TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu confirmed that Indonesian Army’s Special Forces Kopassus is set to hold joint training with the United States Army in 2020 after meeting the acting U.S. secretary of defense H.E. Patrick Michael Shanahan in Jakarta yesterday, May 30.

According to Ryacudu, the joint training will focus on combat medic or field medic as it proves significant to treat wounded soldiers in the front line of duty without the presence of any doctors.

“We will follow America’s rehab medic. There, a soldier with an amputated leg can still somewhat run. Once they return to the battleground or war, they would participate despite being an amputee,” he said.

“Unlike here, once they get shot, taught to stitch injuries, why bother. There’ll be no more of that. A soldier’s spirit must be persevered to not be a softy,” said Ryamizard.

Meanwhile, Kopassus General Major General I Nyoman Cantiasa also confirmed the news of next year’s plan. “They offered what material we preferred, we asked for combat medic,” he said.

He said that the request for a combat medic training is to mainly install first-aid surgical skills in the field of battle. “A sergeant is not a doctor, could conduct surgery on a bullet wound, the important thing is to survive for three days before administering the patient to a larger hospital,” said Nyoman.

Early plans suggest the joint training would be held both in Indonesia and followed by another training in the United States.

ANTARA