Back to barracks and back to basics: The only path to a professional TNI

The journal Prisma, in collaboration with the think tank Lab45, has published a special edition commemorating the 80th anniversary of Indonesia’s independence and the Indonesian Military (TNI), focusing on civil-military relations amid a crisis of democracy.

The journal highlights two phrases frequently echoed in public spaces by protestors, yet rarely understood in depth, namely “back to barracks” and “back to basics”. While they may sound similar, both suggesting a return to the TNI's core functions, they are, in fact, distinct concepts, each with unique implications for the future of military professionalism within an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.

The calls for the TNI to go back to barracks and back to basics are not mere slogans, they are a strategic ultimatum. They stem from a rational analysis based on global dynamics and the character of 21st-century warfare. Such a reminder is neither a choice nor is it born of hatred, but rather a historical obligation to ensure the TNI stays relevant, strong and respected. Failure to take this step will cost the TNI its credibility and relevance amid the brutal and unforgiving waves of future warfare. We must admit that we do not know the character of future warfare and the conventional model is already obsolete.