Military Regional Command


The Indonesian Military Regional Commands also known officially as Military Area Commands are military districts of the Indonesian Army that function for the territorial defense of various regions within the country. They cover one or multiple provinces.

History

The Armed Forces' military regions are known as Kodam. Their organization was established by General Soedirman, following the model of the German Wehrkreise system. The system was later codified in Strategy Order No.1, signed by General Soedirman in November 1948.
The Army's structure underwent various reorganisations throughout its early years. From 1946 to 1952, the Army was organized into combined arms divisions. These were consolidated in 1951 and then dissolved in 1952. From 1952 to 1958–59, the Army was organised into seven Territorial Armies composed of regiments and independent formations at battalion level and below. In August 1958, the Indonesian Army reconsolidated its territorial organization. This created sixteen regional commands, which retained earlier divisional titles; the Siliwangi Division, for example, became Kodam VI/Siliwangi. The Kodam were subdivided administratively into Areas, Districts, and District Sectors, and operationally composed of several specialty battalions and in some regional commands, an infantry brigade.
A reorganisation in 1985 made significant changes in the army chain of command. The four multiservice Regional Defence Commands and the National Strategic Forces Command were eliminated from the defense structure, re-establishing the Military Regional Commands as the key organisation for strategic, tactical, and territorial operations for all services. The 16 regions were reduced to just 10. The chain of command flowed directly from the ABRI commander via the Chief of Staff of the Army to the ten territorial commanders, and then to subordinate army territorial commands. In 1999, the number of regions grew to 10, and as of 2024, there are around 15 in active operation.
The territorial commands incorporate provincial and district commands each with infantry battalions, sometimes a cavalry battalion, artillery, or engineers. The number of activated infantry brigades is increasing. Some have Raider battalions attached.
Six new regional commands were created on 10 August 2025, and so the number of regions grew to 21.

Organization of Regional Commands

Each Military Regional or Area Command is led by a major general, assisted by a chief of staff who holds the rank of brigadier general. Kodams oversee several territorial formations under its command, which are:
  • Korem or also known as Military Subarea Command or Military Resort Command is a territorial army office covering a large area or multiple regencies. They are further divided into two types which are type "A" and type "B". They are commanded by a brigadier general for type "A" and a colonel for type "B" respectively. It is below the Kodam and is responsible for Military Districts or Kodims.
  • Kodim or also known as Military District Command is a territorial army office covering a City or Regency level. They are further divided into three types which are "independent", type "A" and type "B". They are commanded by a Colonel, and a Lieutenant Colonel for type "B" respectively. It is below the Korem and oversees Koramils under its supervision.
  • Koramil or also known as Military Subdistrict Command is a territorial army office covering a district. They are further divided into two types, "A" and "B", commanded by a Major for type "A" and a Captain for type "B" respectively. It is below the Kodim. Babinsa offices and bureaux fall under its control.
  • *Babinsa or also known as Village Management Senior NCO is a senior army Non-commissioned Officer or a senior Enlisted rank personnel who is in charge for carrying out territorial development and monitoring duties for a community in the Kelurahan level. Babinsa NCOs fall under the control of the local Koramil unit.
In addition, each of the Kodams own a Main Regiment which is responsible for the training and education of enlisted personnel and non-commissioned officers in their territory.
The office of the Regional Commander is assisted by the following territorial departments:
  • Office of the Regional Inspectorate General
  • Office of the Regional Secretariat
  • Regional Military Police Command – responsible for military law enforcement in the territory
  • Regional Public Affairs and Press Office – responsible for public affairs, media and civil-military relations
  • Office of the Regional Adjutant General
  • Regional Military Physical Fitness and Sports Office – responsible for physical fitness and sports affairs
  • Regional Medical Department – responsible for medical affairs
  • Regional Veterans and National Reserves Administration – responsible for military reserves formation and veterans' affairs
  • Regional Topography Service
  • Regional Chaplaincy Corps – chaplaincy service for personnel who are Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Confucianists
  • Regional Finance Office – responsible for financial activities
  • Regional Legal Affairs Office
  • Regional HQ and HQ Services Detachment
  • Regional C3 Unit
  • Regional Information and Communications Technology Office
  • Regional Logistics and Transportation Division
  • Regional Signals Division
  • Regional Ordnance Department
  • Regional Engineering Division
  • Regional Cyber Operations Service
  • Regional Intelligence Command
  • Liaison offices of the Navy and Air Force formations in each Military Regional
Operationally, each "Kodam" is organized as a territorial infantry division which oversees several Subordinate combat units:
  • Infantry Brigade
  • directly reporting independent Infantry battalions
  • independent Infantry battalions which are under the Military Subarea Command or "Korem"
  • Cavalry Squadron and/or Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop
  • Field Artillery Battalion/s
  • Air Defense Artillery Battalions/Detachments
  • Combat Engineers Battalion/s
  • Construction Engineers Battalions/Detachments

    Military regions

The following is a list of Military Regional Commands in Indonesia: