Prabowo Subianto wrote in his book, “Military Leadership 1: Notes from the Experience of Lieutenant General TNI (Ret) Prabowo Subianto,” about his interactions with Pak Sutiyoso, a fellow military officer.
Pak Sutiyoso, who graduated from the ’68 Academy, was known to Prabowo as a humorous and field-oriented person involved in various operations, including infiltration operations in East Timor. Despite their different assignments, Pak Sutiyoso was known for his expertise in shooting moving targets and his involvement in Kopassus.
Prabowo recalled when Pak Sutiyoso, who was then serving as the Operations Assistant of Kopassus, proposed that Prabowo become the Commander of Pusdikpassus in Batujajar. Although Prabowo aspired to continue leading the prestigious 17 Airborne Brigade, he agreed to Pak Sutiyoso’s request in order to improve the curriculum and training quality at the prestigious Education Center in Batujajar.
During his tenure as the Commander of Pusdikpassus, Pak Sutiyoso supported Prabowo greatly. Prabowo also highlighted Pak Sutiyoso’s patriotic nature and ability to make jokes, portraying him as a mentor and senior officer who had a positive impact on his military career.
