BATURAJA, Indonesia – U.S. Army musicians partnered with Baturaja University during an Aug. 11, 2022, community outreach event as part of Super Garuda Shield in Baturaja, Indonesia.
Soldiers with the 25th Infantry Division's Tropic Lightning Brass Band performed for hundreds of local community members alongside Baturaja University’s marching band in their third public performance over the two-week long exercise.
The band's first two public outreach concerts drew approximately 2,500 spectators.
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jonathan Crane, the band commander assigned to 25th Infantry Division Band, expressed excitement in the music driven partnership between the U.S. Army and Baturaja University.
“I want to say that music is a powerful force that all human beings do and it binds us together in partnership. We are so happy to be able to share our music with you all here today,” said Crane.
Mei Mike Meiserly, a student at Baturaja University and the acting master of ceremony, was excited for the unique experience.
“This was a special event because we have never had this chance before,” she said. “It has been very nice for us to learn about the music and culture of America.”
Meiserly, who is also a junior high school teacher, is looking forward to telling her students about the community outreach concert, she said.
Her students are not the only ones who will have been impacted by the band's performance.
Baturaja University Rector, Ir Hj. Lindawati MZ, M.t., said that she expects the performance to inspire the students of Baturaja University.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the band for sharing this experience with our students,” said Lindawati. “I hope this will be motivational for our students and give them motivation in their studies and towards their future.”
The university and the U.S. Army hope to foster the connection throughout the upcoming years and future Garuda Shield training exercises.
“We look forward to working together and having a lasting relationship,” said U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Jason Thomas, a civil affairs officer assigned to the 416th Civil Affairs Battalion and lead planner of the event. “We look forward to this being the beginning of a relationship between the U.S. Army and the University.”
Super Garuda Shield 2022, a part of Operation Pathways and a longstanding annual, bilateral military exercise conducted between the United States and Indonesia, reinforces U.S. commitments to allies and regional partners through joint readiness and interoperability.
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