THE BIRTH OF NATIONAL ARMY :

The Independence Proclamation, August 17, 1945 was started as the peak of the Indonesian struggle to make them free from the colonialism. Soon after the President and the Vice President were appointed, and the basic constitution was legalized, the state matters comprehensiveness was also established.

However, the national Army was not immediately established. On August 23, 1945, President Soekarno announced the formation of the People's Security Body (BKR) as an organization for maintaining and keeping people's security. Some of the youths joined the BKR and the others set up the Lascar Troops.

Soon after October 1945, the government decreed the formation of People's Security Army (TKR). Mr. Muhammad Suryo Adi Kusumo (ex Daidanco Peta) was appointed as ad interim, Ministry of Security Soepriyadi (the leader of Peta's insurgencies in Blitar against Japan) as the top leader of the TKR, and Oerip Soemohardjo (retired KNIL Major) as the Chief of General Staff of TKR. The TKR's Headquarters was posted in Yogyakarta.

People's Security Army had a mission to secure the state and people against armed disturbance from British soldiers and NICA -- Netherlands Indies anvil Administration. At that time, with the Army as its core, People's Security Army had possessed other forces, namely the Navy, Air Force and Police. In addition, People's paramilitary units such as TRIP ( Student Army of the Republic of Indonesia) and TP (Student Army) and others, were founded as people's resistance organizations to safeguard the 1945 Indonesian independence.

Based on the Government Decree No. 2/SD dated 12 January 1946, People's Security Army was changed to People's Rescue Army with a mission to save the Republic of Indonesia with its people from being decolonized. Next, on the 25th of January 1946 People's Security Army was changed to Indonesian People's Arm (TI) which consisted of Army, Navy and Air Force.

Today :

After Suharto came to power in 1967 the armed forces were unified and placed under the Ministry of Defense and Security. In 2003 the total strength of the armed forces was 302,000, including 233,000 in the army, 45,000 in the navy, and 24,000 in the air force. In addition, paramilitary forces have 174,000 police and 1.5 million members of peoples’ security units (Hansip), which operate at the village level. All citizens are required to serve two years in the armed forces, but because of limited job opportunities in the country volunteers fill the vast majority of military positions. Typically, the armed forces resort to drafting personnel only for required specialists such as doctors.

The military held considerable power in Indonesia during the Suharto years through its representatives to the House of Representatives and the People’s Consultative Assembly. The military remains powerful, but post-Suharto governments have tried to exercise greater control over it and reduce its role in domestic social affairs.

TNI Vision :

To build a solid institution of Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) and to give priority to the professionalism as the guardian of the nation freedom and safety.

TNI Mission :

To complete the internal reformation and put TNI back as the nation tool of defense by holding on to Propenas 2002 - 2004 decision of defense and safety development.