Soekarno's last... erection*?!

*erection is the local translation for construction or edifice

If we had any doubt that Indonesia was the hottest place under the sun, they’re gone now. A morning trip to the national monument raised, one of the last of President Soekarno’s era,  provided many of us a chance to show off our new batiks, the traditional dress of Indonesia. Some chose to rock the short sleeve version, akin to a sports coat and chinos, while others opted for the long sleeve which is equivalent to a suit. You stay classy San Diego Jakarta.

The national monument towers over the center of Jakarta, built to remember the Indonesian struggle for independence. It towers over the city and bears a golden flame atop symbolizing the never extinguished spirit of the Indonesian people. Monas, as it is called by the locals, is a must-see for any tourists, so up we went. As we waded through the throngs of people we soon realized what is like to be a minor celebrity. Amazingly our batiks didn’t fool any of the natives to our true colors, and all eyes were upon us. Dozens of uniformed school children ran by in a chorus of “Hi! Hi! Hi!” and a group of mothers at the monument swooned as they snapped pictures with each member of our group individually, especially LT Prager. I suppose being white and 2-3 feet taller than everyone else is kind of a big deal.

We arrived at the top after two hours of drop-dead heat. The unbearable stream of sweat down our calves and patches of sweat on our pant legs led us to a bit of nostalgia and the ultimate truth—Plebe Summer never ends.  The view of the city was magnificent, and provided us our first true glance at the pollution of Jakarta, as a haze obstructed the skyline of the sprawling city. Kate “Hawkeye” Okker-Edging caught a glimpse of the good old stars and stripes waving below and led us to the American Embassy for a quick chat with CAPT Stacpoole and some new contacts. After a speedy jaunt in a Blue Bird Taxi we found ourselves back at the hotel after a short three hour trip through the famous downtown Jakarta traffic. Never again will I complain about the beltway.

I'll be there in five... hours

Arriving in Indonesia at midnight after a long but surprisingly very smooth 30 hour travel day, we were picked up and taken to the hotel with a 30 minute car ride. We knew how bad the infrastructure and traffic was in Jakarta - a city of 30 million people - but at 1 am the traffic wasn't bad at all and we made it to the hotel quickly.

However, we soon realized the chaos that is traffic in Jakarta. Just walking to the local gym turns out to be the most intense game of Frogger ever, with hundreds of quick small cars squeezing by centimeters from one another while mopeds and motorcylces used every bit of space including the sidewalks and even the opposite side of the road to get through. 

But it wasn't until we were returning to the hotel from visiting national monuments downtown (the same distance as it was from the airport) did we realize just how bad the traffic was. It took us 3 hours to go about 10 kilometers in cut throat traffic. Every man for himself. Lane markings seem to be mere suggestions. They can squeeze 5 or 6 wide on a three lane road. And the occasional traffic cop seems to be about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. Either that or he is working on his zumba frantically on the side of the street.

Miraculously, not a single accident. Maybe a stubbed toe or two since all the motorcyclists were wearing open toed sandals...

What's the JRP?

ALLIES’ Joint Research Project (JRP) is conducted annually in the summer. It allows civilian and military students to live and work together in a foreign country while conducting academic research on civil-military relations in other countries. Each ALLIES chapter sends 3-4 students, including cadets and midshipmen from the Naval Academy, the US Military Academy at West Point, and the US Air Force Academy, and students from Tufts University.

In the past, delegations have conducted research in Turkey, Jordan, Panama, Chile, Rwanda and Ukraine. Once the student participants from each school are selected after an intensive application process, they work together to plan the budget, logistics (housing, food, and transport), and research elements of the project, which typically lasts 3-4 weeks.

JRP research involves conducting in-person interviews with military personnel, civilian government officials, journalists, diplomats and any others with expertise in the subject. Prior to departure, each student participant identifies a specific research focus that appeals to both their own interests and civilian-military relations, and write a 15-20 page literature review on the country they intend to visit to ensure they have the proper historical background. During the trip, the students live, work, and conduct their research together in-country. After they return home, they individually write a 20-30 page research paper and contribute to a joint document elaborating on policy recommendations and lessons learned during the trip.

The JRP furthers ALLIES core mission of improving civil-military relations by fostering relationships between future military and civilian leaders, building experience working together, and increasing students’ awareness and knowledge of civil-military relations around the globe.