PENANJONG GARRISON, Brunei -- Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF) and U.S. Army Soldiers had never conducted a bilateral training exercise in Brunei Darussalam—until now.”

Thirty-three U.S. active and National Guard Soldiers from U.S. Army Pacific partnered with Soldiers from the Royal Brunei Land Forces for Exercise Pahlawan Warrior in three locations across the country, 6-16 Aug. 2018.

Pahlawan Warrior is a part of Pacific Pathways 18-2, executed by the Indiana Army National Guard and consists of six exercises: Hamel (Australia), Keris Strike (Malaysia), Garuda Shield (Indonesia), Hanuman Guardian (Thailand), Pahlawan Warrior (Brunei), and Orient Shield (Japan).

Pacific Pathways exercises support the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) Theater Campaign Plan by building foreign partner interoperability, capacity, and relationships with Pacific theater armies; through assurances of allies and partners, during operations west of the dateline for three-quarters of each year; and providing additional response capabilities to the USINDOPACOM commander.

RBLF soldiers led training for U.S. Soldiers during Jungle Warfare Operations, and U.S. Soldiers took the lead training RBLF soldiers on military operations in urban terrain tactics. Both armies shared best practices during a medical subject matter expert exchange on Tactical Combat Casualty Care.

The Malay word Pahlawan translates to warrior in English, and according to Col. Khairil, Chief of Staff of Royal Brunei Land Forces, “signifies the spirit of camaraderie of both exercising troops in being brave to break the ice amongst themselves, especially in the sharing of knowledge and experience to the application of techniques, tactics and procedures at the tactical level.”

Brunei, which is located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia shares a coastline with the South China Sea. Most of Brunei lies within the Borneo lowland rain forests region, and the RBLF has amassed great experience operating within.

During jungle operations training, Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment from the Indiana Army National Guard, which is currently associated to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division; spent four nights located deep within the nation’s southwest rainforest at a place referred to only as MB 20. Members of the 25th Infantry Division Lighting Academy, which holds its own jungle training in Hawaii, were also present for observation.

There, infantry Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, RBLF, led the U.S. Soldiers under the thick canopy to a base camp consisting of nothing more than a small clearing. After brief instructions on how to weatherproof their gear and set up their hammock, the Bruneian Soldiers taught classes on jungle survival, movement to contact, land navigation and ambush techniques. The training culminated in a bilateral attack which placed the Soldiers side by side implementing all the techniques recently learned.

At the FIBUA (Fighting in Built-up Areas) Complex, located at Penanjong Garrison, members of A Company, 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, instructed a Bruneian infantry platoon on MOUT tactics. Sharing lessons learned during combat operations, the SF Soldiers helped participants refine their current techniques and devised and practiced a multi-pronged attack on an enemy who occupied a three-story building.

On the final day of training, the RBLF platoon, accompanied by a squad of 1-151st Inf. Reg., put their training on display for a final assault. The assault began with snipers getting into position, Scorpion tanks racing up to provide cover fire for personnel carriers transporting the infantry platoon and Bruneian SF soldiers fast-roping onto the roof from a Blackhawk helicopter.

The exercise ended with a combined closing ceremony with the RBLF chief of staff, Col. Khairil, and the deputy commanding general-National Guard, USARPAC, Maj. Gen. Timothy McKeithen, providing closing remarks.

“Pahlawan Warrior is a truly historical event as it marks a first bilateral exercise between our two great armies,” said McKeithen. Our engagement strengthens and grows each year, and through exercises such as this, we are able to deepen our army to army relationships, grow friendships, and increase teamwork capability. Brunei is world renown for their jungle warfare expertise, while the U.S. has extensive expertise in MOUT operations. Thus, as we learn together, we can grow together. We must continue to take advantage of each other’s strengths to grow and progress within our respective armies. Advance interoperability and develop the capability to face our adversaries’ shoulder to shoulder.”