the positive, I am doing my best for it… But the negative… SIR, THEY’RE TAKING ME BACK TO FRANCE!!! Should I go or not…?” (rp)